why was the field clearing feature removed?

Nicolas North

until last friday, it was possible to clear a deal field completely in automations.

the workflow builder even showed a confirmation: "if you leave this field empty in this action, the field will be cleared, are you sure you want to continue?", and if that was not the intended result, you could simply go back one step and remove that field entirely from those affected by the action.

now, apparently, out of the blue, fields aren't clearable any more, and the warning says: "if you leave this field empty in this action, it will be left alone and ignored".

so basically now we can set a field, but we cannot clear it. it's like having a car that can only accelerate but has no brakes. why on earth would that be? the warning was 100% clear about this, how can the system be usable without?

also, FYI, [not that this would in any way be an acceptable solution] there's no way - anyway - of clearing a field via zapier or api, specifically because zapier says: "it is not possible to empty out a field via api".

so in essence, our 30+ workflows that have carefully been orchestrated to work together, with a lot of zapier sparkled here and there, are broken, and we're screwed.

please add the feature back.

Thanks in advance

Flowace

I understand your frustration with the recent changes to the workflow builder that have affected your ability to clear deal fields in automations. It's frustrating when changes like these disrupt the workflows you've carefully set up. While I can't directly implement changes, I can offer some suggestions and steps you might consider taking:

1. Contact Support: Reach out to the support team of the platform you're using. Explain the situation, your concerns, and how the recent change has impacted your workflows. They might provide insights into why this change was made and whether there are any workarounds or upcoming updates.
2. Provide Feedback: Many software companies appreciate user feedback. If the removal of the ability to clear fields is affecting your workflows negatively, make sure to communicate this clearly to the support team. They might use this feedback to consider reinstating the feature or introducing an alternative solution.
3. Temporary Workarounds: While not ideal, you might need to consider temporary workarounds to adjust your workflows. This could involve using different fields to indicate a "cleared" state or rethinking your workflow logic to accommodate the changes.
4. Review Documentation: Review the platform's documentation or change logs to see if there was any official communication about this change. Sometimes updates are communicated through these channels, providing insight into the reasoning behind the changes.
5. Explore Alternatives: If the platform's built-in features and external services like Zapier are not able to meet your needs anymore, you might need to explore alternative tools or methods that offer the necessary flexibility and control over your workflows.
6. Stay Updated: Keep an eye on any future updates or announcements from the platform. Sometimes changes that impact workflows are met with user feedback, leading to reconsideration or updates.
7. Consider Custom Development: Depending on the platform's capabilities, you might explore the possibility of custom development or scripting to achieve the clearing of fields via API. However, this might require technical expertise and careful implementation.

Remember that changes in software platforms can be frustrating, especially when they impact established workflows. While it might take time to adapt to the changes or find alternatives, reaching out to support and providing feedback can often help initiate a productive dialogue toward resolving the issue.

Nicolas North

Hi Flowace, thanks for your reply. The team in the end identified it as an incorrect change to the backend system and luckily recognized it had to be brought back. Thanks to the team for acknowledging the issue, and thanks to you for answering.

Have a great day