Reference an existing Podio item on Create New
There are instances where a Customer record already exists in Podio and we do not want to create duplicates. This can be achieved with GlobiFlow.
When we receive a new website request, we supply the Lead with a Quote. Once this Quote is accepted and new Project is created and the Lead becomes a Customer. We want to reference the Customer record to this newly created Project item.
The Solution to Duplicates
Solving this problem is possible with GlobiFlow using the Search for Item(s) and a Sanity Check actions. This solution will take 3 flows to complete:
- a first for when the Customer exists,
- a second for when the Customer needs to be created and
- a third to add the new Customer item to the referenced Project item.
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First, we need to modify the Customer template by adding a Relationship field and call it Temp Link. Choose your trigger app for reference to. For example, here we chose the Project app.
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This field is required when a new item is created in the Customer app by GlobiFlow. Be sure to do a Refresh from Podio in your GlobiFlow account to sync the changes.
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The first flow to create is one to add the Customer item to the Project item when the client already exists.
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First, Add a New Flow and select how to trigger. For this example, we are triggering when a new item is created in Projects. Leave the filters blank as we want this to run on every new item.
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Next, add the Get Referenced Item action to collect the Lead data. Then add the Search for Item(s) action and set up to the Customer app.
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Using a single line text field called Email Address, we are searching for items in the Customer app that have the same email address as the item in the Lead app.
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Add the Sanity Check and create an expression to check the found Customer items Podio ID and if it is not empty.
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Then add the Update Item action to update the relationship field on the Project with the found Customer record.
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The second flow to create is creating the Customer item when the client does not exist.
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Again, add a New Flow and trigger on creation of New Project. No filters are required so this runs on all items.
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Just like above, add the Get Referenced Items, the Search for Items and Sanity Check, only this time the Sanity Check will check that the Podio Item ID is empty.
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Then add the Create Item action and create a new item in the Customers app. Be sure to set up the Temp Link relationship field to the Current Project Item.
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The third flow will run in the Customer app on creation of new items to complete the link from the Project record.
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Add a New Flow to run on creation of new items and a filter to check that the Temp Link field is not empty.
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Add an action to Update Referenced to update the Project record with the current Customer Item.
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The Result
When a new Project Item is created, GlobiFlow searches for an existing Customer record that contains the same email as the referenced Lead item.
If a Customer record has been found, this record is added to the Project. If one is not found, the Customer item is created and then linked to the Project.