Form Update Block: Push Data from Child Forms to Parent Forms Automatically
📄 Form Update Block: Push Data from Child Forms to Parent Forms Automatically
The Form Update Block allows you to update a previously submitted form (often the parent form) using data from a new submission (typically a child form). This is perfect for follow-ups, status tracking, approval notes, and multi-stage workflows where multiple forms work together.
🔁 What Is the Form Update Block?
This block lets you:
- Push updated values into an existing form
- Define which fields to update
- Choose which submission to update (based on linked form relationships)
- Optionally overwrite values or insert new time-stamped data
✅ Best for parent-child form chains (e.g., “Job Report” → “Daily Logs”, “Change Request” → “Client Approval”)
🛠 How to Set It Up
- Go to Step 3: Workflow
- Drag the Form Update Block into your canvas
- Connect it to any step (Submit, Approve, Trigger)
- Click the block to configure:
⚙️ Configuration Options
1. Target Form
Choose which form to update:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Parent Form | Update the form that triggered this one |
| Field-Based Link | Use a “Form Selection” field to choose the target |
2. Field Mapping
Map fields from the current form to fields in the target form.
| Parent Form Field | Child Form Field |
|---|---|
| Project Name | Project Name |
| Notes | Supervisor Comments |
| Date Resolved | Submission Date |
✅ Use Auto Map to auto-pair matching field names.
3. Update Logic
Choose how the update behaves:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Override Form | Replace the existing field value with the new one |
| Append with Timestamp (If override is left unchecked) | Add new content to the field and keep existing (with date) |
4. Multi-Instance Support
Supports updating multiple fields in multiple submissions if configured with a looping trigger.
(Advanced, usually only used in chained workflows or batch processes.)
🧠 Use Case Examples
| Scenario | Update Target | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Supervisor completes client review | Parent Form (Change Request) | Status updated to “Approved by Client” |
| Daily Form feeds Weekly Summary | Field-Based Link | Summary form auto-fills sections |
| Corrective action form closes loop | Parent = Safety Report | “Date Resolved” and “Resolution Notes” updated |
| Subcontractor adds supporting docs | Parent = Submittal Form | Attachments and internal notes appended |
🔄 Tips & Best Practices
- ✅ Use in any child form workflow triggered by Yes/No or follow-up logic
- 🧠 Combine with Approval Block to capture approval result → push back into origin form
- 🔒 Limit editable fields in the parent form to ensure clean overwrite behavior
📝 Audit & History
- Timeline in the parent form shows “Updated by Workflow” and user/form source
- Original values can be preserved (unless overridden)