---
title: "Form Update Block: Push Data from Child Forms to Parent Forms Automatically"
url: "https://help.ontraccr.com/en/article/form-update-block-push-data-from-child-forms-to-parent-forms-automatically"
language: "en"
last_updated: "2025-05-26T22:02:57.801Z"
---

# 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.

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## 🔁 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”)

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## 🛠 How to Set It Up

1.  Go to **Step 3: Workflow**
2.  Drag the **Form Update Block** into your canvas
3.  Connect it to any step (Submit, Approve, Trigger)
4.  Click the block to configure:

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## ⚙️ 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 |

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### 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.

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### 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) |

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### 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.)

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## 🧠 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)