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Post Entry Updates

Post Entry Updates automatically updates form fields and enriches entry data when a user’s submission matches an entry in a Reference Table. This feature validates entries against external data and auto-populates form fields with verified information.

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Overview

Post Entry Updates enable you to:
  • Validate entries against external databases (memberships, accounts, products)
  • Auto-fill form fields with verified data from reference tables
  • Enrich entry data without requiring users to manually enter all details
  • Create gated experiences where only valid entries can proceed
  • Streamline data collection by pre-populating known information

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How It Works

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The Process

  1. User submits form with a key identifier (e.g., membership number)
  2. System checks reference table for matching entry
  3. If match found:
    • Validates the submission
    • Updates specified form fields with reference table data
    • Allows user to proceed
  4. If no match found:
    • Displays custom error message
    • Blocks form submission (optional)

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Example Use Cases

Membership Validation:
  • User enters membership number
  • System validates against member database
  • Auto-fills: Name, Email, Membership Tier, Expiry Date
  • Only valid members can enter competition
Product Registration:
  • User enters product serial number
  • System validates against product database
  • Auto-fills: Product Name, Purchase Date, Warranty Status
  • Enriches entry with product details
Account Verification:
  • User enters account number
  • System validates against customer database
  • Auto-fills: Account Type, Balance, Status
  • Prevents duplicate or invalid entries

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Setting Up Post Entry Updates

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Prerequisites

Before configuring Post Entry Updates, you need:
  1. A Reference Table created with your validation data
  2. A Form (Data Capture) added to a card
  3. At least one form field that will be the “key” for matching

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Step 1: Create a Reference Table

  1. Navigate to Communications > Reference Tables
  2. Click Create Reference Table
  3. Upload your CSV file with validation data
  4. Configure columns:
    • Key Column: The unique identifier (e.g., MemberID, AccountNumber)
    • Data Columns: Information to auto-fill (e.g., Name, Email, Tier)
  5. Save the reference table
CSV Format Example: 
MemberID,FirstName,LastName,Email,Tier,ExpiryDate
M12345,John,Smith,[email protected],Gold,2026-12-31
M12346,Jane,Doe,[email protected],Silver,2026-06-30

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Step 2: Configure Your Form

  1. Edit the card with your data capture form
  2. Go to Settings > Data Capture
  3. Ensure you have a field for the key identifier (e.g., “Membership Number”)
  4. Add fields that will be auto-populated (e.g., “Name”, “Email”, “Tier”)

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Step 3: Enable Post Entry Updates

  1. In the Data Capture settings, scroll to Post Entry Updates
  2. Click Add Post Entry Update
  3. Configure the update:
Configuration Options: Name:
  • Give your update a descriptive name (e.g., “Member Validation”)
Reference Table:
  • Select the reference table to validate against
Match Configuration:
  • Form Field: Select the field containing the key identifier
  • Reference Table Column: Select the corresponding column in your reference table
  • This creates the matching logic: “Where Form.MembershipNumber = ReferenceTable.MemberID”
Update Configuration:
  • Form Field to Update: Select which form field to auto-populate
  • Reference Table Column: Select the source data column
  • Multiple Updates: Add as many field updates as needed
Error Message:
  • Customize the message shown when no match is found
  • Example: “Invalid membership number. Please check and try again.”

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Step 4: Test Your Setup

  1. Preview the card
  2. Enter a valid key from your reference table
  3. Verify auto-fill: Other fields should populate automatically
  4. Test invalid entry: Enter incorrect key, verify error message displays
  5. Submit form: Ensure complete workflow works end-to-end

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Advanced Configuration

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Multiple Post Entry Updates

You can configure multiple post entry updates on a single form: Use Case: Validate against multiple databases
  • Update 1: Validate membership (Member Database)
  • Update 2: Enrich with CRM data (Customer Database)
  • Update 3: Add product info (Product Database)
Maximum: Up to 5 post entry updates per form

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Conditional Updates

Combine Post Entry Updates with other features: With Entry Rules:
  • Only allow entries that match reference table
  • Block non-members from entering
With Branching Logic:
  • Different paths based on reference table data
  • Gold members see different content than Silver
With Workflows:
  • Trigger workflows based on reference table matches
  • Send different emails based on member tier

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Partial Matching

Exact Match (Default):
  • Requires perfect match between form field and reference table
  • Case-sensitive
  • Whitespace-sensitive
Best Practices for Matching:
  • Clean your reference table data
  • Use consistent formatting
  • Consider preprocessing form input (uppercase, trim spaces)
  • Test with real data samples

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Use Cases & Examples

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Example 1: Member-Only Competition

Goal: Only allow valid members to enter Setup:
  1. Reference Table: Member database with MemberID, Name, Email, Tier
  2. Form Fields:
    • Membership Number (key field)
    • Name (auto-fill)
    • Email (auto-fill)
    • Tier (auto-fill)
  3. Post Entry Update:
    • Match: Membership Number → MemberID
    • Updates: Name, Email, Tier
  4. Entry Rule: Block if no reference table match
Result:
  • Non-members cannot enter
  • Member details auto-populated
  • No manual data entry required

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Example 2: Product Warranty Registration

Goal: Register products and verify warranty Setup:
  1. Reference Table: Product database with SerialNumber, ProductName, PurchaseDate, WarrantyStatus
  2. Form Fields:
    • Serial Number (key field)
    • Product Name (auto-fill)
    • Purchase Date (auto-fill)
    • Warranty Status (auto-fill)
  3. Post Entry Update:
    • Match: Serial Number → SerialNumber
    • Updates: All product fields
Result:
  • Validates genuine products
  • Auto-fills product details
  • Checks warranty eligibility

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Example 3: Employee Recognition Program

Goal: Verify employees and get their department info Setup:
  1. Reference Table: Employee database with EmployeeID, Name, Department, Manager
  2. Form Fields:
    • Employee ID (key field)
    • Name (auto-fill)
    • Department (auto-fill)
  3. Post Entry Update:
    • Match: Employee ID → EmployeeID
    • Updates: Name, Department
Result:
  • Only employees can submit
  • Department data captured automatically
  • Manager can be notified via workflow

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Example 4: VIP Customer Experience

Goal: Identify VIP customers and personalize experience Setup:
  1. Reference Table: Customer database with AccountNumber, Name, VIPStatus, Preferences
  2. Form Fields:
    • Account Number (key field)
    • Name (auto-fill)
    • VIP Status (auto-fill - hidden field)
  3. Post Entry Update:
    • Match: Account Number → AccountNumber
    • Updates: Name, VIPStatus
  4. Branching Logic:
    • If VIPStatus = “Gold” → Show premium content
    • If VIPStatus = “Standard” → Show standard content
Result:
  • Personalized experience based on customer tier
  • Automatic VIP identification
  • Different content for different tiers

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Troubleshooting

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Common Issues

“No match found” Error Causes:
  • Incorrect key value entered
  • Reference table doesn’t contain the value
  • Formatting mismatch (spaces, case)
  • Wrong column mapped
Solutions:
  1. Verify reference table contains the test data
  2. Check column mapping is correct
  3. Test with known good value from reference table
  4. Check for leading/trailing spaces in data
  5. Ensure exact match (case-sensitive)
Fields Not Auto-Populating Causes:
  • Match not found (see above)
  • Wrong column mapped for updates
  • Reference table column is empty
  • Form field name mismatch
Solutions:
  1. Verify match is working first
  2. Check update mappings
  3. Verify reference table has data in those columns
  4. Check form field names match exactly
Performance Issues Large Reference Tables:
  • Reference tables over 10,000 rows may slow validation
  • Consider splitting into multiple tables
  • Use efficient key columns (indexed)
Solutions:
  1. Optimize reference table size
  2. Use unique, indexed key columns
  3. Test with full dataset before launch

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Debugging Steps

  1. Check Reference Table:
    • Verify data is uploaded correctly
    • Check column names match configuration
    • Test with sample data
  2. Verify Configuration:
    • Match column → correct form field
    • Update columns → correct form fields
    • Reference table selected correctly
  3. Test in Preview:
    • Use browser dev tools to check network calls
    • Verify API requests are made
    • Check response data
  4. Review Entry Data:
    • Check submitted entries in CRM
    • Verify auto-filled data is correct
    • Look for patterns in failures

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Best Practices

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Data Quality

Reference Table Maintenance:
  • Keep reference data up-to-date
  • Remove expired entries
  • Validate data before upload
  • Use consistent formatting
Key Column Selection:
  • Use truly unique identifiers
  • Avoid fields that might change
  • Consider using internal IDs vs. email/phone

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User Experience

Clear Instructions:
  • Tell users what to enter (e.g., “Enter your 6-digit Member ID”)
  • Provide examples
  • Explain what will happen
Error Messages:
  • Be specific: “Member ID not found” vs. “Error”
  • Provide help: “Check your card or contact support”
  • Offer alternatives when possible
Progressive Disclosure:
  • Show auto-filled fields after validation
  • Don’t overwhelm users with all fields at once
  • Use hidden fields for data you don’t need users to see

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Security & Privacy

Data Protection:
  • Only collect necessary data
  • Don’t expose sensitive information
  • Use hidden fields for internal data
  • Comply with data privacy regulations
Access Control:
  • Limit who can view reference tables
  • Protect sensitive reference data
  • Audit access to validation features

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FAQ

Q: Can I use multiple reference tables for one form? A: Yes, you can add up to 5 post entry updates per form, each using different reference tables. Q: What happens if the reference table is updated after someone starts filling the form? A: The validation happens at submission time, so it uses the current reference table data. Q: Can users see the auto-filled data? A: You control visibility. Fields can be visible (user sees auto-filled data) or hidden (internal use only). Q: Does post entry update work with partial matches? A: No, it requires exact matches by default. Ensure your data is clean and consistent. Q: Can I update the reference table automatically? A: Not directly through post entry updates, but you can use workflows to sync data or upload new CSV files. Q: What if a user enters wrong information intentionally? A: Since validation requires exact match from your reference table, they can only proceed with valid data. However, they could use someone else’s valid ID if they know it. Q: Can post entry updates trigger workflows? A: Yes! Use the “Data Captured” workflow trigger and filter by reference table match status. Q: Is there a limit to reference table size? A: While there’s no hard limit, tables over 10,000 rows may impact performance. Consider optimization strategies for large datasets. Q: Can I use post entry updates for live validation (as user types)? A: Currently, validation happens on form submission or field blur, not character-by-character. Q: What file formats are supported for reference tables? A: CSV format is recommended. Ensure proper encoding (UTF-8) and formatting.
Need Help? Contact [email protected] for assistance with Post Entry Updates configuration.