Use the Automation Path Builder to update contact details or custom fields for your contacts

Use automation to add or remove contact details or custom fields from the contacts that reach a specific step in your automation path

Contact details are the pieces of information that you know about your contact. There are a standard set of contact details for things like name, email address, and physical address, but you can also create custom fields for information that you want to collect that is unique to your organization.

An automation path can be used to update contact details or custom fields for your contacts as they complete a specific step in your path. Here's how it works:

• Add an 'Update contact field' action to your path
• Select the contact detail or custom field you want to update
• Learn more about contact details and custom fields

Add an 'Update contact field' action to your path

An 'Update contact field' contact action can be added anywhere in your path after the trigger step, and you can have multiple contact field steps in your path.

1. From the Contact actions section, drag the Update contact field step into your path.
2. Drop the Update contact field step anywhere in the path where there is a plus sign.
   
   
    

It's that easy! Repeat the steps for each 'Update contact field' step you want to add to your path. An 'Update contact field' step can also be dragged anywhere there is a plus sign if you want to change its location in the path.

Select the contact detail or custom field you want to update

All it takes is a quick edit to select the contact detail or custom field you want to associate with the step. Contact details are finite, but you can create new custom fields as needed:

1. Click the three dots on the Update contact field step in your path, and select "Edit."
   
   
    
2. Select either:

• Choose an existing field - This lets you select one of the standard contact details or an existing custom field. Select the field and add the value you want to add to the field. 
• Create a custom field - This lets you create a new custom field without having to leave the path builder. Give the new field a name, choose a text or date field, and then add the value you want to add to the field.

3. Click Save.
   
   
    

Once your automation path is activated, the contact detail or custom field is automatically updated for the contacts that reach the step in your path.

Did you know? Your automation path can be edited at any time after it's been activated, but if you make changes to the 'Update contact field' step, the changes only apply to contacts who reach the step going forward, and don't apply to contacts who already completed the step.

Learn more about contact details and custom fields

Here are some tools you can use within your Constant Contact account that are compatible with contact details and custom fields:

• Standard contact headings for file import
• Create and manage custom contact fields
• Create a segment of contacts by choosing specific criteria
• Create more personalized emails to improve engagement
• Subject line personalization in an email
• Add your contacts' details to an email
• Add standard fields or custom fields to a Sign-up Landing Page

Questions?