This document outlines the functionality and characteristics of the Salesforce Updater node, which enables updating existing records in Salesforce objects.

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Node Inputs

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Required Fields

  • Object: Select Salesforce object (e.g., Account, Lead, Contact)
  • Search Column: Field used to identify records to update
  • Search Value: Value to match in search column

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Optional Fields

  • List View: Filter which records to update using predefined views
    • Select “All Views” to update across entire object
  • Upsert: If selected, a new record will be created for any ‘Search Value’ that does not exist in the specified column.
    • Available under “Show More Options”
    • Useful when you’re not sure if records already exist

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Understanding Upsert Functionality

The upsert option (short for “update or insert”) provides a powerful way to handle data synchronization with Salesforce. When enabled, this feature:
  • First attempts to find and update an existing record based on your Search Column and Search Value
  • If no matching record is found, it creates a new record with the provided values
  • Eliminates the need for separate update and create operations in your workflow
This is particularly useful for data synchronization scenarios where you want to ensure all records exist in Salesforce without creating duplicates.
Upsert option toggle
To access this option, click “Show More Options” at the bottom of the node configuration panel. When enabling upsert, make sure all required fields for record creation are provided.

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Dynamic Fields

Connect your node outputs to the fields you want to update. Fields are populated based on the selected fields to update.

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Search Column and Search Value Examples

The following table provides examples of how Search Column and Search Value work together to find the right records to update:
ObjectSearch ColumnSearch ValueWhat It Does
ContactEmailjohn.doe@company.comUpdates the contact with this exact email address
LeadPhone+1-555-0123Updates the lead with this exact phone number
AccountNameAcme CorporationUpdates the account with this exact name
OpportunityId00k5f000000TyZaAAKUpdates the opportunity with this specific Salesforce ID
CaseCaseNumber00001234Updates the case with this case number
Custom ObjectExternal_ID__cABC-12345Updates the custom object record with this external ID
Note: Search values must match exactly, including capitalization and special characters.

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Node Output

Status of updated records

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Node Functionality

The Salesforce Updater node modifies existing records in Salesforce objects. Key features include:
  • Exact value matching for updates
  • Multiple field updates
  • List view filtering
  • Dynamic field mapping
  • Upsert capability for creating records when not found
  • Secure authentication with Gumloop

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When To Use

The Salesforce Updater node is essential when you need to modify existing Salesforce records. Common use cases include:
  • Data Updates: Modify field values across records
  • Status Changes: Update record statuses
  • Information Maintenance: Keep records current
  • Bulk Updates: Modify multiple records matching criteria
  • Data Integration: Ensure records exist with upsert functionality

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Example Use Cases

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1. Customer Data Enrichment

Gmail Reader → Extract Data → Salesforce Updater
Setup:
  • Object: “Contact”
  • Search Column: “Email”
  • Search Value: Connected to extracted email address
  • Upsert: Enabled Purpose: Automatically update customer details when they send emails with new information

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2. Lead Status Updates from Marketing Events

Google Sheets Reader → Salesforce Updater
Setup:
  • Object: “Lead”
  • Search Column: “Email”
  • Search Value: Connected to sheet column with emails
  • “Status” field: Connected to sheet column with new statuses Purpose: Bulk update lead status after marketing events or campaigns

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3. Opportunity Enrichment with Upsert

Website Scraper → Ask AI → Salesforce Updater
Setup:
  • Object: “Opportunity”
  • Search Column: “Account_External_ID__c”
  • Search Value: Connected to company ID
  • Upsert: Enabled
  • Fields to update: Description, Estimated_Value__c Purpose: Enrich opportunity details with latest company information, creating new opportunities if none exist

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4. Case Management with Template Responses

Slack Message Reader → Categorizer → Salesforce Updater
Setup:
  • Object: “Case”
  • Search Column: “CaseNumber”
  • Search Value: Extracted from Slack message
  • “Status” field: Updated based on category
  • “Comments” field: Template response based on category Purpose: Update case status and add standardized comments based on Slack discussions

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Example

Let’s say you want to update the phone numbers for specific customers in your Salesforce:
  1. First, choose what you’re updating:
    • Object: “Contact” (this is like choosing which spreadsheet - contacts, accounts, leads, etc.)
    • List View: “All Contacts” (this filters which contacts you see, like “West Coast Contacts” or “Active Customers”)
  2. Then, specify how to find the right records:
    • Search Column: “Email” (this is how you’ll find the right person - could be email, name, ID, etc.)
    • Search Value: “john@example.com” (the specific email to look for)
  3. Finally, connect the data you want to update with the Salesforce field inputs:
    • Connect your new phone number to the “Phone” field input
The node will:
  1. Look through your contacts
  2. Find the one with email “john@example.com”
  3. Update their phone number to your new value
If you enable upsert functionality and no contact with that email exists, the node would create a new contact with that email and phone number.

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Upsert Example

When working with leads from a marketing campaign:
  1. Configure your node:
    • Object: “Lead”
    • Search Column: “Email”
    • Search Value: Connected to your email list
    • Upsert: Enabled
  2. Connect the required Lead fields:
    • Email: Connected to your email list
    • FirstName: Connected to first names list
    • LastName: Connected to last names list
    • Company: Connected to company names list
    • LeadSource: Static value “Website Form”
The node will:
  1. Look for existing leads with the provided emails
  2. Update any leads that already exist
  3. Create new lead records for any emails not found in the system
  4. All leads (updated or created) will have the LeadSource set to “Website Form”
This ensures you don’t create duplicates while still capturing all leads from your campaign.

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Important Considerations:

  1. Requires Authentication with Salesforce - Set up in the Credentials page
  2. Search value must exactly match the field value
  3. Field availability depends on object type
In summary, the Salesforce Updater node provides a reliable way to modify existing Salesforce records using exact value matching and flexible field updates. With the upsert functionality, it can also create new records when needed, making it a versatile tool for Salesforce data management.