We have rules to change a custom field from 0 to 1 when the task is completed. This task is also set on repeat. So, the repeated task would carry over the Custom field set to 1. But more recently, the changed custom field is not showing up on the duplicated task (the custom field still shows up as 0). But this is inconsistent. Sometimes the custom field has changed but not all the times.
Unable to troubleshoot this. I am not sure if it is a bug or the task is being duplicated before the rule runs on the task. Any ideas to troubleshoot will be helpful!
A tactic used in similar situations may work here: split the two operations. One approach to that is shown in the workaround solution to this topic (where you can vote for the feature as well)
Thank you. For pointing out the other thread which seems to have a workaround for resetting custom fields.
But the issue I am having is that the custom field value from the previous task is not being copied to the repeated task all the time. Sometimes the repeated task has the custom field set to “0” even though the original task changed the custom field to “1” on completion.
Yes, I looked at that post and the entire thread. The discussion there seems to be about finding a workaround to reset custom fields for recurring task. However my issue is the other way around.
Providing a bit more context here.
We have milestones that has a rule set up: “when task is marked complete”- Custom Field “Review Status” is changed to complete, and Custom field “Review count” changed to “1”. This milestone is also set to reoccur every 3 months. When this milestone was completed, the new milestone created copied custom-field “Review Status” as “Completed” and “Review Count” 1. I also had a workaround rule when the due date of this new task was adjusted, it would reset all the custom fields which further was a trigger to another rule. This has been working well for us.
But more recently, when the milestone is completed, the new milestone added seems have custom field “review count” set to 0 and “review status” blank. So, other series of rule is not being triggered since nothing is being reset. And the other issue is, this is not consistent. Sometimes the custom fields carry over and everything works the way we intended to work.
I am thinking either the first rule “When task is mark completed” is not being executed completely before the new task is created hence the custom field values are not the same. I am unable to pinpoint the glitch.
I haven’t tested, but based on prior knowledge, I believe the problem is the order/timing of actions, as you speculated.
When the user action that kicks off your automation is marking a task complete, you can’t influence that.
The other post shows kicking off the automation not by completing a task, but by a manual rule trigger (and there are other approaches too to accomplish that); that does allow you to influence the timing/sequence of automations.
You could make a manual rule, “Complete special milestone,” that sets Review Status and Review Count and perhaps sets another “flag” like a single select “Completion Needed” field to Yes (it’s only value).
Add another rule that when Completion Needed is Yes does these two actions:
Completes the task, and
Clears Completion Needed
If you then run the manual rule (as shown in the other post), instead of completing the milestone with the checkmark, I think it will always work predictably.
