Workflow: Pre-Save Rules on Action Buttons

Overview

Pre-Save Rules are configured on an individual workflow action button. When the button is pressed, matching rules can clear, set, calculate, copy, or populate form fields before the record is saved and before the button’s other workflow actions run.

This execution order is useful when a later action must use the updated value. For example, a rule can populate a User field before a Send Email action runs so the email uses the correct recipient.

Pre-Save Rules differ from a separate Update Record action because the field changes are applied before the other actions assigned to the workflow button. 

Prerequisites

Before configuring Pre-Save Rules, make sure you have:

• App Designer access to the application
• A form with a configured workflow
• A workflow stage containing the action button you want to update
• The form fields that will be evaluated or changed by the rule
• Test records covering every condition and rule-strategy path
• A clear understanding of which downstream actions depend on the updated values

Opening Pre-Save Rules

1. Open the application and form in the Form Designer.
2. Select the Workflow tab.
3. Select the workflow stage that contains the action button.
4. Open the properties for the required action button. 
5. In the button’s properties panel, select the Rules tab.
6. Enable pre-save rules using the toggle at the top of the Rules tab.

Choosing the Rule Strategy

After Pre save rules is enabled, choose how the button handles multiple matching rules.

Field	Description
Run the rules for all the conditions that match	Runs every rule whose conditions match. Use this when several independent field changes may need to occur for the same button press.
Run the rule for the first condition that matches	Runs only the first matching rule. Arrange rules in the intended evaluation order because later matching rules will not run after a match is found.

Adding and Configuring a Rule

1. Select Add new Rule. A rule card such as Rule 1 is added.
2. Under the statement beginning Whenever this action button is pressed, select Add a new Filter.
3. Choose the field to evaluate, then choose an operator and enter or select a comparison value when the operator requires one.
4. Use Add a new Filter for another condition in the same criteria group, or Add OR Filter for an alternative criteria path.
5. Under run the following actions, select Add a new Action.
6. Choose the Target Field that the rule will update.
7. Choose the Action and complete any additional controls displayed for that action type.
8. Add more actions to the rule when all of them should run for the same matching criteria.
9. Review the rule strategy and rule order, then save the form or workflow configuration using the Form Designer save control.

Configuring Rule Conditions

Each filter starts with a Field and Operator. The available operator and value controls depend on the selected field and operator. In the recording, CAPEX Category is configured with is not blank; this operator does not display a comparison-value control.

Field	Description
Field	The form field evaluated when the action button is pressed. The dropdown is searchable.
Operator	The comparison applied to the selected field. Operators include contains, does not contain, like, not like, equals, not equals, is blank, and is not blank.
Add a new Filter	Adds another condition within the current criteria group.
Add OR Filter	Adds an alternative criteria path so the rule can match another set of conditions.
Remove condition	The minus control beside a condition removes that filter row.

Pre-Save Action Types

The Action menu changes according to the selected Target Field. Across the field types examined in the recording, the following action types are available.

Field	Description
Clear Field	Removes the current value from the Target Field before the record is saved.
Set Field value	Assigns a selected or entered value to the Target Field. The value control adapts to the field type; for a choice field, the recording displays that field’s configured choices.
Select first lookup result	Available for an applicable lookup Target Field. Places the first lookup result into that field before the record is saved.
Calculate	Displays a required Formula control. Type @ to search for and insert form fields into the formula.
Copy value from field	Displays a Value Field selector. The selector lists compatible source fields whose value can be copied into the Target Field.
Copy value from view	Displays View, View Field, and Operator controls for selecting a value from a view, such as Sum, Average, Min, and Max. Additional choices depend on the selected view and field.

Execution Order

When the action button is pressed, GW Apps evaluates the configured Pre-Save Rules according to the selected strategy. Matching rule actions update their Target Fields before the record is saved and before the other workflow-button actions execute.

In the recorded button, the Actions tab contains a stage change, an email action, and a redirect. A Pre-Save Rule on that button runs first so those later actions can use the updated record values.