room topic changed to workflow to update to a Picklist value: related to salesforce.stackexchange.com/questions/160737/… (no tags)

So there are 8 fields. These fields are normally empty, but get populated with $ amounts whenever those come in.

We have Assets associated to those fields.

So lets say Field 1 gets a $ amount, we need Asset 1 picklist to be switched to "Missing" because we need someone to get those Assets and then switch this picklist value to "In" because Assets are in.

Why would you want to do not use 'X' as default picklist values?

If the Field has a NULL value, then the Asset has to have the picklist value "N/A" because if there is no budget then the asset is not applicable.

is it a custom object?>

Yeah

so, you have 8 amount fields and 8 picklists?

Yes

but there is another aspect - say there are 3 amount fields X, Y, Z

only one picklist may be associated to amount field X, Y, while another picklist may be associated to amount field Z

I don't understand what is controlling what. Is it 'if Amt1 - set Picklist1 to X' ?

If amt 1 and amt 2 is null - set picklist 1 to "N/A"

If amt 1 and amt 2 is greater than $0 - set picklist 1 to "Missing"

those are the workflows I just built out

So def is X and you want to set them to N/A when some Amts cotrolling it are 0?

i see

How often do Amts change from/to 0?

very rarely

If I understand correctly, you want picklist to be set to Missing only when either Amt gets a value for the first time - is this correct?

Yes

either Amt from the controlling that picklist group...

for Missing it's

amt 1 OR amt 2

for N/A it is amt 1 AND amt 2

and the field update for that Rule would be...

you can try AND(OR(Amt1 > 0, Amt2 > 0), ISBLANK(TEXT(Picklist1))

I was wondering if there is any way to avoid all of these workflows and field updates and have one process/workflow that takes care of all of them at once, but I'm guessing that would require Apex?

Where would I utilize that code? Wouldn't the workflow still have to have a field update?

And that field update would have to be specific to a picklist correct?

yeah, you need multiple WR - 1 for each specific criteria combination

and WR or anything admins could edit is preferable as it would allow you to adjust it when needed

if they are master-detail you potentially could have all picklists value changes automated