Effortlessly advance through your CRM blueprints by including optional fields in transitions

Editions: Professional edition and above
DCs: All
Release plan: This enhancement is being released in a phased manner to customers. It will soon be available to all users.
[Updated on 5 Sep 2024] This enhancement has been released to all users in all DCs.

Hello everyone,

Blueprints streamline processes and ensure users adhere to required steps by guiding them through each stage. To maintain compliance, users must enter required information to progress in a blueprint. You can learn more about blueprints from our tutorial.

The case for optional fields

While blueprints ensure that processes are followed strictly, they can run into issues in some scenarios. For example, in the lead qualification process:

A sales development rep (SDR) needs to gather details such as company size, budget, and other factors in order to qualify a lead.
An account executive (AE) will pick up where the SDR left off and delve deeper to discover specific needs, pain points, decision processes, and more.

Customers aren't restricted by processes like SDRs and AEs are, and they may share specific pain points and other details directly with SDRs. This presents a dilemma to admins when designing blueprints; should they make these fields mandatory for the SDR? If yes, how should the SDR proceed in cases where this information isn't available?

To address this issue, admins have had to use workarounds, such as adding extra fields with layout rules and implementing multiple transitions. This made blueprints harder to configure, maintain, and use.

Use optional fields to enhance your blueprints

CRM blueprints can now include optional fields in stage transitions, allowing for more flexibility in meeting various process needs (like the one mentioned above).

In our example, admins can simply make those fields optional for the SDR.

Some sample use cases are as follows:

Users can complete detailed feedback fields in ticket resolution processes if the customer is willing to provide information.
Users can gather additional task details—such as estimated time, priority level, and dependencies—in task management blueprints.
Users can record preferences and additional information in registration processes. These could cover accessibility requirements, motivations for participation, areas of interest, and more.
Order fulfillment blueprints can include fields related to order consolidation, if multiple orders are being combined into a single shipment.

To do this, go to a blueprint's transition form and mark the appropriate fields as optional or mandatory based on your needs. Previously, every field in the transition form was mandatory.

Users can then proceed to the next stage even if the optional fields aren't filled.

You can mark the following items in the blueprint's transition form as optional:

Fields from the primary blueprint module and related modules
Checklist items
Notes, tags, and attachments
Other fields added under Associated Items, like tasks, meetings, etc.

In addition, a Save as Draft button has been added to the transition form to help transition owners manually save completed fields and continue later where they left off.

Moving notes, tags, and attachments

We've also introduced a new change whereby notes, tags, and attachments are now accessible in relevant locations within the UI. This update will also pave the way for future improvements as we consolidate them all under the "Add" button menu.

Tags will be available when you click the + Add button.
Notes and attachments will be available under + Add > Associated Items.

FAQ
I've marked a field as optional, but it's still shown as mandatory for transition owners. Why?
Whether a field in a transition form is marked as mandatory or optional depends on the following:

Whether the module field is mandatory or not
Whether a layout rule is marking a field as mandatory or not
Whether it's set as mandatory in the blueprint transition setting

If at least one of these is mandatory, then the field is marked as mandatory.

We hope you find this new update useful. As mentioned before, this is being released in a phased manner and it will soon be available to all users. Do share your feedback in the comments section below.

Thanks!

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