A field can be linked to a field on a related record. While the field is empty, it shows and uses the value of the linked field. As soon as you enter a value of its own, that value is used instead.
Example: A contact's Incoming Message Automation is linked to the organization's Incoming Message Automation. If the contact's field is empty and the organization is set to Automatic, the contact is treated as Automatic. If you later change the organization, all contacts without their own value follow at once.
How it looks
- An empty linked field shows the inherited value in grey with "from Organization …" next to it. Hover over the field to see where the value comes from.
- In the field's drop-down, the first choice is "Use value from Organization". It empties the field, so it follows the organization again.
- Choosing any other value saves an own value for this record only. It then no longer follows the organization.
Where it is used
- Record view and the app (API) show the inherited value.
- Workflow conditions test the inherited value. For example, "Incoming Message Automation is Automatic" is true for a contact whose organization is Automatic. Conditions of the type "has changed" only look at the field's own value.
- Lists, filters and sorting do not use inherited values yet.
- Users only see an inherited value from a record they have access to.
Set up a linked field (administrators)
- Open the layout editor for the module (for example Contacts).
- Click the field to open its properties.
- Turn on "When empty, use value from a linked field".
- Choose the reference field under Via reference field (for example Organization Name) and the field under Use field. Only fields of the same type can be chosen.
- Save the layout.
Only one level is followed: a linked field never follows a second link.