Hello, I have a Date Formula field that calculates correctly and displays the expected date. However, I’ve found that it doesn’t function as a standard date field when setting up automated tasks or record rules.
I tried to work around this by using a record rule (on create/edit) to copy the formula’s date value into a standard Date field, but that approach doesn’t seem to work either.
What is the recommended way to either:
Use the value of a Date Formula in an automated task or
Populate a regular Date field with the value from a Date Formula so it can be used in task filters and conditions?
To be very specific, I need a date field that shows 5080 days after a DOB field. Automated task needs to run at 13 years and 11 months (5080 days). Any guidance would be appreciated!
Hi @wrightda3, I’ve run into something similar and here’s how I approached it.
I have a formula field called Expiration Date of Certificate Reminder with this equation: adddate({Completion_Date}, interval 11 month).
Because formula fields don’t behave as standard date fields in automations, I created a separate date field (Certificate_Expiry_Date_Reminder) and populate it with a record rule:
When Completion_Date is not blank and Certificate_Expiry_Date_Reminder is blank,
Update the record so Certificate_Expiry_Date_Reminder equals the record value of Expiration Date of Certificate Reminder.
This works in my case because there are a couple of record updates between when the completion date is entered and when the reminder date is needed. The usual caveat applies: a calculated field won’t populate until after a record is saved or updated, so depending on your flow, this may or may not work in your app.
For your case (DOB + 5080 days), you could set up something similar:
Formula field: adddate({DOB}, interval 5080 day)
Record rule to copy that into a standard date field
Then use that date field in your automated task filter at “13 years 11 months.”
An alternative approach is to use a scheduled task that runs daily (or at your preferred interval) to update the standard date field directly from the formula value. This avoids relying on user-triggered record updates. The task can look for records where the date field is empty or out of date and then update it with the formula calculation. This ensures the date field stays in sync even if no edits are made to the record.
I should mention that I am still learning Tadabase myself, so there may be better or more efficient ways to solve this that I am not yet aware of.