Skip to main content

Understanding Demographic Field Behavior in Intake Opportunities vs Accounts (CRM)

Overview Demographic fields in Intake Opportunities are configured as reference fields that display data from the associated Account record. Understanding this relationship prevents confusion when demographic information appears to be deleted upon saving.

How Demographic Fields Work in Intake Opportunities

When you create a new Intake Opportunity, demographic fields such as:

  • SSN (Social Security Number)

  • Marital Status

  • Race

  • Ethnicity

These fields automatically display information pulled from the linked Account record. They are reference fields, not independent data storage fields within the Intake Opportunity.


Why Changes Don't Save in Intake Opportunities

When you attempt to update demographic information directly in an Intake Opportunity, the changes won't be saved because these fields are pointing to the Account record as their data source.

This behavior is by design - the system maintains a single source of truth for patient demographic information at the Account level.


How to Update Demographic Information

To successfully update demographic data:

  1. Navigate to the Account record associated with the Intake Opportunity

  2. Edit the demographic fields directly in the Account record

  3. Save the changes in the Account

  4. Return to the Intake Opportunity - the reference fields will now display the updated information

Benefits of This Configuration

This reference field approach provides several advantages:

  • Data consistency: Demographic information remains consistent across all Intake Opportunities for the same patient

  • Single source of truth: Patient information is maintained in one location (the Account record)

  • Automatic updates: When you update the Account, all related Intake Opportunities reflect the changes immediately

šŸ’” Tips for Working with Demographic Fields

  • Always update demographic information at the Account level, not in individual Intake Opportunities

  • Remember that changes to Account demographics will be reflected across all Intake Opportunities for that patient

  • If you need episode-specific information that differs from the Account demographics, consider using custom fields that are stored directly in the Intake Opportunity

Related Resources

For more information about managing patient records and opportunities:

  • How to Add Additional Intake Opportunities to Existing Accounts

  • Best Practices for Duplicating Intake Opportunities for Readmissions (CRM)

  • How to Populate Fields from Intake Opportunity to PAA Automatically (CRM)

Related Articles
Did this answer your question?