Symptom / Error
When attempting to convert a lead — either from the Leads module or from Call Logs — you encounter a fatal error during conversion. The error message may reference a null value or a failed function call (for example: "Fatal error: Call to a member function on null").
If you override or dismiss the error and attempt to complete the conversion anyway, the same Account record is created repeatedly in the Accounts module — even if Duplicate Prevention is enabled. Each retry produces another duplicate.
Cause
This issue is caused by a workflow on the Intake Opportunities module that includes an Update Fields action where no value has been selected for the field being updated.
For example: a workflow intended to clear the Referral Source Contact field may have been saved without selecting the Set Null/Empty option — leaving the action in an invalid state. Because this workflow fires every time an Intake Opportunity is saved, it causes every save attempt to crash, which breaks the lead conversion process at the point of Intake Opportunity creation.
Each time the error is overridden and conversion is retried, the system partially creates the Account record before crashing again — resulting in duplicate Account records, bypassing Duplicate Prevention.
⚠️ Note: A secondary conflict can also occur if the same field being cleared by the workflow (e.g., Referral Source Contact) is also set as mandatory on the Convert Lead screen. These two settings work against each other and must both be addressed.
Solution
Step 1 — Locate the Problematic Workflow
Navigate to Settings → CRM Settings → Automation → Workflows.
Filter or search for workflows that run on the Intake Opportunities module.
Look for any workflow that contains an Update Fields action.
Open each workflow and inspect the Update Fields action to check whether a value or the Set Null/Empty option has been selected for every field listed in that action.
Step 2 — Fix the Misconfigured Update Fields Action
Once you have identified a workflow with an Update Fields action that has no value selected, choose one of the following fixes:
Option A (Recommended if the intent is to clear the field): Edit the workflow action and check the Set Null/Empty option for the field. This tells the system to intentionally blank the field rather than leaving the action in an invalid state. Save the workflow.
Option B (If the workflow is no longer needed or you are unsure of its purpose): Deactivate the workflow to prevent it from running while you investigate. Navigate to the workflow and set its status to Inactive.
💡 Tip: Deactivating the workflow first is a safe way to confirm it is the root cause — test lead conversion after deactivating, and reactivate only after the action has been correctly configured.
Step 3 — Resolve the Mandatory Field Conflict (if applicable)
If the field being cleared by the workflow is also marked as mandatory on the Convert Lead screen, these two settings directly conflict with each other. Resolve this by doing one of the following:
Remove the mandatory requirement from the affected field on the Convert Lead screen, or
Update the workflow so that it no longer clears a field that is required during conversion.
To review and update mandatory field settings on the Convert Lead screen, navigate to Settings → Module Management → Module Layouts & Fields and open the Convert Lead layout for the relevant module.
Step 4 — Clean Up Duplicate Account Records
After the workflow has been fixed and lead conversion is working correctly, review the Accounts module for any duplicate records created during the failed conversion attempts. Manually merge or delete the duplicates as appropriate.
Verification / Expected Result
After applying the fix, lead conversion should complete successfully from both the Leads module and Call Logs without generating a fatal error. No additional duplicate Account records should be created on retry.
✅ To confirm: attempt a test lead conversion and verify that a single Account record is created and the conversion completes without errors.
Troubleshooting / Common Errors
Conversion still fails after deactivating the workflow: There may be additional misconfigured workflows on the Intake Opportunities module. Review all active workflows with Update Fields actions and check each one for missing values.
Duplicate records still appearing: Ensure you are not retrying conversion while the root cause is still active. Fix the workflow first, then attempt a fresh conversion.
Unsure which workflow is causing the issue: Temporarily deactivate all workflows on the Intake Opportunities module one at a time and test conversion after each deactivation to isolate the problem.
When to Contact Support
Contact Dazos Support if:
You cannot identify which workflow or action is causing the crash.
Lead conversion continues to fail after following all steps above.
You need assistance cleaning up a large number of duplicate Account records.
You are unsure whether the mandatory field setting or the workflow configuration should be changed for your specific setup.
Related Resources
Troubleshooting Lead Conversion Errors Caused by Removed Fields (CRM)
How to Fix Recurring Workflows That Create Duplicate Tasks and Send Excessive Notifications (CRM)
Early Duplicate Detection and Smart Lead Conversion (CRM)
How to Create and Update CRM Workflows with the Sensei Workflow API (CRM)