Troubleshooting: Workflow Not Updating a Date Field Due to Reference Field Type (CRM)
This guide explains what to do when a workflow appears to trigger correctly but a date field on a record never updates. The most common cause is that the target field was created as a Reference Field instead of a Date field.
Symptom
A workflow configured to update a date field (for example, Last Contact Date) triggers without errors, but the field value never changes — even after multiple attempts. The same workflow configuration works correctly on another module (for example, it works on Leads but not on Intake Opportunities).
Cause
The target field was created as a Reference Field instead of a standard Date field.
A Reference Field in Dazos displays data pulled from a related record. It is read-only by design — neither a workflow nor a user can write a value directly into it. Because of this, any workflow action that attempts to update a Reference Field will appear to run successfully, but the field will remain unchanged.
⚠️ Important: This issue can be easy to overlook because the workflow itself is configured correctly and triggers as expected. The limitation comes entirely from the field type, not the workflow logic.
How to Confirm the Field Type
Navigate to Settings → CRM Settings → Module Management → Module Layouts & Fields.
Select the affected module (for example, Intake Opportunities).
Locate the date field the workflow is trying to update (for example, Last Contact Date).
Check the field type. If it is listed as Reference Field, that is the cause of the issue.
Solution
The Reference Field cannot be converted to a Date field. You will need to recreate the field with the correct field type.
Navigate to Settings → CRM Settings → Module Management → Module Layouts & Fields.
Select the affected module.
Click + Add Custom Field.
Set the Field Type to Date.
Give the new field a clear label (for example, Last Contact Date).
Click Save.
Update your workflow's Update Fields action to target the new Date field instead of the old Reference Field.
Test by adding a comment or triggering the workflow condition on a record, then verify the date field updates correctly.
💡 Tip: Once you have confirmed the new field is working, you can remove or hide the old Reference Field from the module layout to avoid confusion.
Verification / Expected Result
After recreating the field as a Date field and updating the workflow to target it, the field should populate automatically each time the workflow condition is met (for example, when a comment is added to the record).
When to Contact Support
Contact Dazos Support if:
You are unsure which field type is currently assigned to your field.
The workflow still does not update the field after recreating it as a Date field.
You need help updating the module layout or workflow configuration.