Preferred Email validation rule

[nspiwak]

We are using the NPSP and the C&P Payment as a Service app. When a new contact submits a payment (either via website or Swiper1 app) the contact's email is automatically added to the standard Email field. This is fine, except we are using the NPSP validation rule which requires a "Preferred Email" type to be selected (Work, Personal, Alternate). Here's the error I receive when C&P tries to create a contact and the validation rule is turned on:

"Insert failed. First exception on row 0; firsterror: FIELD_CUSTOM_VALIDATION_EXCEPTION, Please select a Preferred Email:[npe01__Preferred_Email__c]"

When I deactivate the rule the contact is created without an error. Is there a best practice on modifying the rule or changing the way the contact is created? Can I set the Preferred Email to "Personal" if it's a new contact? Let me know if you have any recommendations. Thanks!

[CnP.Support]

Good day!

Have you mapped the email to that field? Please see the following section:

- C&P Settings > Contacts & Account > Contact & Account Mapping (see below)



Please note that if you are using NPSP the Accounts section will not show up since we have no control over the Accounts as NPSP creates the account.

You may want to map the Email to the Preferred Email field.

Have you mapped your fields as suggested?

[nspiwak]

Great question. I mapped Email -> Personal Email, however the Preferred Email field is a picklist and needs to be set to "Personal". Thoughts?

[CnP.Support]

Hmmm...

does it not have a default value? can you set a default value so when we create a contact that field is auto-selected?

[nspiwak]

It does not have a default value because sometimes we create new contacts with no email at all or with Work or Alternate as the preferred email. It would be weird to see Personal as the preferred email, but not have anything in the Personal Email field. I'm a little surprised you guys haven't encountered this before. The Preferred Email field and associated validation rule comes with the NPSP. I may have to make an exception for the validation rule and a workflow to automatically set the Preferred Email field. Let me know if you guys come up with anything better. Thanks!

[CnP.Support]

Good day!

Sorry but I can't think of any other solution.

The problem is NPSP is designed for manual interaction whereas Click & Pledge connects the outside world to your Salesforce. We work on 100% automation and NPSP is 100% manual.

When a field is set to be mandatory and validation rules are based on manual interactions we run into problem.

One suggestion is to set up a value for the Preferred Email that states "No Preference" and set that as default. You can always create a report for the ones set to that state and adjust them manually. Just a thought.

I will brainstorm with others and see if other solutions are there. Have you considered posting this to the POU: https://powerofus.force.com/0F980000000C

Click & Pledge hosts a community at the Power of Us Hub and we ask all clients to join it. It is a great place to get ideas and seek advice from other users.

[nspiwak]

I've posted the question on the Power of Us Hub. In the meantime, I'm going to try to find a way to modify the validation rule so the contact can be created, then use a workflow rule to set the Preferred Email to Personal. Thank you again for your time!