Automating the Update of Copyright Year with Custom Values and Merge Fields

This guide provides a clear, step-by-step process for automating the update of the copyright year in your CRM system. It’s designed to assist users of varying technical abilities, helping them streamline the task of keeping the copyright year on their website or CRM-generated content current by using custom values, also referred to as merge fields. By doing so, you can avoid the hassle of manually updating this information every year.

Understanding Custom Values

What Are Custom Values?

Before learning how to automate the copyright year, it's important to grasp the concept of custom values. These are dynamic placeholders in the CRM system that pull data, such as dates or user details, and automatically insert that data into emails, webpages, or other documents.

How Custom Values Work

Custom values function by referencing specific data stored in the CRM. For example, when you insert a field for the current year, the system pulls the date from its internal clock and populates it wherever that merge field appears. This method ensures that static information, such as dates, is always up-to-date without requiring manual intervention.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Automate the Copyright Year

1. Navigate to the Relevant Page

Start by accessing the page within your CRM that needs updating. This could be a landing page, a website footer, or a message template within your CRM system.

2. Insert the Merge Field

Once you’ve located the page, add a text element where you want the copyright year to appear. Then, using the "Custom Value" tool, insert the field labeled "Right Now – Year" into the appropriate place in your content. For instance, if you are updating a website footer, replace any previously hardcoded years (like 2021 or 2022) with this custom value field.

3. Save and Review Changes

After inserting the custom value, make sure to save the changes. Preview your document, webpage, or email to ensure that the current year is displayed as intended.

4. Enable Automatic Updates

From now on, the copyright year will automatically refresh each year based on the system's date, removing the need for any further manual updates.

Common Issues and FAQs

• The Year Isn't Displaying Correctly

Double-check that you’ve selected the right merge field for the current year. Some fields may pull different date data, such as the year a record was created, rather than the current year.

• Reverting to a Manual Year Entry

If you need to undo the automatic updates, simply delete the merge field and replace it with a static year of your choice.