Keeping Custom Lead Data When Converting Lead -> Account

[matthewfong]

Hi,

I have a few custom fields added to the Leads module (website, revenue, and employees). I would like to know if it's possible to copy the custom field information for a lead to the account information when converting the lead to an account. I'm having troubles getting to website field in the leads module to be automatically put into the website field in the account module. Does anyone know how to do this? or is it not possible with sugar community addition?

--matt
neoaccel, inc.
http://www.neoaccel.com

[dpatech]

I believe this will work properly and automatically if the custom field names are the same in both the Leads module and Accounts module. However, if you are trying to make this happen from a custom field to a standard field you may need to change some php code to make it happen.

[aboerstra]

This is not working for me. I have changed both the field names and labels so they are identical. I have also enabled "duplicate merge" on both fields as was suggested in another thread on the same topic. I can't get it to work.
Advice from anyone who actually has this working would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Adrian

[dpatech]

I just tested this scenario out on Sugar 5.0b. I added a custom field ("test_c") to the Leads module and Accounts module. I then created a new Lead and converted the Lead. When I converted the Lead, the "Test" field was displayed on the "Convert Lead" panel. It then properly carried this value through to the Account.

Perhaps this is a version specific problem. Does your custom field show up on "Convert Lead" panel?

[Markku]

Hi dpatech,

After reading your post I had to try it with Sugar 4.5.1i and custom field conversion from lead to account worked fine. However I recall trying the same with early 4.5.1 version with no luck, maybe I did something wrong back then or maybe this feature was added/fixed later, can't say.

[ljbutler]

Hi Matt,

I needed to do exactly the same thing and got some advice from a developer so here we go:-

1. Create a custom field in the leads module i.e companyWebsite_c Note:- it will add the _c automatically to all custom fields.
2. Add EXACTLY the same field to the Accounts module - same field name, type etc.

The two fields will be connected and the data will pass from the lead to the new account when you convert the lead.

However - there is a small problem. 'Website' is already a field in accounts. You can remove it from all your account views in studio, so it still exists but you never see it. However the one 'view' you cant change in studio is the conversion screen from lead to contact. During the process of converting a lead to a contact and creating the new account you will see both your new companyWebsite field (with your data already entered into it) and the original website field, waiting to be filled in. To get rid of this now redundant field you have to edit the php code, which is fairly simple.

Go to modules/accounts and find the file getWideFormBody.php open it and search for http (the website field is automatically pre filled with this, so it's the easiest way to find the right line). Delete that line and the carriage returns above and below it. Save the file and give it a try!

Disclaimer:- I know nothing! I've done this on my own install which is not yet fully working because of other issues. This fix is a mixture if limited information from various developers and my own hacking about. However, it seems to work and doesn't appear to have caused any problems as yet.

Out of interest, what kind of situation are you trying to make sugar work for? It seems we're seeing similar shortcomings and I wonder if you are trying to achieve a similar set up to us. I'll be honest - I'm struggling to make this thing work and if we can help each other out it might make life a whole lot less stressful!

[baigeman]

So you would have to create 3 separate custom fields that are exactly the same? One in Targets, one in Leads, and one in Contacts (or whatever your flow of data is). Is there no way to create one custom field that all 3 link to?

If you want a custom field to be a drop down menu you can imagine how big of a pain this can get especially when you decide to then change the list in the drop down.

Is there a difference in 4.5.1h to 5.0+ ?

Thanks,

Jim

[baigeman]

OK,

You just have to create independent fields for each module, but they can all be pointed to the same dropdown list. At least you can do that, but still not sure why it is too hard to centralize custom fields in the same way.

[ljbutler]

It's not an ideal solution by a long way.

Two shortcomings of my method posted above are that the website address no longer appears as a link as it would if you were using the native website field, and that you have to re-make the mod to the php described above every time you update to the latest version.

Still, for us it's better than nothing!

[bent]

It's not an ideal solution by a long way. Two shortcomings of my method posted above are that the website address no longer appears as a link as it would if you were using the native website field, and that you have to re-make the mod to the php described above every time you update to the latest version.
Still, for us it's better than nothing!

Your method worked wonderful for us in 5.1 - thank you for posting it. In regard to the mod-remake after updates to the latest sugar version - aren't the custom fields created in Studio carriedover to the new version?