Using Branch Logic to Search, Then Create or Update a Record

Keragon’s Branch logic is a powerful way to control decision flows in your automation. A common scenario is checking if a resource already exists, and based on that, deciding whether to create a new record or update an existing one. This tutorial demonstrates how to achieve this using the Branch logic combined with the Get [Plural] - Search for Records action.

Use Case: Search for a Patient Record, Then Create or Update

Goal

• Search for a patient by email.

• If the patient does not exist, create a new patient record.

• If the patient exists, update the existing record.

Step-by-Step Tutorial

1. Add the Search Action (Get [Plural] — Search for Records)

• In your workflow editor, click the + icon to add a new step.

• Select the Patient Management App (or relevant app).

• Choose the Get Patients (plural) action.
  

• Configure the search criteria (e.g., search by email address).

• Example: email = {{emailFromJotform}}

📌 Note: This action always returns a list. If the list is empty, no patient was found.

2. Add the Branch Logic

• Add the Branch logic step immediately after the search action.

• Rename Branch A to "Patient does not exist" .

Configure the Branch Conditions:

• Branch A (Create Patient):

  • Value 1: Map to the search action’s output list (e.g., Patients array).

  • Comparison: is empty

  • If the list is empty, proceed to create a new patient.
    
    

• Default Branch (Update Patient):

  • This branch is automatically created and doesn’t require additional configuration. If the list is not empty, the workflow will automatically follow this path to update the patient.

3. Configure Actions Under Each Branch

• Branch A (Create Patient):

  • Add a Create Patient action.

  • Fill in the necessary fields to create a new patient record.
    
    

• Default Branch (Update Patient):

  • Add an Update Patient action.

  • Use data from the first item in the Patients array to retrieve the patient ID.

  • Update the patient’s details as required.
    
    

4. Test Your Workflow

• Run a test with an email that doesn’t exist to verify the Create Patient path.

• Run another test with an existing patient email to verify the Update Patient path.

By combining the Get [Plural] — Search for Records action with Branch logic, you can elegantly handle upsert operations (update if exists, create if not) without complex coding.