MobileConnect AMPscript not updating data extension

Question

We have MobileConnect contacts which we use filed "mobile number" as foreign key to the DE with the relationship one-to-many in order to send SMSs. The number of sending SMSs is equals number of that DE records with related phone number in mobileconnect contacts.

For example, if in this DE there are 3 records with Customer#1 mobile number, we are going to send 3 SMSs.

We can send 3 SMSs, however, we can't choose the record to send (always pick the first one) so we try to update the flag to skip the sent record and pick the next one. Here is our code:

%%[
var @rows, @row, @row_count
var @policy_number, @or_number
var @response
set @rows = LookupRows("ADA_Successful_Debit","Phone", MOBILE_NUMBER, "SMSSent", 0)
set @row_count = rowcount(@rows)
If @row_count > 0 then
    set @row = row(@rows,1)
    set @policy_number = field(@row,"Policy Number")
    set @or_number = field(@row,"OR Number")
    @response = UpdateDE("ADA_Successful_Debit",1,"Policy Number",@policy_number,"SMSSent", 1)
Endif
]%%

But updating the data extension doesn't work. Do you have any solution for this case?

Answer 1

You're missing a set before your @response.

And you're using the wrong function. You should be using UpdateData() instead of UpdateDE(). There are a couple of sets of AMPScript functions that only work in certain contexts. I have to look it up every time.

%%[
var @rows, @row, @row_count
var @policy_number, @or_number
var @response
set @rows = LookupRows("ADA_Successful_Debit","Phone", MOBILE_NUMBER, "SMSSent", 0)
set @row_count = rowcount(@rows)
If @row_count > 0 then
    set @row = row(@rows,1)
    set @policy_number = field(@row,"Policy Number")
    set @or_number = field(@row,"OR Number")
    set @response = UpdateData("ADA_Successful_Debit",1,"Policy Number",@policy_number,"SMSSent", 1)
Endif
]%%

You might consider testing your code in landing/cloud page before adding it to MobileConnect. I find it much easier to debug.