Action Predefined value: use picklist value

Question

I am trying to create a publisher action which receives some predefined values. With this action I am creating a new custom object from account. The newly created object has to receive some values which are located on the account object.

Setting up predefined values went oké until I tried defining a value based on a picklist on account. Basically what I'm trying to do is predefine a text field on the custom object and fill it with the value of a picklist on the account object. In order to get the value from the picklist I use Text(picklistOnAccount) in the formula. Yet this tells me that Text() expects a numeric,... and not a picklist.

Anyone has a solution for this or can tell me why there is a limitation here? Haven't managed to find the solution/reason yet.

Thanks

Answer 1

For a long time, TEXT() didn't support picklist values in certain formula types, including default values, approval processes and workflow rules. The team fixed this around Winter '14, but apparently missed it in predefined fields. I'll file a bug.

In the meantime, if you have Enterprise Edition or above, you can work around it by using a workflow field update to copy your picklist value into a text field when the record is created and every time it's edited (use the formula criteria option and set the formula to TRUE so it executes every time). You can leave the text field off your page layout. Then use the text field value in your predefined value formula instead of the picklist.