[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":193},["ShallowReactive",2],{"/updates/2026-04-24-build-multi-record-automations-with-record-context-switching":3,"surround":188},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"date":165,"description":166,"extension":167,"head":168,"meta":169,"navigation":175,"path":176,"schemaOrg":168,"screenshot":177,"screenshotMargin":178,"seo":179,"sitemap":180,"stem":181,"tags":182,"__hash__":187},"updates/updates/2026-04-24-build-multi-record-automations-with-record-context-switching.md","Build multi-record automations with record context switching",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":156},"minimark",[9,13,18,26,30,52,56,113,116,120,140,144,147],[10,11,12],"p",{},"Until now, every step in an automation could only work with the record that triggered it. Need to update a linked company when a contact changes? Want to copy a value from a parent project into a new task? You had to build separate automations to handle these scenarios.",[14,15,17],"h2",{"id":16},"whats-new","What's new:",[10,19,20,21,25],{},"Automations now support ",[22,23,24],"strong",{},"record context switching",", a powerful new capability that lets any automation step operate on a different record than the one that triggered it. You can chain multiple switches together to navigate across linked records, pull in values from earlier steps, and return to a previous record, all within a single automation. Each step clearly shows which record it acts on, so complex multi-record workflows remain easy to follow.",[14,27,29],{"id":28},"why-it-matters","Why it matters:",[31,32,33,40,46],"ul",{},[34,35,36,39],"li",{},[22,37,38],{},"Eliminate workarounds"," by handling related record updates in one automation instead of building multiple disconnected ones.",[34,41,42,45],{},[22,43,44],{},"Keep data consistent"," across linked records, since one automation can update a contact, switch to their company, update that too, then switch back.",[34,47,48,51],{},[22,49,50],{},"Reduce configuration time"," with a visual editor that shows exactly how your automation moves between records, complete with validation and clear error messages.",[14,53,55],{"id":54},"how-it-works","How it works:",[57,58,59,62,65,76,82,97,104],"ol",{},[34,60,61],{},"Open an automation and add or edit an action step (such as Update Record or Send Email).",[34,63,64],{},"Click the collection name button in the step header. This shows the collection the step currently acts on.",[34,66,67,68,71,72,75],{},"Click ",[22,69,70],{},"Switch record"," in the popover to open the context switch editor. You will see a visual chain starting with your trigger record, labelled ",[22,73,74],{},"Initial Record",".",[34,77,78,79,81],{},"Change the collection record you are acting on by clicking ",[22,80,70],{}," at the bottom of the chain.",[34,83,84,85,88,89,92,93,96],{},"For the first switch, choose a collection to ",[22,86,87],{},"Select a record from"," to navigate to a linked record. For subsequent switches, choose ",[22,90,91],{},"Select a new record"," to navigate to a linked record, or ",[22,94,95],{},"Select a previous record"," to return to an earlier point in the chain.",[34,98,99,100,103],{},"For linked records, choose the collection and the linking field. When multiple linked records exist, set ",[22,101,102],{},"Selection Criteria"," to pick the right one (for example, Earliest or Latest for date fields, or Min or Max for number fields).",[34,105,67,106,109,110,75],{},[22,107,108],{},"Apply"," to confirm your switches. The step now operates on the new record, labelled ",[22,111,112],{},"Now Acting On",[10,114,115],{},"Note: When assigning field values, you can copy from any context in the chain, including the original trigger record, any intermediate records, form inputs, or API responses.",[14,117,119],{"id":118},"when-to-use-it","When to use it:",[31,121,122,128,134],{},[34,123,124,127],{},[22,125,126],{},"Operations managers"," can build an automation that triggers when a purchase order is approved, switches to the linked supplier record to update their order count, then switches back to send a confirmation email referencing both records.",[34,129,130,133],{},[22,131,132],{},"Sales teams"," can create an automation that fires when a deal closes, switches to the linked company record to update their total revenue, and then switches to the primary contact to send a personalised thank-you message.",[34,135,136,139],{},[22,137,138],{},"Project managers"," can set up automation that starts when a project status changes to active, then switches to each linked deliverable to update deadlines, and then returns to the project to log the changes.",[14,141,143],{"id":142},"get-started","Get started",[10,145,146],{},"Open any automation in your workspace and try adding a record switch to an action step. The context indicator on each step shows you exactly which record it will act on, and validation messages guide you through the configuration.",[10,148,149,150,155],{},"If you have questions or feedback, we would love to hear from you. Email ",[151,152,154],"a",{"href":153},"mailto:support@kinabase.com","support@kinabase.com"," — we're listening.",{"title":157,"searchDepth":158,"depth":158,"links":159},"",2,[160,161,162,163,164],{"id":16,"depth":158,"text":17},{"id":28,"depth":158,"text":29},{"id":54,"depth":158,"text":55},{"id":118,"depth":158,"text":119},{"id":142,"depth":158,"text":143},"2026-04-24T00:00:00.000Z","Automations can now switch between linked records mid-flow, letting you read, update, and link data across multiple collections in a single automation.","md",null,{"readingTime":170},{"text":171,"minutes":172,"time":173,"words":174},"3 min read",2.725,163500,545,true,"/updates/2026-04-24-build-multi-record-automations-with-record-context-switching","/updates/2026/2026-04-24-build-multi-record-automations-with-record-context-switching.png",false,{"title":5,"description":166},{"loc":176},"updates/2026-04-24-build-multi-record-automations-with-record-context-switching",[183,184,185,186],"Automation","Record","Collection","Field","Xe2-KA7zL_a-8kjeUqU83J51sqzBTU4rDWA2328Kf00",[189,168],{"title":190,"path":191,"stem":192,"children":-1},"Guide teams through stage changes with multi-page workflow forms","/updates/2026-04-21-guide-teams-through-stage-changes-with-multi-page-workflow-forms","updates/2026-04-21-guide-teams-through-stage-changes-with-multi-page-workflow-forms",1777048109836]