The Transform Contact Field step allows you to take a value from one custom contact field and save it into another one, changing its format or structure if needed.
This step is useful when data is stored in a format that cannot be used directly (dates as text, JSON from webhooks, arrays, etc.) and needs to be prepared for messages, automations, or templates.
When to use this step #
Use Transform Contact Field when you need to:
- Convert a date written as text into a real date field
- Format a date so it can be shown in a message
- Combine multiple values into a single field
- Extract information from JSON data received from webhooks or integrations
- Generate readable text from structured data
How to configure the step #
1. Select the input field #
Choose the custom field that contains the data you want to transform.
Note:
Only custom fields are available. Standard fields such as First Name, Email, or Phone cannot be used.
2. Select the transformation type #
Based on the selected field type, the system shows the available transformations.
Examples:
- Text → Date
- Date → Text
- JSON → JSON
- JSON → Text
The system automatically suggests the most likely option based on the field name (for example, fields containing “date” or “time”).
3. Configure the transformation #
Here you define:
- the date format
- the output text format
- the JSON mapping
- the text template
Available options depend on the selected transformation type.
4. Select the output field #
Choose the field where the transformed value will be saved.
Note:
Only fields compatible with the selected transformation are shown (for example, date outputs can only be saved in Date fields).
Main transformation types #
Text → Date #
Use this when a date is stored as text (for example 2024-12-31) and you want to convert it into a real date.
You can:
- select the exact format
- or use automatic detection if the format is unknown
Recommended for data coming from external integrations.
Text → Date and Time #
Similar to the previous case, but used when the text includes both date and time.
Example:2024-12-31 14:30
Date → Text #
Use this when you want to display a date inside a message or template.
Example output:31/12/2024
In this case, you must always choose the output format.
Date and Time → Text #
Useful when you need to show both date and time in a user-friendly format.
JSON → JSON #
Used to restructure complex JSON data.
You can:
- extract specific properties
- rename fields
- simplify objects or arrays
- combine values
JSON → Text #
Use this when you want to generate readable text from JSON data.
Ideal for:
- automated messages
- order confirmations
- user-facing summaries
How JSON mapping works #
JSON mapping uses references to the input data through the $input variable.
Accessing properties #
To read a value:
$input.field_name
To access nested properties:
$input.customer.personal.first_name
Concatenating values #
You can combine multiple values in a single string:
$input.first_name $input.last_name
Working with arrays #
If the input JSON is an array, you can use a single-element array as a template.
The system will automatically apply the transformation to each element.
This is useful for lists such as products, users, or items.
Properties with special characters #
If a property name contains spaces or special characters, use bracket notation:
$input['property-name']
$input['property with spaces']
Converting values to text with .toString() #
The .toString() method converts complex values into text.
Behavior:
- Arrays → comma-separated values
- Objects → JSON string
- Other types → standard string conversion
Example:
$input.tags.toString()
This is useful when you need to store arrays or objects in text fields for use in messages.
Using sample data #
You can provide example JSON data to:
- validate the mapping
- preview the output
- get autocomplete suggestions
It is strongly recommended to test the transformation before activating the automation.
Best practices #
- Use clear and descriptive names for input and output fields
- Always test transformations with sample data
- If a property is missing, the output value will be empty
- Split complex transformations into multiple steps
- Add notes to explain the purpose of each step
Summary #
The Transform Contact Field step helps you make data:
- usable
- readable
- compatible with messages and automations
It is a key preparation step when working with integrations, webhooks, or structured data.
