# Database schema changes update Entities "Modification Date" **URL:** \ **Category:** Get Help\ **Tags:** automations\ **Created:** [November 21, 2022, 3:52pm UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/database-schema-changes-update-entities-modification-date/3579 "2022-11-21T15:52:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![smoran](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/smoran/32/8909_2.png) [@smoran](https://community.fibery.io/u/smoran)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2022, 3:52pm UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/database-schema-changes-update-entities-modification-date/3579/1 "2022-11-21T15:52:05Z")
Hi – I’ve built an automation based on the “Modification Date” of entities to automate the update of a Kanban board we review on a weekly basis. The goal is to focus on the past week progress and plan the current one. Inactive items are progressively moved to older columns. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/fibery/original/2X/8/8534aac090e5ae6211f645f6e11478046319945d.png) I worked around – see LastHumanModifcation field – the fact that my automation itself updates the modification date of the items but now my problem is that whenever we change the structure of the Database of these items, their modification date gets modified and thus identified as “active” items… Is it a design choice to update the “Modification Date” of each entity or just a “side effect”? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Eren\_Turgut](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/eren_turgut/32/4425_2.png) [@Eren\_Turgut](https://community.fibery.io/u/Eren_Turgut)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2022, 4:46pm UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/database-schema-changes-update-entities-modification-date/3579/2 "2022-11-21T16:46:17Z")
> [@smoran](#): > > whenever we change the structure of the Database of these items, their modification date gets modified and thus identified as “active” items… Could you elaborate what you mean by change the structure of the Database? If I understand correctly, you have created a field “Last human modification”. If you set up your automation such that it updates this date field whenever fields of your choice get updated, the hard programmed modification date should be irrelevant. I have a very simple, similar automation which updates the “Updated” date field to today, whenever a status info is updated. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/fibery/original/2X/7/7b82797ee7c859a4fc6eb27337dffd94a628e377.png) ---
**Author:** ![Oshyan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/oshyan/32/11431_2.png) [@Oshyan](https://community.fibery.io/u/Oshyan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2022, 5:28pm UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/database-schema-changes-update-entities-modification-date/3579/3 "2022-11-21T17:28:48Z")
This did not seem to be a specific Feature Request so I’ve moved it to “Get Help”. If it evolves into a more clear needed new feature (or bug), it can be moved again. Apologies if I’ve misinterpreted, I am happy to move it back right now if you’d like. ---
**Author:** ![smoran](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/smoran/32/8909_2.png) [@smoran](https://community.fibery.io/u/smoran)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2022, 8:44am UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/database-schema-changes-update-entities-modification-date/3579/4 "2022-11-22T08:44:47Z")
Hi Eren – thanks for taking the time. > [@Eren\_Turgut](#): > > Could you elaborate what you mean by change the structure of the Database? For instance, adding a new “Checkbox” field results in 2 “operations” – adding the field & setting it to `false`. I suspect the last operation to be the source of the new `Modification Date` ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/fibery/original/2X/3/3792935ed9b2d4dc30a86e75fc0806e73c81f63d.png) > [@Eren\_Turgut](#): > > If I understand correctly, you have created a field “Last human modification”. If you set up your automation such that it updates this date field whenever fields of your choice get updated, the hard programmed modification date should be irrelevant. As I want to capture any changes on fields and links – like new commits, PRs, etc… – I figured it would be easier to base my logic on the `Modification Date` 😅 But you approach could be better than the ugly hack I’m putting in place 😆 – I would need 3 automations to make it work but at least I would have full control. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/fibery/original/2X/9/9ec2080345494d3247cfbc6404f8c4a1d8d0f179.png) Thanks for your help! There’s still the update of “Modification Date” when adding or removing fields but not really sure it’s an issue. ---
**Author:** ![Chr1sG](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/chr1sg/32/3941_2.png) [@Chr1sG](https://community.fibery.io/u/Chr1sG)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2022, 8:55am UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/database-schema-changes-update-entities-modification-date/3579/5 "2022-11-22T08:55:33Z")
> [@smoran](#): > > I would need 3 automations to make it work but at least I would have full control. What would you like to achieve that you think would need 3 automations? Perhaps we can help with some ideas for optimisation… ---
**Author:** ![Eren\_Turgut](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/eren_turgut/32/4425_2.png) [@Eren\_Turgut](https://community.fibery.io/u/Eren_Turgut)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2022, 9:23am UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/database-schema-changes-update-entities-modification-date/3579/6 "2022-11-22T09:23:00Z")
> [@smoran](#): > > For instance, adding a new “Checkbox” field results in 2 “operations” – adding the field & setting it to `false`. I suspect the last operation to be the source of the new `Modification Date` I guess so yes, that’s why I hide that field and use an extra field. Just add all triggers you want to update your field and you should be good to go 😄 Working with the modification date for this use makes it unnecessarily complicated. ---
**Author:** ![smoran](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/smoran/32/8909_2.png) [@smoran](https://community.fibery.io/u/smoran)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2022, 9:24am UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/database-schema-changes-update-entities-modification-date/3579/7 "2022-11-22T09:24:30Z")
As I said, I’d like to detect when an Entity – Feature, Task, whatever the name 🙂 – is “updated” or get some activity, like: - Someone added a comment - A rich field is updated - The State is updated - Something related on Github happens – new branch, commit, PR - Another entity – e.g Meeting note – is linked or unlinked Maybe I can get rid of tracking “unlinking” events, but anyhow I can’t track with the same automation events coming from 2 triggers: Field Update & Link Creation. Or can I? 😅 ---
**Author:** ![smoran](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/smoran/32/8909_2.png) [@smoran](https://community.fibery.io/u/smoran)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2022, 9:33am UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/database-schema-changes-update-entities-modification-date/3579/8 "2022-11-22T09:33:03Z")
Actually, I can track multiple Fields changes with 1 automation, but it seems that I need 1 automation per linked entity 😭 ---
**Author:** ![Chr1sG](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/chr1sg/32/3941_2.png) [@Chr1sG](https://community.fibery.io/u/Chr1sG)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2022, 12:42pm UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/database-schema-changes-update-entities-modification-date/3579/9 "2022-11-22T12:42:56Z")
Unfortunately it is not possible to combine linking, unlinking, and updating automations, so you would definitely need quite a few automations (and yes, one per relation ☹ ). Also, there is no way to directly monitor ‘rich-text field’ updating I’m afraid (you could make an ugly workaround that checks for changes on a schedule, but it’s not easy/pleasant). There used to be a ‘modification date’ but making it aceesible introduced too many risks of endless loops. Also, there is no universal agreement on what counts as a modification when there is so much connectivity. If A is linked/unlinked to B, have they both been ‘modified’? What if formulas are defined that recalculate based on other field / relation changes? Does an update to a formula count as a modification? ---
**Author:** ![smoran](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/smoran/32/8909_2.png) [@smoran](https://community.fibery.io/u/smoran)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2022, 1:41pm UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/database-schema-changes-update-entities-modification-date/3579/10 "2022-11-22T13:41:27Z")
Understood and I totally appreciate the complexity of it. Thanks everyone for the ⚡ responses 🙏 Just to summarize everything: - `Modification Date` can be updated for many reasons both internal and user-based - Prefer a dedicated field to record the “last update” of an entity - And one or multiple automation(s) to track the relevant changes - ⚠ `Rich-Text` fields changes can’t be tracked ---
**Author:** ![smoran](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/smoran/32/8909_2.png) [@smoran](https://community.fibery.io/u/smoran)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2022, 2:05pm UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/database-schema-changes-update-entities-modification-date/3579/11 "2022-11-22T14:05:24Z")
After further testing, it appears `Rich-Text` changes do not trigger an update of the `Modification Date` ---
**Author:** ![Polina\_Zenevich](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/polina_zenevich/32/480_2.png) [@Polina\_Zenevich](https://community.fibery.io/u/Polina_Zenevich)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2022, 2:33pm UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/database-schema-changes-update-entities-modification-date/3579/12 "2022-11-22T14:33:21Z")
Hi all! Just a gentle update here that all your requests were noted and linked to the feature we have in the backlog 😉 Your votes made that feature a couple of step closer to delivery 😅 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/fibery/original/2X/a/a55c457c90e6125185cfca50527988bd3b2d9054.png) ---
**Author:** ![Chr1sG](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.fibery.io/chr1sg/32/3941_2.png) [@Chr1sG](https://community.fibery.io/u/Chr1sG)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2022, 3:01pm UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/database-schema-changes-update-entities-modification-date/3579/13 "2022-11-22T15:01:12Z")
> [@smoran](#): > > `Rich-Text` changes do not trigger an update of the `Modification Date` Indeed. Rich text (and documents) are kinda managed separately from ‘normal’ fields. > [@Chr1sG](#): > > there is no way to directly monitor ‘rich-text field’ updating I’m afraid ---
**Author:** ![danex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/74df32/32.png) [@danex](https://community.fibery.io/u/danex)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2023, 3:19pm UTC](https://community.fibery.io/t/database-schema-changes-update-entities-modification-date/3579/14 "2023-08-15T15:19:39Z")
Hi @Polina_Zenevich - can you help me understand where this is and how I can vote for it. I couldn’t seem to find it to vote on in [Ideas & Features](https://community.fibery.io/c/ideas-features/). A solution in this area is highly desired by our team for implementing a semantically meaningful activity stream.