Write modes | Forms Help
When a form submission matches an existing record in Attio (via email or domain), Dialed Forms updates that record instead of creating a duplicate. By default, every submitted field value replaces whatever is already in Attio. Write modes let you change this behavior per field.
The three modes
Each field has a write mode setting that controls what happens on update:
Overwrite (default) Replace the existing value with whatever the respondent submits. This is how every field works if you don't change anything.
Don't overwrite Skip this field entirely if the record already has a value. The existing data is preserved and the submitted value is ignored. If the record has no value for this field, the submitted value is written normally.
Append Add the submitted value to the existing values without removing anything. This only applies to multi-value field types: multiselect, record references, email addresses, phone numbers, and domains. Duplicate values are detected and skipped automatically.
When to use each mode
| Scenario | Mode |
|---|---|
| You trust the form respondent's data over what's in the CRM | Overwrite |
| A field was cleaned manually and you don't want form submissions to mess it up | Don't overwrite |
| You want to collect additional tags, emails, or relationships without losing existing ones | Append |
Common use case
A company record already exists in Attio with a clean name and description. A new contact fills out your form and enters the company domain correctly but types the company name sloppily. With the company name field set to "Don't overwrite", the clean name is preserved. The new contact is still created and linked to the company.
How to configure
- Open your form in the builder
- Click on a field to open its settings
- Scroll down to the write mode setting
- For single-value fields (text, number, select, etc.), toggle "Don't overwrite existing value"
- For multi-value fields (multiselect, record references, email, phone, domain), choose from the dropdown: Overwrite, Don't overwrite, or Append
- Publish the form for the change to take effect
The setting only appears for visible fields. Hidden fields with default values always write their configured value.
Important details
New records are not affected. Write modes only apply when updating an existing record. When creating a new record, all field values are always written regardless of the write mode setting.
Publish is required. The write mode setting is part of the published form snapshot. Changes take effect after you click Publish, not on autosave alone.
Append deduplicates automatically. If a respondent submits an email address that already exists on the record, it won't be added a second time. The same applies to multiselect options, record references, phone numbers, and domains.
Related object sections support write modes too. If your form has related object sections (e.g. a Company section on a People form), you can set write modes on the related object's fields independently.