Who This Is For / When to Use
This article is for users managing sales pipelines who need clear separation between creating new opportunities and updating existing ones.
Use these actions when you want to:
Create new opportunities without risking updates to existing records.
Update specific fields on an existing opportunity based on workflow logic.
Avoid accidental overwrites caused by combined create/update logic.
Important Notice: Action Deprecation
Deprecation of “Create or Update Opportunity”
The Create or Update Opportunity workflow action is being phased out and will no longer be available in new workflows.
Recommended replacement:
Use Create Opportunity to create new records.
Use Update Opportunity to modify existing records.
Overview of the New Opportunity Actions
Create Opportunity
Creates a brand-new opportunity in a selected pipeline.
Does not modify existing opportunities.
Supports duplicate opportunity controls.
Allows full field mapping during creation.
Best used for:
New leads, inbound submissions, or first-time opportunity creation.
Update Opportunity
Updates fields on an existing opportunity.
Can modify values such as name, source, value, and stage.
Can optionally move an opportunity backward in a pipeline.
Updates the triggering opportunity or a matched opportunity if found.
Best used for:
Stage changes, value updates, or status updates after customer actions.
How to Add Opportunity Actions to a Workflow
Step 1: Create or Open a Workflow
Navigate to Automations.
Click Workflows.
Select Create Workflow or edit an existing workflow.
Step 2: Add the Desired Action
Click the + icon in the workflow builder.
Select either:
Create Opportunity, or
Update Opportunity.
Choose the action based on whether you need to create a new record or modify an existing one.
Step 3: Configure Opportunity Fields
For both actions, configure the relevant fields:
Pipeline
Pipeline stage
Opportunity name
Opportunity value
Opportunity source
Any additional supported fields
Only configured fields will be created or updated.
Step 4: Save, Test, and Publish
Click Save Action.
Use Test Workflow to validate behavior.
Toggle the workflow to Publish when ready.
Common Issues and Fixes
Opportunity Is Not Created
Confirm Create Opportunity is used instead of Update.
Ensure duplicate opportunity rules allow creation.
Verify required fields are populated.
Opportunity Is Not Updating
Confirm an opportunity exists for the contact.
Check that the correct pipeline and matching logic apply.
Ensure the workflow reached the Update Opportunity step.
Unexpected Stage Changes
Review whether Allow opportunity to move to any previous stage is enabled.
Disable this toggle if backward movement is not intended.
FAQ
Why was the “Create or Update Opportunity” action deprecated?
It was deprecated to prevent accidental overwrites and to provide clearer, more predictable behavior by separating creation and updates into two actions.
Can I create multiple opportunities for the same contact?
Yes. The Create Opportunity action supports creating multiple opportunities, depending on duplicate opportunity settings.
What happens if no opportunity exists when using Update Opportunity?
If no matching or triggering opportunity is found, no update occurs.
Can I move an opportunity to a different pipeline?
Yes. Using Update Opportunity, you can change the pipeline and stage as part of the update.
Can I control duplicate opportunities?
Yes. Both actions include duplicate opportunity controls to prevent or allow multiple records.
Should I test workflows after switching to the new actions?
Yes. Always test workflows after replacing the deprecated action to ensure opportunities behave as expected.