# After user update automation: can it trigger from one required field, while optionally including other profile/custom fields if present?

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/after-user-update-automation-can-it-trigger-from-one-required-field-while-optionally-including-other-profile-custom-fields-if-present/404595
**Category:** Support
**Tags:** automation
**Created:** [5 juni 2026 om 10:42 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/after-user-update-automation-can-it-trigger-from-one-required-field-while-optionally-including-other-profile-custom-fields-if-present/404595 "2026-06-05T10:42:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![one1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/one1/32/493591_2.png) [@one1](https://meta.discourse.org/u/one1)
#### Post date: [5 juni 2026 om 10:42 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/after-user-update-automation-can-it-trigger-from-one-required-field-while-optionally-including-other-profile-custom-fields-if-present/404595/1 "2026-06-05T10:42:56Z")

</div>

I’m trying to use the **Create post** script with the **After user update** trigger for a new-user introduction / notification workflow, and I’m not sure whether I’m understanding the documented limitation correctly, or whether there is a supported workaround.

I’ve already read:

- [Using the new user update automation](https://meta.discourse.org/t/using-the-new-user-update-automation/296389)
- [Allow “after user update” automation trigger to fire without custom field](https://meta.discourse.org/t/allow-after-user-update-automation-trigger-to-fire-without-custom-field/368575)

## My use case

I want to create an automated post when a new user completes a **required** signup/profile field.

At the same time, I would like that post to also include some **optional** custom user fields **if the user filled them out** , for example things like:

- pronouns / gender
- languages
- confirmation that [community guidelines](https://meta.discourse.org/guidelines) were understood

So the intended behavior would be:

- **one required field** guarantees the automation fires
- **other optional fields** are included in the post only if they happen to be filled

## Where I’m getting stuck

The documentation for the trigger says:

> The automation will only trigger once the user has filled in all of the specified fields.

And the UI also says:

> Will trigger only if the user has filled all these fields

So as I understand it, if I add optional fields to the trigger configuration so I can use their placeholders, they stop being optional for the purposes of the automation, because the automation won’t fire unless they are all filled.

That seems to create a catch-22:

- if I include the optional fields in the trigger, the automation may never fire for users who skip them
- if I don’t include them in the trigger, then I may not be able to use their placeholders reliably in the post

## My questions

1. Am I understanding the current behavior correctly?
2. Is the documented limitation still accurate today?
3. Is there any supported way to:
  - trigger the automation from **one required field**
  - but still access **other optional custom/profile fields** in the post content if present?

4. If not, is there a recommended workaround for this use case?

## Ideal behavior

What I’m hoping for is something like:

- trigger when **any required trigger condition** is satisfied
- replace optional placeholders when values exist
- leave optional placeholders blank, unchanged, or omitted when values do not exist

But I’m not sure whether that is already possible and I’m just configuring it incorrectly.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks!

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_[View the full topic](https://meta.discourse.org/t/after-user-update-automation-can-it-trigger-from-one-required-field-while-optionally-including-other-profile-custom-fields-if-present/404595)._