Understanding Auto-Update Logic for Table Columns in Workflow

When a table is set to Auto-update columns, what does Clay deem to be "out of date"? I searched help and it only shows what it does and not the logic for how it works. I would like to understand when and what triggers an update of a cell. In my table I have columns that need to be run sequentially (only run C after B is done, after A is done). It would be nice if i didn't have to check which rows A is done before running B, but i definitely don't want A B or C to be run again after it has been run once. There is no new information coming in from anything else. Also, if there are 1000 rows, and 500 rows have run, but in between I change the "Only run if" formula, will the auto update see the previous 500 values as out of date and hence will run it again even if the values will not change?

9 comments

Bo (.
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Hey, thanks for reaching out! 😊 When a table is set to Auto-update columns, Clay considers a column “out of date” if any of its data or dependencies have changed. Essentially, if a column’s state isn’t the same as before (like if the data has been altered or its dependencies were updated), it becomes “stale,” triggering an update. For what you’re trying to do—running columns A, B, and C sequentially—it’s best to turn off Auto-update. That way, you can manually run Column A, ensure it’s fully processed, then move on to Column B, and finally C. This approach gives you full control over when each column runs, avoiding unnecessary re-runs after they’ve been completed, especially since you mentioned there’s no new information being added. Regarding the situation where you change the “Only run if” formula: Yes, if you modify the formula, Clay will detect the previous rows as out of date, and Auto-update a re-run, even if the values themselves won’t change. Disabling Auto-update would prevent this from happening. For more info, here’s a quick resource on dealing with stale data: Example of stale or outdated data. Also, here’s how you can turn off Auto-update, stop ongoing runs, or run a specific number of rows: Managing Auto-update and row settings. Let me know if you need any further help!
Yan S.
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Ah i see - good to know. I think i might have had a load of rows re-run because of that last night... which is how i went from 80K credits down to pretty much zero today and i'm not even half done with my process when i calculated out a rough number of credits needed. I feel like it might have re-run about 10-20K rows on a couple of tables because of this.
Bo (.
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Sorry for that! In which table did this happen? Let me know, and I’ll see what I can do to add a few credits for you. 😊
Yan S.
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Thank you so much - it's actually the same tables that i've been literally running for a few days straight: 📮 Remaining Emails (Combined) - Full 50K Rows 📮 Remaining Emails (Combined) - Overflow 1 - Full 50K Rows 📮 Remaining Emails (Combined) - Overflow 2 - 50K 📮 Remaining Emails (Combined) - Overflow 3 - 50K 📮 Remaining Emails (Combined) - List 2 of 2 📮 Remaining Emails (Combined) - Overflow 4
Yan S.
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https://app.clay.com/workspaces/308568/tables/t_G3ZDEaVjUe6t/views/gv_AzPH6gsBuers https://app.clay.com/workspaces/308568/tables/t_tK3JcTUPX832/views/gv_VJmDARbnFSYs https://app.clay.com/workspaces/308568/tables/t_QdEMnRa3Tqdt/views/gv_6b9ZqJyMeGyy https://app.clay.com/workspaces/308568/tables/t_HaGndTXkVFyf/views/gv_U7my5ibmgJ8Y https://app.clay.com/workspaces/308568/tables/t_rFZAPdrcD5uN/views/gv_mFscv9fXXGJW
Yan S.
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Bo (. I was on the $2000/month plan and based on my calculations I should have been able to complete all the runs with 150K of credits, but halfway through i think that most of these re-ran overnight when i changed the "run only if" rules to make them sequential. I'm about 60% done now and am completely out of credits.
Arturo O.
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Hey Yan, thanks for the thanks for the additional context and insights! Jumping in here to follow up, I did check and happy to help you out with that. It was roughly ~75k that were spent according to past few days enrichments. Reimbursed those credits as a courtesy, so you can finish running them before the next due date before they expire. Let me know if you have additional questions!
Channeled
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We haven't heard back from you in a bit, so we're going to go ahead and close things out here - feel free to let us know if you still need something!
Channeled
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