Why Can’t I Edit This Field in Quivr CRM?
If you’ve ever been inside Quivr CRM and found yourself wondering why you can’t edit a field, you’re not alone. It’s a common question we hear from users, and while it can feel frustrating in the moment, there are good reasons behind it. Understanding how Salesforce and Quivr work together under the hood can help you know what’s happening—and more importantly, why.
Below are the three most common scenarios where you won’t see that little pencil icon next to a field.
1. The Field Isn’t Editable by Design
Some fields are locked down because Salesforce doesn’t allow them to be changed, or because it wouldn’t make sense to change them. A good example is the “Created Date” on a record. That timestamp exists to record when the record was created—it’s meant to be permanent.
Another example is the “Completion Date” of a task. Once a task is marked as complete, the system stamps the completion date. If you need to change it, you would need to uncomplete the task and then re-complete it, which updates the date automatically.
If you’re a system administrator, you generally have broad permissions, but even then, some fields are simply read-only.
2. The Field Is a Formula
Formula fields can be particularly tricky because they look like editable fields. They may display text, dates, or numbers, but what’s happening behind the scenes is that Salesforce is calculating the value based on other data points.
For example, in Quivr, we have formula fields that show when a client turns 50, 55, or 59½. These fields automatically calculate based on the client’s date of birth. Since they’re being computed from other data, you can’t manually change them.
Formula fields can do far more than simple math. They might pull text together, concatenate names, or even run more complex logic. But in every case, the principle remains the same: you can’t edit them directly because they’re dependent on other data.
3. The Field Lives Somewhere Else
This is the scenario that catches people off guard most often. Sometimes a field on a record is actually displaying information that belongs to another record. For example, when you’re looking at an RMD record in Quivr, you might see the original account holder’s date of birth or date of death displayed.
Those details actually live on the contact record—not the RMD record. The system is pulling the information in so you can see it in context, but because the data doesn’t live there, you can’t edit it there. To make changes, you need to go to the source record.
This setup is intentional. It prevents duplicate data entry and ensures the information stays consistent throughout your CRM.
Final Thoughts
Not being able to edit a field doesn’t always mean something is wrong. In most cases, it’s either a system safeguard, a formula, or data being displayed from another place. If you ever find yourself stuck, our team is always here to help walk you through what’s happening.
👉 Curious to see how Quivr CRM streamlines financial planning workflows while keeping your data accurate and accessible? Schedule a demo today.
