# Linking to external apps | rule of thumb?

**URL:** <https://community.glideapps.com/t/linking-to-external-apps-rule-of-thumb/55674>\
**Category:** Ask for Help\
**Created:** [December 12, 2022, 2:14pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/linking-to-external-apps-rule-of-thumb/55674 "2022-12-12T14:14:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![IlseB](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/ilseb/32/44063_2.png) [@IlseB](https://community.glideapps.com/u/IlseB)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 2:14pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/linking-to-external-apps-rule-of-thumb/55674/1 "2022-12-12T14:14:44Z")

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Hi,

My basic CRM app does linking via Whatsapp ; email; call and text… this is as part of a manual verification process. the user experience should be:

- i review my lead
- i chose a channel to send a message to them
- i go to the external app and send the message (with this was automated but alas will eventually get there)
- user return to app and move to next lead

Question:

- is it better do the “action flow”: first update the db and return to the main tab, then compose email or open link to whatssapp
- or is it better to update db, then compose/open link, and from there return the user to the main tab
- or , glideapps performance is great either way?

thanks  
Ilse

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**Author:** ![ThinhDinh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/thinhdinh/32/49_2.png) [@ThinhDinh](https://community.glideapps.com/u/ThinhDinh)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2022, 12:06am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/linking-to-external-apps-rule-of-thumb/55674/2 "2022-12-13T00:06:28Z")

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What do you “update” in the database for each action? I guess some kind of a boolean column that marks a lead as “reviewed”?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![IlseB](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/ilseb/32/44063_2.png) [@IlseB](https://community.glideapps.com/u/IlseB)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2022, 4:54am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/linking-to-external-apps-rule-of-thumb/55674/3 "2022-12-13T04:54:34Z")

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Hi,

Yes, im:

- checking if flag is yes,
- then add row
- set column values
- return to tab

And there somewhere inbetween open link…

Hope it clarifies

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ThinhDinh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/thinhdinh/32/49_2.png) [@ThinhDinh](https://community.glideapps.com/u/ThinhDinh)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 12:03am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/linking-to-external-apps-rule-of-thumb/55674/4 "2022-12-14T00:03:59Z")

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So do I understand it right that you are setting the URL of the newly added row via the 3rd action? Or do you set something else?