While I normally use DBI and occasionally roll my own custom application-specific ORM layers when I need them, I will suggest checking the DBIx::Class documentation to see if there is a "commit" step that you might be missing. Your description sounds like you are finding the record in the DB and updating the copy in your program (and possibly in a pending transaction in the DB server) but not actually ever issuing the SQL COMMIT to make the changes durable in the DB.