You can just add another column to the dataset that is the color state (must be an integer). You can hide the column from the user. In the customizer you can set the background color list column to the new column name you just created. So if it was called “colorState” make it the same. Then you can set the number to color translation. If you change the value of the color state column the background color will change.
By the way, this is an Ignition request so in the future post it to the Ignition Design Help forum.