Update records in new table made from automation when there are updates to fields in original table

Hey ​@ashley_24,

If I’m following, I would probably suggest a different approach.

3 tables:
Requests
Request Lines
Post Type

Have Post Type be its own table, where each record would be a combination of a {Type} and {Platform}.
Each Request would be linked to one or multiple Post Types.
Automation would trigger upon certain condition being met, would find records on Post Type where Requests has any of record id of the request that triggered the automation. Then you’d have the repeating group which would create a record on Requests Line for every record found on Post Type.
Field Post Type for the Request Line table would be mapped with the record id of the Current Item of the repeating group. In that way, you’ll get a specific line for each post type requested under the request.
For last, you would also link the Request Line to the actual Request that triggered the automation (by mapping it on the automation).

If Name of the Post is a field found in request table, then by having a lookup (more on lookups here) of Name from Requests at a Request Line table, any change to Name of the Post would automatically reflect on the Request Line.

Does this help or is it too confusing?

I’d be happy to go through it together on a call. Feel free to grab a slot using this link!

Mike, Consultant @ Automatic Nation 
YouTube Channel

Hmm, with reference to the screenshot of Table 1, the issue you’re facing is if ‘Ashley Testing’s Social Posts becomes the following:

Instagram - In-feed static
Instagram - Reel
Facebook - Story

Where there’s a possibility of a new post being added and an old post being deleted, right?  

If so, this gets kind of tricky.  I think the easiest way to deal with this would be to:

1. Disconnect the original records and delete them
2. Create new records with the new selection of Social Posts

If that isn’t feasible, the next best thing to do would be to use a script to help you figure out which Social Posts records already exist and then delete / add the one you want.  If you want to keep the old data (e.g. the data from Facebook - In-feed Static and have it transferred to ‘Instagram - Reel’) then this becomes much more complicated though

If scripting isn’t on the table, then you’d need a ‘Tasks’ table with an automation that would basically replicate the scripting functionality

Hello,

You’ll need two automations: one to create the records in Table 2, and another triggered on updates in Table 1 that finds the linked records and updates their fields. Make sure to pass the multi-select values as separate array items so they map cleanly into the Platform + Post Type field.

​@ashley_24 

Your easiest & best solution for this would be to use Fillout’s advanced forms for Airtable, because it lets people update their own records in Airtable using a form.

No need for complicated automations. No need for constantly-changing prefilled links (if you’re using prefill links).

You would just email people their own unique & unchanging link to update their own record, and then they can modify their own record in Airtable.

Fillout is 100% free, and it offers hundreds of features that Airtable’s native forms don’t offer, including the ability to update Airtable records using a form, create custom PDF files from a form submission, accept payments on forms, display Airtable lookup fields on forms, create new linked records on a form, control access to a form via SSO or email domains or a list of email addresses stored in Airtable, perform math or other live calculations on your forms, collect signatures on a form, create multi-page forms with conditional paths, connect a single form to dozens of external apps simultaneously, add CAPTCHAs to your form, and much more.

I show how to use a few of the advanced features of Fillout on these 2 Airtable podcast episodes:

• Using Fillout to create an eSignature approval process with PDF file creation.
• Using Fillout to create an order entry form with line items.

Hope this helps! If you’d like to hire the best Airtable consultant to help you with anything Airtable-related, please feel free to contact me through my website: Airtable consultant — ScottWorld