Add Record button in Interface ignoring default values

Question

I have a default value of "not started" set for a single select "task status" field (see screenshot of field settings). In an interface, I'm using a button to create a new record from a Timeline view. The view has filters applied, which include filtering [records without "Completed" in that status field] OR [records with "Completed" in the status field AND Completed Dates within the past 7 days.] (see screenshot of filter settings)

The new record form attached to the button also has "not started" selected as the default option for the task status field. (see screenshot of form settings)

The problem is that when I click the button, the form defaults the task status to "completed" rather than "not started". I suspect it might have something to do with the filters applied to this timeline but I'm not sure. (see screenshot of new project task form)

This problem also occurs if I allow users to add/delete records inline. If they draw a new record onto the timeline, it defaults the task status to "completed" rather than "not started".

This results in users creating orphaned tasks that immediately disappear from the timeline view because they are defaulting to "completed" and therefor filtered out.

ScottWorld · Accepted Answer

@Jonathan_Gunne1

Yeah, it's very strange & unexpected behavior. Airtable will always override the normal default values on an interface page's integrated record creation form with any values that you are currently filtering by. And since you're filtering by multiple different values, Airtable is making a best guess as to how to override your normal default values.

For some use cases, this is exactly the behavior that people are looking for. They're hoping that Airtable overrides the default form values with their currently-filtered values. But in your case, this is the exact opposite behavior of what you want. In your case, you don't want Airtable overriding the default values at all.

The best workaround for this behavior is to create your own standalone form, either using Airtable's interface forms or using Fillout's advanced forms for Airtable. Fillout is 100% free, and it offers thousands of advanced form features that Airtable's forms don't offer.

Then, back on your list interface, you would add a button to the top of your screen that is set to "open an external URL" instead of "open record creation form". And then point that button to your new form that you created.

The only real downside to this approach is that it will open a new tab in the user's web browser to take the user to the form.

But there is unlimited upside — you get to completely control the form experience and ensure that all the default values are set appropriately, and if you decide to use Fillout , you open up an entire world of possibilities. Fillout allows you to conditionally set default values based on different conditions, it allows you to update Airtable records directly from a form, it allows you to add new linked records directly from a form, and thousands of other things that Airtable doesn't offer natively.

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

Jonathan_Gunne1 · Answer

@Jonathan_Gunne1

Yeah, it's very strange & unexpected behavior. Airtable will always override the normal default values on an interface page's integrated record creation form with any values that you are currently filtering by. And since you're filtering by multiple different values, Airtable is making a best guess as to how to override your normal default values.

For some use cases, this is exactly the behavior that people are looking for. They're hoping that Airtable overrides the default form values with their currently-filtered values. But in your case, this is the exact opposite behavior of what you want. In your case, you don't want Airtable overriding the default values at all.

The best workaround for this behavior is to create your own standalone form, either using Airtable's interface forms or using Fillout's advanced forms for Airtable. Fillout is 100% free, and it offers thousands of advanced form features that Airtable's forms don't offer.

Then, back on your list interface, you would add a button to the top of your screen that is set to "open an external URL" instead of "open record creation form". And then point that button to your new form that you created.

The only real downside to this approach is that it will open a new tab in the user's web browser to take the user to the form.

But there is unlimited upside — you get to completely control the form experience and ensure that all the default values are set appropriately, and if you decide to use Fillout , you open up an entire world of possibilities. Fillout allows you to conditionally set default values based on different conditions, it allows you to update Airtable records directly from a form, it allows you to add new linked records directly from a form, and thousands of other things that Airtable doesn't offer natively.

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

Add Record button in Interface ignoring default values

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