Skip to main content

Overview: We cannot create new Linked records when submitting a form. There is only the ability to create a new Linked record after the initial form is submitted (and record created). This is not conducive to some workflows, where it would be very helpful to create a linked record during the initial record creation process.

Feature Request: Allow users to directly create linked records while they are in the process of submitting the initial Form/record in Interfaces.

Current Workarounds:

  1. Provide a link on the initial Form for a user to open up another form to create the linked record prior to them completing the initial form.
  2. Create additional fields in the table and then use automations to automatically create linked records in the background when those are selected.

 

It's also really frustrating that this feature is present when records are created from the data section.

A normal workflow would be for data to automatically connect if created within the field, which is not the case when doing it from a form.

So, if interfaces are built to simplify data entry and impede table structure modify, I think that this is absolutely not the right way.


+1 on feature request - much more needed please.


I truly hope Airtable adds this feature soon. I don’t understand why it’s still not available.


Hi there!

At miniExtensions, we've created a third-party form that integrates seamlessly with Airtable, and allows you to add new records through any linked record fields in your form:


Outside of the 2 workarounds that exist in Airtable to tackle this problem:

The #1 easiest and best way to do this would be to use Fillout’s advanced forms for Airtable, which already has this functionality natively built into its forms.

Fillout is 100% free and offers hundreds of advanced features that aren’t natively available in Airtable’s native forms, such as adding new linked records from a form and updating existing Airtable records from a form.

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


adding my vote hoping airtable team takes this more seriously, including in Interfaces as well 


Plus one to this request. 

Use case: We have a CRM that includes a people table. Some users will be entering interactions into an interactions table. When using a form, they can select the existing people records but they cannot add new ones. They'll be communicating with many new people which should be added along with their interactions (the point of a CRM) and we're unlikely to get uptake on this feature if they have to go to a separate form, enter a new person and return to the interactions form to select that new person.


Yes, this would be a great addition to Airtable.

In the meantime, there are 3 workarounds for this limitation:

1. On the first form, give the user a link to ANOTHER FORM which will allow them to add new records to the linked table. Then, they can come back to the first form to continue their data entry.

2. On the first form, in the linked record field, give the user an option to choose from that is called “new record” or something like that. Then, conditionally show additional fields where they can type in the new information. Then, use an automation to add the new record into the appropriate table.

3. The most user-friendly way: Use Fillout’s advanced forms for Airtable, which already has this functionality natively built into its forms. Fillout is 100% free and offers hundreds of advanced features that aren’t natively available in Airtable’s native forms, such as adding new linked records directly within the form itself and updating existing Airtable records from a form.

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


Reply