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For consistency, I would like to have user be able to select an item from a list. However, if an item is not listed I would like them to be able to add it by typing it in. Is that possible?

Individuals are using a from to add records, by the way.

Airtable forms don’t provide this type of behavior natively, at least not in terms of allowing a manual entry to be saved into the same field as a pre-built list. However, this can be cheated with clever setup and an automation. You can have user additions automatically add to the original list, or you can add a simple management feature that only lets options that you approve appear on the list for others to also choose.

Unfortunately I don’t have time to type out the details of the setup now, but I’ll get on it tomorrow morning.


Airtable forms don’t provide this type of behavior natively, at least not in terms of allowing a manual entry to be saved into the same field as a pre-built list. However, this can be cheated with clever setup and an automation. You can have user additions automatically add to the original list, or you can add a simple management feature that only lets options that you approve appear on the list for others to also choose.

Unfortunately I don’t have time to type out the details of the setup now, but I’ll get on it tomorrow morning.


Do you have a link that explains how to do this? The User additions automatically add to the original list. Can that be done with a form?


Do you have a link that explains how to do this? The User additions automatically add to the original list. Can that be done with a form?


Sorry, it’s been a crazy week. I will write up the solution that I came up with, but it might be a few days.


Apologies again for the delay. I just wrote a new post outlining a couple ways to do this using automations: