Hello. I have a table with a field I want to copy and paste into a new table. Seems like a simple thing to do, yet I cannot find out how. Any insight? Much appreciated.
Solved
Copy fields into a new table
Best answer by AV_VC
Was playing around and I think I might have found a way to copy over the following:
Field name, field type & options (if multi-select), and field data
In my existing table that I want to paste into, I scrolled all the way over to the right and created a dummy field that was just named a, type single line text.
I went to the table I'm copying from, and copied multiple pieces of field data from 5-6 columns. I only clicked on the data from a record, not the whole column and the field name.
I then clicked over to the final table, and put my cursor in the dummy field (a) *and* in a new record, so one line below any of the existing data. After ctrl-V, the data, field name, and field types all showed up, to my surprise.
Hope this might help other folks searching for the same answer!
Edited to say: The field types did not include any formulas, lookup, etc. I'm guessing these would not copy over well, but the multi-select options, numbers with formatting, text fields, dates, all worked for me.
+18Hi @Rebecca_Povio - if you want to copy the whole field/column, click on the field header to highlight all cells in the column, then CTRL+C to copy. Click on the column header in the new table and CTRL+V to paste. If it isn’t already set to be the same field type, the new column will adopt the field type of the original.
JB
+21To clarify, Jonathan’s suggestion will work if you want to copy data between tables. Copying an entire field definition—including the field type and settings, as well as the data—from one table to another can’t currently be done.
+18Further clarification :winking_face:
For some field types (and for certain field destinations) data, field type and settings are copied over, e.g. single select, multi-select, date, phone. (The field name isn’t copied over.) If you try to copy data into the primary key field from a field type that isn’t allowed for the primary key, e.g. mulit-select, you will get the values as text, but not the field type or settings.
I’m sure there’s more rules about field/column copy & paste than this - but it clearly works to different degrees in different situations. Probably best to try your scenario and see how far Airtable will let you go.
JB
Thank you, both - the data did copy over but I had to add the field name. Ideally, I would love a way to do the whole thing but the field name is the easiest to update so I’m happy for now!
Hi,
is there a solution to transferring field definition?
I have entered quite a extensive list of a single or multi select and would like to use this field for a few different tables. I’d hate to type everything again.
+21Hi,
is there a solution to transferring field definition?
I have entered quite a extensive list of a single or multi select and would like to use this field for a few different tables. I’d hate to type everything again.
Welcome to the community, @Liang_Lin_Zhu! :grinning_face_with_big_eyes: Have you followed the recommendations above? For single and multiple select fields, copying the field type to a new field is easy. If a visual example would help, here’s one I made a while ago:
+3This is cool but it doesn’t let you copy from one table to another table. Is there a way to do this?
This is cool but it doesn’t let you copy from one table to another table. Is there a way to do this?
Also wondering this - did you find a way?
edit found this @Cam_Vokey1 Duplicating a Field to a New Table | Airtable Support
+4Was playing around and I think I might have found a way to copy over the following:
Field name, field type & options (if multi-select), and field data
In my existing table that I want to paste into, I scrolled all the way over to the right and created a dummy field that was just named a, type single line text.
I went to the table I'm copying from, and copied multiple pieces of field data from 5-6 columns. I only clicked on the data from a record, not the whole column and the field name.
I then clicked over to the final table, and put my cursor in the dummy field (a) *and* in a new record, so one line below any of the existing data. After ctrl-V, the data, field name, and field types all showed up, to my surprise.
Hope this might help other folks searching for the same answer!
Edited to say: The field types did not include any formulas, lookup, etc. I'm guessing these would not copy over well, but the multi-select options, numbers with formatting, text fields, dates, all worked for me.
Hi, if you are trying (as I was) to copy a single select field with many option to a different table, you'll need to change the field type to multi-select first.
Here's a step-by-step:
- Change field type to multi-select
- Click on the header and copy with Ctrl-C
- Go to the other table, select the header of the column you want to paste it into
- Paste with Ctrl-V
- Change both fields back to single select
Hope it helps
+2Was playing around and I think I might have found a way to copy over the following:
Field name, field type & options (if multi-select), and field data
In my existing table that I want to paste into, I scrolled all the way over to the right and created a dummy field that was just named a, type single line text.
I went to the table I'm copying from, and copied multiple pieces of field data from 5-6 columns. I only clicked on the data from a record, not the whole column and the field name.
I then clicked over to the final table, and put my cursor in the dummy field (a) *and* in a new record, so one line below any of the existing data. After ctrl-V, the data, field name, and field types all showed up, to my surprise.
Hope this might help other folks searching for the same answer!
Edited to say: The field types did not include any formulas, lookup, etc. I'm guessing these would not copy over well, but the multi-select options, numbers with formatting, text fields, dates, all worked for me.
This worked! You just saved me an hour of work. Thank you AV_VC.
+1Was playing around and I think I might have found a way to copy over the following:
Field name, field type & options (if multi-select), and field data
In my existing table that I want to paste into, I scrolled all the way over to the right and created a dummy field that was just named a, type single line text.
I went to the table I'm copying from, and copied multiple pieces of field data from 5-6 columns. I only clicked on the data from a record, not the whole column and the field name.
I then clicked over to the final table, and put my cursor in the dummy field (a) *and* in a new record, so one line below any of the existing data. After ctrl-V, the data, field name, and field types all showed up, to my surprise.
Hope this might help other folks searching for the same answer!
Edited to say: The field types did not include any formulas, lookup, etc. I'm guessing these would not copy over well, but the multi-select options, numbers with formatting, text fields, dates, all worked for me.
GENIUS!!! Worked PERFECTLY. Thank you so much for sharing.
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