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Populating Single Select

  • May 31, 2017
  • 23 replies
  • 150 views

Trying to figure the basics of Airtable. At this point i just want to populate a Single Select field in Table A with information in a field from Table B. Doable?
Thank you for our time ~ Tom

23 replies

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Yes-- if you paste into a Single Select field, it will automatically create new select options based on the pasted values.

Depending on exactly what you’re doing though (depending on the relationship between Table A and Table B), it’s possible that linked records + lookups are what you’re after. Here’s an article explaining how lookups work: https://support.airtable.com/hc/en-us/articles/202576519-Guide-to-formula-lookup-count-and-rollup-fields#lookup


  • Author
  • New Participant
  • 1 reply
  • June 1, 2017

Yes-- if you paste into a Single Select field, it will automatically create new select options based on the pasted values.

Depending on exactly what you’re doing though (depending on the relationship between Table A and Table B), it’s possible that linked records + lookups are what you’re after. Here’s an article explaining how lookups work: https://support.airtable.com/hc/en-us/articles/202576519-Guide-to-formula-lookup-count-and-rollup-fields#lookup


OK the LookUp + Single Select works. An interesting way to get there but all is well.

Tom


  • Participating Frequently
  • 5 replies
  • September 25, 2017

It would be very nice to be able to poplulate a Single Select or Multiple Select with a Rollup from a linked table.

I’m using airtable as a PIM (product information managment). When mapping product attributes to various marketplace (Amazon, Overstock, etc…), it’s very important that the attribute value be exact. I maintain an Attributes table and an AttributeValues table. After linking an attribute to a product, it would be extremely helpful to populate a select with the values from AttribributeValues. This would ensure the value is correct.

Airtable really is a wonderful product, this addition would make quite a few things easier for our use.

Thanks!


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  • New Participant
  • 2 replies
  • April 13, 2019

I think this is a related or identical question, I can’t quite tell.

In Table 1, I have a list of names. In Table 2, I’d like a single select drop down list that comes from the list of names in Table. This way I can add more names to the column in Table 1 and have them show up as options on the list in Table 2. Can anyone tell me if this is possible? I have played around with linked records and can’t figure it out.

Thanks,
Jim


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  • Known Participant
  • 29 replies
  • April 13, 2019

Hi @Thomas_Carey, @Emmett_Nicholas,
Did you manage to populate the Single Select (dropdown) with data from another table using a Lookup? I can’t get my head around it. If you could point me in the right direction it would be much appreciated.

I’m trying to add a Single Select (categories), that pulls the options from a “Categories” table.

Thanks!


Burner
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  • Known Participant
  • 47 replies
  • November 28, 2019

Hi @Thomas_Carey, @Emmett_Nicholas,
Did you manage to populate the Single Select (dropdown) with data from another table using a Lookup? I can’t get my head around it. If you could point me in the right direction it would be much appreciated.

I’m trying to add a Single Select (categories), that pulls the options from a “Categories” table.

Thanks!


Did you find the solution to this? I’m new to Airtable and am trying to accomplish the same goal.


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  • Known Participant
  • 29 replies
  • November 28, 2019

@Burner no I haven’t. But still curious whether it’s possible.


  • New Participant
  • 1 reply
  • February 24, 2020

Yes, you can, You only need to add typecast = true to the Records JSON,
Example:
{
“records”:
[
{
“fields”: {
“Field 1”: “Test”,
“Field 2”: “Single Select field” }
}
], “typecast”: true
}

I used this example to add-update multiple records (10 records per request)


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  • Participating Frequently
  • 12 replies
  • August 24, 2020

I don’t think @Carlos_Torres response does what we want, since we’re not trying to “add-update” records. We just want a single select dropdown populated by a linked record field. How could this feature not exist?


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  • Inspiring
  • 368 replies
  • August 24, 2020

With this extension, you can automatically copy a lookup field value and paste in a single select field.


  • New Participant
  • 2 replies
  • August 28, 2020

I’m also looking for a way to do this - I simply want to populate a single select in Table A with options from a field in Table B. Surely this is possible?


  • New Participant
  • 1 reply
  • October 19, 2020

The approach suggested in May 2017 works for me. It allowed me to choose a value from using the lookup list. In my case I used linked “Shop” table for the Shop field in “Purchase” table


  • New Participant
  • 1 reply
  • November 22, 2020

Seriously how is it possible that a “relational database” doesn’t have this ability?? I’m leaving this app, far too frustrating to be useful.


  • New Participant
  • 1 reply
  • February 4, 2021

Airtable, this is a basic need. @Emmett_Nicholas your response in May 17 didn´t solve what many are asking here.

Any clue to how this can be solved? I´m leaving the app as well if such an essential need isn´t covered.


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  • Inspiring
  • 16 replies
  • April 1, 2021

Airtable, this is a basic need. @Emmett_Nicholas your response in May 17 didn´t solve what many are asking here.

Any clue to how this can be solved? I´m leaving the app as well if such an essential need isn´t covered.


I guess, I figured it out on how to populate Single Select from existing data.
First, create Single Text column and paste all your data in this column. Once your data is pasted in this column, change the column type to “Single Select”.


  • New Participant
  • 1 reply
  • April 24, 2021

I guess, I figured it out on how to populate Single Select from existing data.
First, create Single Text column and paste all your data in this column. Once your data is pasted in this column, change the column type to “Single Select”.


This solved my issue!


  • Participating Frequently
  • 8 replies
  • May 4, 2021

I guess, I figured it out on how to populate Single Select from existing data.
First, create Single Text column and paste all your data in this column. Once your data is pasted in this column, change the column type to “Single Select”.


Thanks for the workaround


  • Participating Frequently
  • 8 replies
  • May 4, 2021

Yes-- if you paste into a Single Select field, it will automatically create new select options based on the pasted values.

Depending on exactly what you’re doing though (depending on the relationship between Table A and Table B), it’s possible that linked records + lookups are what you’re after. Here’s an article explaining how lookups work: https://support.airtable.com/hc/en-us/articles/202576519-Guide-to-formula-lookup-count-and-rollup-fields#lookup


@Emmett_Nicholas

Any plans to support populating a Single Select dropdown with values from another a column in another table?

Of course lookups do offer a workaround, but it is more like multi-select.


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  • Inspiring
  • 16 replies
  • May 6, 2021

@Emmett_Nicholas

Any plans to support populating a Single Select dropdown with values from another a column in another table?

Of course lookups do offer a workaround, but it is more like multi-select.


In similar way I mentioned above, you can populate single select column from linked and looked up records.


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  • Participating Frequently
  • 7 replies
  • June 19, 2021

In similar way I mentioned above, you can populate single select column from linked and looked up records.


I believe this question is about whether or not it can be automatically populated. At least that’s my question and what I think several others want to do.

For example, I have a linked field in one of my tables that has a (single) lookup value populated (let’s call it Field A). In the SAME table, I have another field (let’s call it Field B) that I have created as a single select dropdown. I would like the dropdown field (B) to contain the exact same value as Field A for that record. Because I want them to be the same, I want to automate by somehow designating that when the record is created (or when Field A is populated), Field B should populate with the same data.

In my case, I want to do this because there is no color coding when grouping by lookup field data, only when you use single select. So I just want to create the functionality without having to do the double work of entering the exact same data in a different field manually.


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  • Inspiring
  • 33 replies
  • April 21, 2022

I guess, I figured it out on how to populate Single Select from existing data.
First, create Single Text column and paste all your data in this column. Once your data is pasted in this column, change the column type to “Single Select”.


While it did provide a temp fix, I still need that drop-down to be dynamic!

Thanks again though…

DG


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  • New Participant
  • 1 reply
  • June 19, 2023

While it did provide a temp fix, I still need that drop-down to be dynamic!

Thanks again though…

DG


any update on this feature ?


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  • New Participant
  • 3 replies
  • June 24, 2024

Does anyone know if this is now a possibility?

I have:

  1. One table for Vendors
  2. One table for contacts
  3. One table for communications.

    I would like to be able to create a new record of a communication, associate that with a vendor and then choose one contact from a list of contacts that are specifically associated with that vendor.