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Set Created Time and Modified Time from imported fields

  • May 9, 2020
  • 3 replies
  • 68 views

Is there a way to initialize fields of type Created Time and Modified Time from existing records of an imported sheet? That way, those fields will be correct for imported records and will be automatically updated as we add and edit subsequent records.

Best answer by Edward_Brey

The {Created time} and {Last modified time} fields are automatically calculated. They cannot be directly set at all. When you import a sheet, they will be set to the time of import, because that will be when they are created/modified.

Do you want to set the {Created time} and {Last modified time} values to something prior to the time of import? If so, I’m afraid that is not possible. The best you could do is create new date/time fields for the imported values and then use formula fields. But it would very ugly and could create other headaches later on.


A workaround I used was to hide the imported columns with the original timestamps and use a formula to combine the imported timestamps with Airtable generated timestamps for new records:

IF(TimeFieldFromImport=BLANK(),CREATED_TIME(),TimeFieldFromImport)

3 replies

ScottWorld
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  • Genius
  • May 9, 2020

Yes, just add the created time and last modified time field types to your table.


kuovonne
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  • Brainy
  • May 10, 2020

The {Created time} and {Last modified time} fields are automatically calculated. They cannot be directly set at all. When you import a sheet, they will be set to the time of import, because that will be when they are created/modified.

Do you want to set the {Created time} and {Last modified time} values to something prior to the time of import? If so, I’m afraid that is not possible. The best you could do is create new date/time fields for the imported values and then use formula fields. But it would very ugly and could create other headaches later on.


  • Author
  • New Participant
  • Answer
  • May 11, 2020

The {Created time} and {Last modified time} fields are automatically calculated. They cannot be directly set at all. When you import a sheet, they will be set to the time of import, because that will be when they are created/modified.

Do you want to set the {Created time} and {Last modified time} values to something prior to the time of import? If so, I’m afraid that is not possible. The best you could do is create new date/time fields for the imported values and then use formula fields. But it would very ugly and could create other headaches later on.


A workaround I used was to hide the imported columns with the original timestamps and use a formula to combine the imported timestamps with Airtable generated timestamps for new records:

IF(TimeFieldFromImport=BLANK(),CREATED_TIME(),TimeFieldFromImport)