How can I enter data for records that are linked by a join table?
Details:
I understand Airtable is kind of lousy at tagging.
I’m trying to do something very basic but getting frustrated at how exactly to make it work. I am setting up a series of events, and I want to tag each event with multiple tags, THEN group by those tags.
I understand from this and other posts that it’s not directly possible.
I’m trying to follow ScottWorld’s instructions here to set up a join table that links records.
So now I have 3 tables, per his instructions:
- Events
- Tags
- Join table that connects multiple events with multiple tags (one entry at a time)
For example, let’s say I want to set up an event: EASTERFEST
I want to tag it: FREE, MEMBERS-ONLY, ENGLISH, ZOOM
It seems that this will be 4 records in the join table:
- EASTERFEST : FREE
- EASTERFEST: MEMBERS-ONLY
- EASTERFEST: ENGLISH
- EASTERFEST: ZOOM
In the original thread, ScottWorld suggests that a) data entry won’t take longer this way, and b) you can create entries from any of the 3 tables. He writes, “Actually, it’s not really more data entry than you’re currently doing, because you can still do the data entry from either the Topics table or the Events table.”
But I can’t figure out how! Right now, I can only enter the records one at a time, i.e. 4 separate records for this example, and only in the join table. This is a TON of data entry, but I can’t figure out how to incorporate these tags back into the events table. When I try to create a linked lookup field, it just says “Lookup fields should be configured in the field menu dropdown.” And I have no clue what that means.
Suggestions???
I’m new to Airtable - well, not quite. I tried to like it a couple of years ago but didn’t love it. Now I’m trying again, but it looks like this might be another dead end.
Any help is appreciated!
Tzivia