Generate URL for form that allows editing of an existing record

[WilliamPorter]

Hope I’m putting this in the right forum. I could swear that, a long time ago, I saw Gareth Pronovost demonstrate how you can generate a URL that will load an existing record into a form so a user can edit it. All I recall really recall is that it involves getting the record ID into the URL. But I’ve been searching for how to do this and can’t find it.

I’m talking about a technique that does not require anything outside Airtable. I already know how to do this using miniAutomations (and that works great). But I’m trying to do it without miniAutomations or any other helper service.

Anybody able to throw me a clue?

Added a minute later: To be clear, I’m NOT talking about prepopulating fields in the form. I know how to do that, too, using ‘prefill_’ and encoding the URL. When you do that it simply prepopulates certain fields with values, but when user hits Submit it creates a new record. I want to edit an existing record and then save the changes to the same record.

[Justin_Barrett]

Gareth has two such videos that I could find on his channel. The older one (from a couple of years ago) uses FormNano, but one that was posted just two months ago is probably the one you’re looking for:

[WilliamPorter]

THANKS, Justin! That’s exactly what I was thinking about. Couldn’t remember the technique but as soon as Gareth mentioned creating a second utility table called “Updates” it all came flooding back. Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks again.

William

[kuovonne]

Here is a variation on this method that does not involve creating an updates table:

• Create a new single line text field for the {Original Record ID} of the original record. Add a description indicating to never manually enter data in the field because it is used by this system, and hide the field from most views.
• Optionally use a multi-select field to indicate the fields to update.
• Create the updates form in the same table.
• Use the Prefilled Forms app to built the formula for the button, prefilling the new single select field with the record id. (Note that you do not need to create a record id field.)
• Have the automation trigger on the condition when the {Original Record ID} field is not empty.
• Have the automation run a scripting action that updates the original record (based on the {Original Record ID} field) with the values in the new record, then have the script delete the triggering record.

How it works:

1. Clicking the button opens the prefilled url. The button works even in shared views.
2. Submitting the form creates a new record.
3. The automation script performs the update, and cleans up the new record.

Advantages of this system:

• You don’t need an updates table.
• You don’t have to match field types with the “updates” table, and if you change field types (such as adding a new multi-select option), you don’t have to change them in multiple places.
• If you have linked records, you do not need extra linked record fields in the linked table.
• You don’t have extra “update” records counting against your record limit, but you can still see all of the changes to the record in the record history.
• Use only one automation for all fields that need updating, versus a new automation for each field to be updated.
• The script can include logic to either update fields to blank values or to only update fields that are not blank.

Disadvantages of this system:

• You need a scripting automation, so it will only work on Pro workspaces.
• Unless you want the script to update only fields that have values, the script needs to be customized to your base.

If you want such a script but are not up to writing it yourself, schedule an appointment with me to discuss your script writing needs.

[WilliamPorter]

Thanks Kuovonne. Have bookmarked this and will review it later, and I’m sure this will be helpful to others as well. These days I assume that I can do lots of things with javascript – but I’m a die-hard and trying to see how far I can go without it.

William Porter / Technology
Dallas, Texas