Auto categorize transactions

[Silhorn_L]

Hi,
I’ve just started using Airtable.
Here’s a list of what I have done and trying to do

• Imported a CSV of my credit card transactions and added a new column called category.
• Want to automatically fill in the category column with “KFC” when the transaction description contains the word KFC.
• Made an automation. See picture for settings I used:
• 
• Now I have turned the automation on but it will not auto fill for category field for all the existing transactions I already imported from my CSV file.
• It only works if I test run it and select a matching transaction from the list that comes up.

How to fix?

[TheTimeSavingCo]

Hi Silhorn, I don’t think it runs for records that meet the condition before the automation was turned on

If we modify one of your existing records or create a new record with a transaction description that contains the word KFC now, after you’ve turned on the automation, you should see it run

[ScottWorld · Accepted solution]

Silhorn_L:

Now I have turned the automation on but it will not auto fill for category field for all the existing transactions I already imported from my CSV file.

Automations don’t go back in time to affect previous records in your base. Automations only work from this point forward (i.e. after you create the automation).

To catch up on old records, you could create a formula field that results in the letters “KFC” for the records that you want. Then, afterwards, you can convert the formula field to a normal text field (or a single select field or a multi select field).

[Silhorn_L]

Thanks for the help everyone.
A quicker way for old records I found is to delete all records and reload them.