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Re: Automatically update overview base

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Jeff_Hladek
5 - Automation Enthusiast
5 - Automation Enthusiast

I need some help with something. 

I am building out a project management system for my team. Our projects tend to be pretty big, so each project has it's own base. But, we need a project overview base to allow leadership to see the status of projects easily. 

I have an Overview base built, but I need some way to automatically update the percent complete of each project in the Overview base. We have the team level subscription, so I cannot update the source records from the project base. 

I would prefer not to use any 3rd party systems like Make or Zapier, but if that is the only way to do this, I am open to it. 

Any help or ideas would be awesome! 

6 Replies 6
Brian_Sweeny
6 - Interface Innovator
6 - Interface Innovator

I would consider just using one base for all the projects, no matter the complexity. I have built highly complex, powerful bases that tidy up when converted to interfaces. If you need some help, feel free to schedule a session with me!

Hmm, I think I'm missing something!  I assume we're populating the Overview base by syncing data over from each of the project bases?  If so, the percent complete should automatically update whenever the data in the project bases is updated, right? 

Is it that we want to update the project bases via the Overview base?  If so, you could try doing another sync from Overview to the project base and having an automation trigger from there.  You could also use scripting (might not be recommended as your API key would be exposed to anyone who has access to the automations in the Overview base), and then the final option would be Zapier / Make like you mentioned

+1 for @Brian_Sweeny's idea of keeping everything in one base where possible!

I have thought of this, but our projects include products that we purchase. Each project can have up to 3500+ records including items to be ordered and tasks. We have the team subscription, so the max records per base is 50,000. That means we can only have 14 projects in the base. We currently have 10 in progress. So, I worry that we will get close to those limits. 

Open to other ideas if you have them.

I am using synced bases, but it is a similar problem to Brian's solution. On the team plan, we can only sync 10 tables per base. We regularly have 10 is projects going at a time. On occasion we might have more, so it would be a challenge to sync everything to the Overview base. I can sync the Overview base to each project base, but that doesnt solve the problem because I can't update the Records in the Overview base from the project base. 

Brian_Sweeny
6 - Interface Innovator
6 - Interface Innovator

Gotcha! I would recommend just duplicating the same base to accommodate more projects. 

Hmm, if each project base has a table that consolidates all the relevant data via rollups, you could sync that table over alone to reduce the total count?  Given that the Overview base is really just for high level tracking, you wouldn't want the nitty gritty stuff anyway right?

And sorry, I'm still not really clear what the workflow is.  My understanding right now is you just need to display data from the project bases in the Overview base, and that no data changes need to go from the Overview base to the project bases, let me know where I've got it wrong!