Copy value from record A to linked record B in same table

[WilliamPorter]

Table named PARENTS. Principal fields for new records are

• role (mother or father)
• name
• address
• spouse (a link to another record in the same table)

In the demographic whose data will populate this table, spouses are more than 90% likely to share the same address. But 90% < 100%. So I want the spouse record to store the address independently. At the same time, however, I’d like to eliminate superfluous typing.

I can get two-thirds of what I want by creating the mother and father records separately. Say the first parent is a mother. If I save and exit that record, then create the father record de novo, enter the role (“father”), name etc and from the perspective of this second record link to the first, I can copy the address via an automation. But I can only get this to work from the perspective of the second record.

What I’d really like to do — what would give me three-thirds of what I want — is be to create the first record “from scratch”, enter role, name and address, and then when I get to the “Spouse” (linked record) field, to create the spouse record right there — from inside the detail view of the first record — and copy mother’s address to the new father record.

Is this possible? I’ve been banging my head on this problem and haven’t sorted it out, although it feels very much like it ought to be doable.

Please note that I would rather like to do this WITHOUT Javascript.

[Mohamed_Swella1]

Hi @WilliamPorterTech

As you know, Airtable form wont allow you to create a linked record, you have to create it before trying to link it.

That being said, there are 2 workarounds here:

1. use MiniExtensions which allows to you create a linked record via some sort of an embedded form in the first record you create

2. (and this is a more reasonable approach) Add the spouse fields in the same airtable form for the first record but dont make them required fields. There you can cooy paste the address easily. Once you do that, create an automation with the Trigger as When Record Meets Conditions which in this case be Name of Spouse From Form (a new field you have) is not empty and the Action as Create New Record with those details. This way you can link the record in the automation and dont have to type the address again :winking_face: you can even have it something like a Checkbox that says Same Address so you dont even have to copy paste it in a new field Spouse Address

Hope this helps

[Will_Porter_Tes]

Thanks for the thoughts, Mohamed. I apoplogize: I should have been clearer in my original post. I am NOT using an Airtable form-view form for this data entry. Instead, the record is created in a grid, and then opened into a detail-view form. This DOES permit you to add linked records (just as if you were editing the record directly in the grid).

The main reason I’m doing it this way is that supports creation of linked records.

There are however downsides to using the detail-view form, so I’m still weighing my options. Your idea of allowing the spouse to be entered in a form-view form, in a temp field, and then parsed into another record, is an interesting one that I’ll give some more thought. I’ve done things like that before. What concerns me is, I want to avoid creating duplicates. It’s not always a sure thing that the parents being added to the base are not already in the base.

Thanks again.

[WilliamPorter]

Ooops, responded from this testing account that I created and can’t seem to get rid of.

Anyway, thanks again Mohamed. Going to be thinking about this today!