How automate combining different unique combos of tags from multiple fields to new multiple fields?

[jessicaeq]

Here is the use case (for 20K + records so definitely want to automate it):

I have 5 different multi-select columns that are tags which describe the primary field/ record. For example:

Field 1: Oranges, apples, bananas

Field 2: Box, cup, bowl

Field 3: Human, cow, dog

Field 4: Blue, red, yellow

Then, I have different fields where I want to exhaust all possible combinations, for example:
Tag 1: oranges, box, human, blue

Tag 2: oranges, box, human, red

Tag 3: oranges box, human, yellow

Tag 4: oranges, cup, human, blue

And so on and so forth. You can see that this creates very many possible combinations. And in some instances there could be 10 tags selected in one field. And to do this manually across 20K records would not only be incredibly time-consuming and tedious, but there is a lot of room for human error.

Is there a formula/ script/ automation that can help auto-tag "Tag 1, 2, 3,....." fields each with one unique combination of tags from muli-select fields where tags exist?

And, as a new record is created and tagged, or as tags in fields change, create new combinations of Tag fields?

Thank you in advance!

[TheTimeSavingCo]

You'd probably need a script custom written I think.  The end goal would have to be one field per combination?  If you've got the time I'd love to hear more about your use case to see if there's another way to accomplish this

[ScottWorld]

@jessicaeq 

It sounds like you’re approaching this in the wrong way. Your best solution would be to completely restructure your database as a “many-to-many relationship”, which will automatically give you the combinations that you’re looking for.

This support article from Airtable discusses many-to-many relationships.

Also, if you have a budget for your project and you’d like to hire an expert Airtable consultant to help you with any of this, please feel free to contact me through my website: Airtable consulting — ScottWorld

[jessicaeq]

Amazing! Thanks, Scott! I appreciate you sharing this information, and helping us to assess a solution that is fit for purpose that goes beyond the many-to-many relationship!