Skip to main content

Anybody figured out how to update a specific cell when another cell changes?



The trigger cell and the destination cell are both in different tables but same base. (Actually the same method scenario can be applied when the trigger cell and the destination cell are in the same base).



The issue is the specific trigger cell can’t be defined in either the “When record is updated” trigger or in the “When record matches condition” trigger.



The reason for it is that the Trigger can’t be specifically tied to a specific cell. Without defining what specific cell Trigger should watch, the Action “Update Record” will only fill in the value from the 1st record of the field that the Trigger watches.



So while the Trigger field (in Table 1) changes, the target field (in Table 2) gets updated with the value from the 1st record of the Trigger field (from Table 1).


What I would rather want is the value updated comes from the specific cell in Table 1 (Specific record ID of the field the trigger watches).



Added pictures:



This is what I need…


The fact the value from Table 1 cell is replicating to multiple Table 2 cells doesn’t matter (it could be just specific cell in Table 2 only).





This is the workflow I have done (plus created the view called “C” in Table 1 as described earlier)










Solution:


The way I solved is I have created a view in Table 1. The view displays only the specific record I need for the Trigger to see. Because it now shows the record in the 1st row, I am then able to use the Automation to update the value in the target Table 2. So changes in the Trigger cell generates an update in the Target cell.



That’s the only way I was able to solve it with Airtable Automation. The values in Table 2 are filled in with a multiple Action steps (each individual step fills in one cell in Table 2)



Has anybody any other idea?



Of course another way to solve it is through Integromat for sure, but just wanted to stay within AirTable for this simple workflow. It’s quite rudimentary workflow so I am surprised something so simple can’t be done (yet) with Airtable Automations.



Update: Added images.

I don’t think I understand what you’re asking for. There are a number of threads here which show how an update to a record in Table 1 can be carried over to a record in Table 2, provided that there is some means of identifying the target record in Table 2’s record ID.



Is there any way you can provide a screenshot of your set up to help explain the trouble you’re running into?

Just attached screenshots in the original post. Both cells can be identified but the Source cell value can’t be identified as target value in the Target cell.

Just attached screenshots in the original post. Both cells can be identified but the Source cell value can’t be identified as target value in the Target cell.


So if you’re trying to get several records in Table 2 to display the value from a field of specific record in Table 1, why not just link the records together and make Table 2’s {Cy_Rt} field a Lookup?

So if you’re trying to get several records in Table 2 to display the value from a field of specific record in Table 1, why not just link the records together and make Table 2’s {Cy_Rt} field a Lookup?




I couldn’t do that because the 2 tables are completely unrelated. There is no single piece of data I could link with.



However, you inspired me to take another look. If I may quote Albert Einstein: “If I had an hour to solve a problem I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions.



I gave a bit thought to the problem I am facing and here we are. I found another solution which works now better.



I have created a new separate Table 3 and it lists all possible currency combinations and scenarios possible … e.g. CAD > USD, USD > CAD, CAD > EUR etc… I use Integromat to update all the currencies in this table every day using a single automation in Integromat.



This Table 3 is then used as look up table and the linked value are the various currency combinations.



However, I still think Airtable automations missing this one specific feature and it would be beneficial to have because by having it, sky would be the limit in terms of what can be done with automations:



The ability to define a specific trigger cell (specific value) as a source to watch and to make it available in the automation actions.



Thanks a lot.



I couldn’t do that because the 2 tables are completely unrelated. There is no single piece of data I could link with.



However, you inspired me to take another look. If I may quote Albert Einstein: “If I had an hour to solve a problem I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions.



I gave a bit thought to the problem I am facing and here we are. I found another solution which works now better.



I have created a new separate Table 3 and it lists all possible currency combinations and scenarios possible … e.g. CAD > USD, USD > CAD, CAD > EUR etc… I use Integromat to update all the currencies in this table every day using a single automation in Integromat.



This Table 3 is then used as look up table and the linked value are the various currency combinations.



However, I still think Airtable automations missing this one specific feature and it would be beneficial to have because by having it, sky would be the limit in terms of what can be done with automations:



The ability to define a specific trigger cell (specific value) as a source to watch and to make it available in the automation actions.



Thanks a lot.




If you mean “Only look at Record 6 for changes to this particular field” you can do that pretty easily. Use a formula field to get the RECORD_ID() for each record, pick the only one you want to watch, add that record ID value to your watch conditions.





But how will Airtable know which records to update in Table 2 if there is no information connecting the records to Table 2?



Sure Record 6’s {Cy_Rt} field value got updated and Automations can pick up that change, but which records in Table 2 should be updated? All of them?



If you mean “Only look at Record 6 for changes to this particular field” you can do that pretty easily. Use a formula field to get the RECORD_ID() for each record, pick the only one you want to watch, add that record ID value to your watch conditions.





But how will Airtable know which records to update in Table 2 if there is no information connecting the records to Table 2?



Sure Record 6’s {Cy_Rt} field value got updated and Automations can pick up that change, but which records in Table 2 should be updated? All of them?




I just wanted to copy cell from Table 1 to a cell in Table 2 where the data is completely unrelated. Yes, if I could enter the Record ID + Field name into Trigger and then enter Record ID + Field name into Action step that’s what I mean. What I mean is to give exact co-ordinate from where the take value and where to put it.



And yes, it is a co-incidence the whole column shows same values. It could be different values.



In Excel I can reference specific cell. I understand AirTable is not Excel so there may be the limitation. That’s fine. From how I see it, Automations could overcome that limitation by allowing me to link to cells without having to set up any relationship between the tables or between any other data in these tables.

I have a similar issue, but I am looking for a way to trigger an automation when ANY value in a CERTAIN column is updated. What I am looking for is a way to fire an alert when a sensitive cell (let’s say the salesperson for a specific client) is changed.



Perfect world, I would want to have an alert email go to the manager that says, effectively, "This record was changed. The sales person used to be Pete. Now it’s listed as Joe. Are you sure that’s ok?


"



Imperfect world is I would be fine if the email said “Go look at ACME corp’s record. The salesperson record just changed.”

I have a similar issue, but I am looking for a way to trigger an automation when ANY value in a CERTAIN column is updated. What I am looking for is a way to fire an alert when a sensitive cell (let’s say the salesperson for a specific client) is changed.



Perfect world, I would want to have an alert email go to the manager that says, effectively, "This record was changed. The sales person used to be Pete. Now it’s listed as Joe. Are you sure that’s ok?


"



Imperfect world is I would be fine if the email said “Go look at ACME corp’s record. The salesperson record just changed.”


@Robert_Merrill sounds like you just need to setup an Automation like normal. In your case, you will probably want the “when record is updated” trigger, and set it to watch for value changes in the field(s) of your choice:




While you can’t get the previous value of a changed cell to show up in a resulting email step, you most certainly send alerts whenever a field value is changed.

I have a similar issue, but I am looking for a way to trigger an automation when ANY value in a CERTAIN column is updated. What I am looking for is a way to fire an alert when a sensitive cell (let’s say the salesperson for a specific client) is changed.



Perfect world, I would want to have an alert email go to the manager that says, effectively, "This record was changed. The sales person used to be Pete. Now it’s listed as Joe. Are you sure that’s ok?


"



Imperfect world is I would be fine if the email said “Go look at ACME corp’s record. The salesperson record just changed.”


Had another similar requirement to create a “super-variable” in my base. The super viable would trigger changes in other variable across all tables in my base and across all records automatically.



This may or may not be something what you are looking for but it is a bit related to my original post. Although it doesn’t address the original requirement (I figured out to do differently) but I believe the method I found now could have resolved my original requirement.



So here we go. I came up with a solution and here are steps:

Reply


Terms & Conditions