Hyperlink field from autogenerated(formula) URL field

[Sean_Lake1]

Hey All,
I’m looking to have a field that stores a hyperlink version of said URL field that is generated from a formula. I’d like to create this text(hyperlink) either via a formula, or more what I’m thinking an automation? Anyone aware of an ability to update a field with a hyperlink?
Thanks

[TheTimeSavingCo]

Hey Sean, apologies, I can’t really picture this in my head. If you happen to have a specific example of what you’d like to achieve I’d be happy to try to provide suggestions

[Vivid-Squid]

Hi @Sean_Lake1
I think that any string field will convert a properly formatted URL into a hyperlink. Even a formula with a properly formatted URL will become a hyperlink.

[Sean_Lake1]

So basically, the first field is calculated via a forum to self generate an URL. However, I created the TEST ONLY field so that I could possibly convert the text there to a single hyperlink, to say even just one word_SurveyLink or something like that, but definitely not show the full URL as anyone could edit it to reveal hidden fields, etc.

[TheTimeSavingCo]

Hey Sean, ah, right, got it.

If I were you I’d set up a Long Text field, enable rich text, and then use an automation to update the Long Text field with the formatted hyperlink.

Here’s a working example with said automation setup

[kuovonne]

Sean_Lake1:

definitely not show the full URL

Is this for convenience or for security? If it is for security, anyone with the link will still have access to the full url and will be able to reveal hidden fields.

It also sounds like you will be sharing the link outside of Airtable, since anyone in the base would also have access to the original formula field. If you are sharing the link in a shared view, you can use a button field that opens a url. Button fields that open urls work in shared views.

If you are sharing the link using an email automation, you can format the link in markdown format. You may have to experiment with where you apply the markdown syntax (in the original formula, versus a secondary formula, versus in the email template).

[link text](https://www.example.com/)

[Sean_Lake1]

Hi Kuovonne.

The link is being shared in a Gcal invite/event to clients. If anything, if it’s a cleaner looking hyperlink vs the URL full string, that’s what I’m going for.
Unfortunately, our scripting is locked down via Enterprise Admin. So @Adam_TheTimeSavingCo we won’t be able to implement that beautifully simple script!(thanks by the way).
The automation would be a standalone to convert it OR another option would be to set it up IN the Google invite section:

So those links could be converted to Zoom Link, Survey Link, vs the long unique strings.
Thanks.
Sean

[kuovonne]

If you want to create the link in the rich text field, you don’t need a script to do it. Have a formula field to create the markdown link, and then use the automation to copy the link to the rich text field.

"[Zoom Link](" & {Zoom Link} & ")" 

However, it isn’t clear if your Gcal invite will display the rich text properly. You can experiment with that.

[Sean_Lake1]

I do have a field that is a rich text field that I have an automation copying and pasting from a function field that first creates the URL and the rtf holds that same value, but is just a text field, and not a function nor lookup field. So there’s a formula that would convert that field to a hyperlink text instead of it just being a formula calculated long hyperlink/url?

[kuovonne]

Sean_Lake1:

So there’s a formula that would convert that field to a hyperlink text instead of it just being a formula calculated long hyperlink/url

Rich text fields store text in a variation of markdown format. The formula that I posted above creates a link in markdown format. When an automation copies the result of the formula to a rich text field, you see a text link that opens the url. The formula itself is plain text. It is the combination of putting that markdown into the rich text field that produces the results.