Is there a way to create a form to add attachment to an exciting record?

[Ros]

Hello,

I am trying to figure out how to create a form to add attachment to an exciting record.

I have a form that updates  any field including attachment in exciting record but problem is it doesn't keep attachments that was there prior.

My main idea is to share a form with anyone online so that anyone could only upload files to an existing specified record and not be able deleting files that were uploaded by others.  

Thank you.

[ScottWorld · Accepted solution]

The #1 easiest & quickest way to do this is to use an update form from Fillout. Fillout is 100% free, and it displays all of the existing attachments for a record on the update form. The user can add additional attachments — or even delete existing attachments!

However, if you want to use an Airtable form with an Airtable automation:

I haven’t tried this myself, but it works for other field types so it should work for attachment fields. I believe that you should be able to append additional attachments to an existing attachment field in your automation. In the update record action, for the attachment field: insert the new attachment field, then type a comma, then choose the existing attachment field.

[TheTimeSavingCo · Accepted solution]

Try Fillout.com (https://www.fillout.com/), probably the simplest way to handle this.  They have functionality that allows users to update existing records that should handle this attachment problem

If using Fillout isn't possible, could you share how your current form updates fields?  Is it via an automation or something?

[Ros]

Thank you for you reply,

I used fillout and does the the job, it keeps exciting attachment.

It will work for now for me, but I need to find a way so anyone who is using the form wouldn't be able to delete attachments that were uploaded before.

I tried coma in automation part of the airtable it doesn't do the trick.

Thank you so much!!!

[Ros]

Fillout did work, it let's keep previous attachment.

Like I said in my previous reply it will work for now, but really need to find a way so anyone who is using the form won't be able to delete previous files.

I am using it for a progress reports and I don't want anyone to cheat by deleting poorly done report and updating with new one. I hope it makes sense.

Thank you.

[Alexey_Gusev]

You can add second attachment field and insert it in form instead of first.
Then add automation - when this field not empty = >
I think, it' easier to test(done) and show:

I never tried Fillout, but I suppose user cannot edit field if it's not present in form. Anyway, you can add additional restrictions, if needed:

[TheTimeSavingCo]

Oh, for that scenario I'd suggest just having a "Report Submissions" table that's linked to your main table.  Get your users to select the project they're submitting a report for via a linked field and add their attachment to the form.  You'd then display the attachments via a lookup field in your main table

This way they can't delete the previously submitted reports and you'd see exactly when each report was submitted too.  To make things easier you can also send out a prefilled form link to your users so that the project they're submitting the report for is automatically selected

[Ros]

Thank you, I will try that.

[Ros]

Will do this over the weekend.

Will let you know how it worked out.

Thank you.

[HannesK-ME]

Hey there, Hannes from the miniExtensions team here!

Our miniExtensions Form can achieve exactly this. It has an "add-only" mode feature that allows you to limit your users' ability to remove any existing attachments. You can choose whether or not to even display the existing attachments on the form in the first place. If you choose to display them, you also get to decide if you'd like your users to be able to just see a thumbnail image, or open or even download the existing files. Essentially, this covers all potential use cases for this type of thing! There's a lot more functionality to discover, which you can do by signing up for a free account here! 🙂