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Lock Values from Referenced Object

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Financeguy
4 - Data Explorer
4 - Data Explorer

Hello, I have a table with reference fields from another table. I want to lock the values in those reference fields if a record has a certain value in a selected column and not have them updated even if those values are updated in the referenced table. Does anyone know how to accomplish this? Thank you!

3 Replies 3

Hiya! Yes, I think this can be done through automations.

First, I'll assume you're using link fields and lookup fields to reference the data.

I'd then also make another field for the "Locked Values". Depending on what type of data the values are, you can choose what type of field you want here. This field will be blank until an automation copies the data from the lookup field.

Now we need to stipulate when this automation should trigger. You said, "...if a record has a certain value in a selected column". I'm also going to assume this record is in the table with the lookup fields, not the one containing the values.

A trigger something like "If record matched conditions" would work here. Create an "Update Record" action.  Use the record ID of the triggering record.

The updates would be in the "Locked Values" field. Make this dynamic by clicking the gear on the right of the field. Navigate to choose the data from the original lookup field.

 

Let me know if this works 🙂


Justin Ng
Programme Coordinator at Sistema Aotearoa
https://www.sistemaaotearoa.org.nz/

It is built as just a lookup field, not a link field. Is there a way to accomplish this while just utilizing a lookup field or I must use a link field as well?

 

I'm struggling with conditional triggers on a link field as the logic would need to be If field from Table A is updated, update link field in Table B only if Column A in Table B = "X". But when it doesn't seem to let me stipulate a condition on Table B if the trigger is coming from Table A. Unless I am missing something

There must be a linked field in your table in order for a lookup field to work, so you've already got a linked field in your tables

Screenshot 2024-07-24 at 9.08.52 AM.png

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Screenshot 2024-07-24 at 9.08.58 AM.png

I put together a version of what I think you're trying to do here

If a record in "Reference" is updated and its Status is "Locked", then changes made to it won't propagate to the "Main" table

Do note that if you're updating text fields in "Reference" this will fire the automation many many times, and so you'd need to create a new way to trigger the automation or build a system to wait for the text fields to be fully updated before attempting to propagate the change to "Main"