Updating multiple duplicate records using automation

[SwiftScale_Team]

Hi experts,

I have a table (let’s call it Table 2), with multiple records, each record represents a company ie. Apple, Google, Microsoft and each record has multiple fields with associated company information.

These records are copied from another table (let’s call it Table 1) [which is a synced table].

I have setup an automation where:

If a record is updated on Table 1, the corresponding record is found on Table 2 and is overwritten with information from the updated record.

So, if company information on (say) Apple changes on Table 1, Apple is found on Table 2 and updated.

This automation works fine - it’s a “When record is updated on Table, find record (using Record ID) & update record on Table 2”

Annoyingly, it breaks whenever there is more than one Apple on Table 2 (we have several instances of the same company listed - but with different tags attached)

Is it possible to setup a script that will find and update each record, one after another … so if there’s 3 records with Apple as the company name, it will go through and update them one after the other.

Any help would be massively appreciated!

[KVachon]

Hey there!

What if you find record (using company name) instead of fine record (using Record ID). That may work to update each record. Give it a shot!

[TheTimeSavingCo]

SwiftScale_Team:

Is it possible to setup a script that will find and update each record, one after another … so if there’s 3 records with Apple as the company name, it will go through and update them one after the other.

Yeap definitely

As an alternative, you could perhaps try the following instead:

1. Create a linked field between Table 1 and Table 2
2. Have an automation trigger of “When record is updated on Table 1”
3. Its first action will be to find all of the records in Table 2 that have the same company value
4. Its second action will be to update the triggering record’s linked field with the list of record IDs it found from the previous step

With reference to your example above, that one Apple record from Table 1 will now be linked to all the instances of Apple on Table 2 that have different tags attached

Have another automation that has a trigger of “When record matches conditions” and looks at the records in Table 2, where the linked field to Table 1 is not empty

1. Its first action will be to find the record in Table 1 that share the company name
2. Its second action will be to update the triggering record with the data from Table 1

I believe this should do what you’re looking for when record for Apple in Table 1 is updated, all the records in Table 2 for Apple will also be updated

(You can also hire me to set up either the script or the above automations for you too!)

[SwiftScale_Team]

Thank you Adam, unfortunately (for a number of reasons) the field can be linked! But this is a very clear fix if that was the case!

[TheTimeSavingCo]

Ah, if you can’t have them linked I think you’d need to use a script I’m afraid