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Re: 2 linked fields in same table pulling different records

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Eliz_Comm
4 - Data Explorer
4 - Data Explorer

I'm not sure if I'm putting this in the right location, but...

I'm creating an inventory checkout base, modeled off of a template created in answer to a question posted in the Community about a year ago. It includes several tables (Equipment, Checkouts, Users, etc.) One of the many great features is that the equipment table includes fields that link to the Checkouts table. There are two linked fields, one for "Check Outs" and one for "Check Ins." They're both linked fields, linked to the Checkouts table, with no distinction between them, but it seems that records created in the Checkouts table will alternate between each linked field. So, for instance, if I create a record in the Checkouts table checking out equipment item A, it will automatically go to the Check Outs linked field in the Equipment table in the record for equipment item A. Then, the next record I create that involves equipment item A (which will have to be a check in, due to the table design) will automatically go to the "Check Ins" linked field. 

This works great, and normally I would just take this and be done with it, but I have to write up documentation so that others can also use this base effectively. Is this alternating behavior something that always happens when you have two linked fields in one table, that both link to the same other table? Or is there something here that I might be missing in the base design? (I can change these linked fields to be limited to a particular view, which I think would have the same effect, but this isn't how they started out, so I'm mostly curious as to how this is working.)

Thanks in advance for any insight!

2 Replies 2

Could you provide a link to the post?  Without seeing the exact workings of it it's difficult to answer your question I'm afraid

Here's the original post, which includes the created base in a reply: https://community.airtable.com/t5/other-questions/help-tracking-check-in-out-equipment-for-our-small...