How to create publication dates for different content platforms and look up in date field

[David_Nunn]

Hi, I am designing a content management application that will manage content across a series of platforms.

Each platform needs to have its own publication dates (varying from daily, to weekly, monthly and bi-monthly).

When users add stories to the platform, I want them to select from the appropriate dates available for that platform (not just the usual calendar).

Is there a way to populate a drop-down with these values, say if they were created in a linked table?

[Vivid-Squid]

Hi @David_Nunn,
I think that would be the best option to control the dates that are selectable.

Create anther table of dates and their platforms, then let the user link them. you can also put conditions on the linked records so that only the appropriate platform dates can be selected.

[David_Nunn]

Many thanks for taking the time to reply.

I have a linked field joined to a Platform Dates table, but it pulls through dates for all platforms.

What am I doing wrong?

https://www.awesomescreenshot.com/image/26880675?key=20ca321604f42eefceb75d629bda30cd

[TheTimeSavingCo]

Hm, you’ve already limited the records available selection to a view?

[David_Nunn]

Yes, i did that. After much searching i discovered that Jotform would allow values to be passed from one form field to another to facilitate a filtered drop down. I haven’t tried it yet

[TheTimeSavingCo]

Roger that, hope you manage to get it working man. I’m pretty confused by the fact that all the dates are showing even though you’ve restricted it to a view that only displays a subset of the dates. I’m probably missing something.

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If I’m understanding your workflow correctly, you want the following to happen:

1. User selects Platform 1
2. User is only shown dates that are applicable to Platform 1 and selects one from there
3. User selects Platform 2
4. User is only shown dates that are applicable to Platform 2 and selects one from there

I was thinking that if your users are adding stories to the platform via a Form, you could achieve the above by doing the following:

1. In the Platform Dates table, you have one view set up for each platform that will only display the dates for that platform
2. In the form, you have a single select option field which allows the user to select the platform they want
3. In the form, you have multipled linked fields, each one set to a different view. These are all set to be default hidden, and set to display only if the corresponding platform option is selected in the field we set up in step 2

Best of luck!

[David_Nunn]

Thanks so much for your suggestion, Adam!

This approach would allow users to enter the data. They also need the ability to edit dates, so…

Is there a way to open the same form to edit items? For example, in the standard expanded record view, could the user choose to open the item in a form?

[TheTimeSavingCo]

David_Nunn:

This approach would allow users to enter the data. They also need the ability to edit dates, so…

Hmm, so if the user selects the platform, they would not only see the dates applicable, they would also need to modify those?

E.g. they select Platform 1 and see the dates “23 May 2022”, “24 May 2022”. At that point, you want them to be able to change “24 May 2022” to something else, such as “25 May 2022”?

[David_Nunn]

Exactly!

For some types of content platforms - e.g. webinars - a date picker is fine because they could be held any day of the week.

But email newsletters will go out once a fortnight. So a story had to be put back to the next newsletter, you would want the user to accurately select a date a fortnight later.

[TheTimeSavingCo]

Ahh, I see. I’m afraid I don’t know of any functionality within Airtable Forms that would allow you to do that.

Would it help if we figured out a way to make sure the correct date (i.e. a date a fortnight later) was available for selection, no matter what date the user was using the form?

Apologies if my suggestion isn’t helpful; I’m somewhat confused by what we’re trying to do here. It appears we’re limiting the dates that users are allowed to select based on the Platform, but we’d also like to give them the ability to create new dates as well, and the two things seem to be in conflict with each other?