Why does a linked record field show as a text field in a table synced from another base?

[arandomstring]

Hi All

I have a Base A with Table 1 and Table 2. One of the fields in Table 1 is a linked record field to Table 2.

I also have Base B with Table 1 synced to this base.

Rather than showing a linked record from Table 2 in the field in Base B Table 1, a text field with the entry in the primary field for Table 2 appears - is this expected behaviour? If so, how should the setup be structured to show the linked record? If I have a Table 3 in Base B that has a linked record field to Base B Table 1 and I want it to have a lookup field to the linked record field already in Base B Table 1, is that achievable?

Thank you.

[petergray]

Yes, this is expected behavior when syncing tables between Airtable bases. Linked record fields are not preserved during the sync process, and instead, the primary field value of the linked record is displayed as a text field in the synced table. This is because Airtable's sync functionality is designed to replicate data across bases, but it does not maintain the underlying relationships between tables.

To achieve the desired functionality of having a lookup field in Table 3 that references the linked record field in Table 1, you would need to establish a direct relationship between Table 3 and Table 2 in Base B. This can be done by creating a linked record field in Table 3 that points to Table 2. This will allow you to access the linked record directly from Table 3 without relying on the synced version of Table 1.