POST request to lookup field

tom_bg · ‎Oct 28, 2020

Hi

I’m trying to send a POST request to Airtable with two properties: Name (String) and PostedBy (Lookup field).
I keep getting an error unless I remove PostedBy. A new row is created but it is empty.

My json looks like this:

{
  "records": [
    {
      "fields": {
        "Name": "${name}",
        "PostedBy": "${user.id}"
       }
     }
  ]
}

Any Ideas?

ScottWorld · ‎Oct 28, 2020

Lookup fields are not writeable fields. Their data is pulled from another table by a linked record field, so try writing to the linked record field instead. Alternatively, write to the other table which has the original data.

tom_bg · ‎Oct 28, 2020

Thank you :slightly_smiling_face:
The idea is to create the connection between the new record and an existing record on another table. Is it possible using the API?

ScottWorld · ‎Oct 28, 2020

Yes, by writing the linked record ID into the linked record field.

tom_bg · ‎Oct 28, 2020

Hmmm
Is it possible to substitute the ID with a value, like “Name”/UID…?

ie: ‘connect to the row where “[A_COLUMN_VALUE]”=jk549amm23b23t57G’

ScottWorld · ‎Oct 28, 2020

That would be cool, but as far as I know, that’s not possible with the API, so you’d have to break it up into multiple API calls.

However, you can do that with Integromat, which is a no-code automation platform that enables you to communicate between other apps & Airtable. You can just turn on the “Smart Links” option in Integromat, and then when you type in the name for the Linked Record field, it will automatically substitute the Record_ID for you.

(Note that I am a professional Airtable consultant and a Registered Integromat Partner, and the Integromat link contains my personal referral code.)