Access to data from another row

[Simon_Murgatroy]

Is there any way you can access a field in a different record? As an example, I collect records to manage fuel consumption. For each file of the tank, I make a note of the date, the car mileage, the total cost of filling the tank, and the price per litre. I need to calculate the difference between the current mileage and the previous mileage – is there a way this can be done? This is simple in both a spreadsheet or using a SQL Query against a normal database, but I don’t seem to be able to find a way using AirTable. Any help appreciated?

[Justin_Barrett]

Welcome to the community, @ Simon_Murgatroyd! :grinning_face_with_big_eyes: Check out this thread for more info on referring to “adjacent” database records.

Multi-record calculations (c.f. 'running balance,' 'row number,' and the like) Show and tell

tl;dr version: A frequent query and/or complaint concerns users who wish to access data from a record for use in a calculation performed in a different record from the same table. Often this takes the form of a user asking ‘how to retrieve a value based on row number’; other times the user wishes to perform a calculation that assumes knowledge of the previous record — for instance, maintaining a running balance. A recently published base contains four approaches to this problem, three involving …

[Simon_Murgatroy]

Thank you for the swift response. I’ll check this out now.

[Simon_Murgatroy]

OK, I’ve been able to get this working from the example you provided - thank you very much.

What I would say to AirTable though is they need to get a more formal method added to the product. AirTable is aimed at non-programmers and this type of complex workaround simply should not be necessary and limits what is otherwise an impressive and useful tool.