How can I get a summary of all options selected in ALL rows of one column

[Brenda_Castro2]

Hi!
This is probably super simple but I just can’t find how. I have a multiple select column with some 15 options. I want to get the summary of how many times each option has been selected in the whole columns, so something like: Option 1 = 3 times, Option 2 = 0 times, Option 3 = 6 times …
Not sure if it requires a formula or something different.

Thanks in advance! :slightly_smiling_face:

[Justin_Barrett]

Welcome to the community, @Brenda_Castro2! :grinning_face_with_big_eyes: When I find myself wanting to do more detailed tracking/processing with items a single-select or multiple-select field, I’ll often turn that field into a link to another table. By having your records link to another table (I’ll refer to it as the [Options] table for now), you can add a Count field type to count how many records are linking from your main table to the [Options] table, which will give you the summary info you’re seeking. It also opens the doors for even more complex processing, depending on what else you might want to do with those options.

[Brenda_Castro2]

Thanks a lot Justin!
I’ll try that, I’m really terrible with spreadsheets in general so let’s see how it goes :laughing: :crossed_fingers:

[Brenda_Castro2]

Ok, I’m a bit stuck…

I can do the count in another table but then I have to add manually the count for each of my options, which is just too much work and doesn’t seem to the best solution there is to simply getting a count of each of the options by column :thinking:

[Justin_Barrett]

Brenda_Castro2:

I’m really terrible with spreadsheets in general

Airtable is actually a mix of a database and a spreadsheet, leaning a bit closer to the former. Data storage and manipulation is different than a traditional spreadsheet, so you don’t add summary rows to tally data. Rows are records, and records don’t have any knowledge of each other, so you can’t just sum a column (aside from the built-in summary bar at the bottom of the window)

Brenda_Castro2:

I can do the count in another table but then I have to add manually the count for each of my options

You don’t need to do the count manually. If you each record in your main table links to an option record in the [Options] table, you can then add a special field type called a Count field. That will use the incoming record links and tell you how many links there are for each record, which will let you know how many of each option are chosen in your main table.

Airtable - Support

Count field overview

A count field lets you count the number of linked records in a record link column. To configure a count column, you simply choose the column with the linked records that you want to count.

I’m short on time at the moment, but if that doesn’t clear things up, let me know and I’ll walk you through it in more detail.

[Brenda_Castro2]

Wow, million thanks @Justin_Barrett !
I must have been trying the hard way. I’ll get back to it and will let you know if/when I give up and need to beg for help again :laughing:

Cheers!