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I have created a base for my classmates to update their contact info. How can I make the state field the 2 letter abbreviation vs the state name spelled out?

Could you leave a example? :thinking:

Instead of “Indiana” I only want the 2 letter abbreviation “IN”

Can you just make the field a single select and enter the two letter abbreviations you want them to choose from?

Maybe the LEFT function helps you: https://support.airtable.com/hc/en-us/articles/203255215-Formula-field-reference#text

Can you just make the field a single select and enter the two letter abbreviations you want them to choose from?


Actually thought about that but would need to enter all 50. Thought there might be a quicker way.

Actually thought about that but would need to enter all 50. Thought there might be a quicker way.


But, you only have to do it once.

Actually thought about that but would need to enter all 50. Thought there might be a quicker way.


It’s actually not that hard to do:

  1. Create a new single-line text field.
  2. Either enter all 50[1] state abbreviations, one per record, or find a columnar list of all 50, and copy-and-paste them into the field.
  3. Once you have 50 records, each with a different state abbreviation, right-click on the field name, select ‘customize field type,’ and change the field type from single-line text to single select.

That said, here’s a faster, easier way:

  1. Load this base
  2. In a different tab, open the base where you want a single-select {State} field.
  3. Add a new single-line text field to your base, calling it something like {State Select}.
  4. Return to the tab containing the base loaded in Step 1.
  5. Select the cell for {State Abbreviations} in Row 1.
  6. Press Ctrl-C to copy that cell.
  7. Return to the tab with your base and select the cell for {State Select} in Row 1.
  8. Press Ctrl-V to paste the value into that cell.

{State Select} for record 1 is set to 'AK'; the field type changes to single-select, with the 53[1] state options already configured.

You can now copy-and-paste your existing {State} column — assuming it has been normalized to use correct abbreviations only — into the {State Select} field to convert the data already entered to single-select format. (Note if {State} contains any invalid abbreviations or spelled-out state names, they will be added as additional options to your single-select — probably not what you want.)

  1. I ordinarily use 53 options, for all 50 states plus the District of Columbia (DC), Puerto Rico (PR), and US Virgin Islands (VI).
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