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Re: Good way to allow easier updating of multiple records for read-only users?

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cgauch
4 - Data Explorer
4 - Data Explorer

In order to keep costs down at our nonprofit, I have it set up so only a few people have paid editing access in Airtable - the rest have read-only access to an interface. They have the ability to create/update/delete individual records with interface buttons that open surveys in Fillout, which is slightly clunky but far better than previous alternatives. 

I've run into a situation where I'd like to make it easier - our list of contacts. It's huge, and things are constantly out of date, and I am DESPERATE to make sure keeping it updated doesn't become my job. 

I already have a record review page in the interface so I could add a button to go to survey to update that information, it just feels like there will often be batch updates (everyone at this org got new emails or something) where it would be a lot more convenient to have it feel like a spreadsheet. 

The more I type, the more I think I should just add an update button here too and it'll be fine, but I'm interested to know if anyone is familiar with a good integration that allows for batch updates (or a bunch of manual updates in quick succession, more likely) more easily than the survey method I currently have. 

Sidenote, I know this might appear to some as just circumventing Airtable. I'm trying to use it more as a database that integrates with our other tools, which is why I'm trying to keeping it low touch for everyone else if possible.

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TheTimeSavingCo
18 - Pluto
18 - Pluto

Hmm, Fillout would be simplest yeah.  A (probably overengineered) solution could involve you using a base on a free plan and syncing the data over to your main table?  There are all sorts of caveats to this, such as only having 5 free editors, 1000 records, and if you wanted to be able to two way sync the data between the two tables it'd be a bit of a nightmare.  Probably not worth the effort I reckon

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2 Replies 2
TheTimeSavingCo
18 - Pluto
18 - Pluto

Hmm, Fillout would be simplest yeah.  A (probably overengineered) solution could involve you using a base on a free plan and syncing the data over to your main table?  There are all sorts of caveats to this, such as only having 5 free editors, 1000 records, and if you wanted to be able to two way sync the data between the two tables it'd be a bit of a nightmare.  Probably not worth the effort I reckon

Ooo, that's an interesting solution I hadn't thought of. You're right that the juice probably wouldn't be worth the squeeze on this one. I just added several places to update records within the Fillout forms and I think it will probably work fine.