Can I propagate a linked field from a Synced table back to the original table?

Brendan_Cawley · ‎Sep 29, 2021

Hi community,

I have a Base for customers that is shared by several other bases using the Synced Table feature. Is it possible for linked records to be shown in the original table, as they are with the synced table?

Example: I have a table of contracts with a linked customers field. I can see all of the contracts for a given customer when I open the synced customer entry, but it doesn’t show up in the original customers Base

Thanks everyone!

Justin_Barrett · ‎Sep 29, 2021

Welcome to the community, @Brendan_Cawley! :grinning_face_with_big_eyes: This isn’t currently possible. As the sync docs indicate, " Syncing is a one-way process…" (emphasis added). However, you’re not totally out of luck. One way to get data from the destination back to the source would be to use an automation that runs a script based on changes to records in the destination table. That automation could in turn call a webhook-triggered automation in the source base to insert data into the source record, but even that has its limitations. If you’re looking to have actual links to your contracts as part of the original contact record, the best that the “receiving” script could do is create a collection of hyperlinks in a long text field with rich text enabled.

Bill_French · ‎Sep 30, 2021

Hmmm, I’n not seeing the limitation, but I must admit I have never built this concept.

Isn’t it possible to create a webhook in the source base that receives the entire record(s) of the sync table and it’s related links (as a unified JSON payload) when such changes occur and then use that information to properly align the source base with appropriate updates to establish the linked relationships therein?

Justin_Barrett · ‎Sep 30, 2021

Sorry for the confusion. I was referring to limitations with how the data is updated/stored in the source base, not with the webhook part of the process. For example, it’s not possible to have a field in the source base that contains linked-record-like items that connect to the contract entries in the destination base. The best that can be done is to create one or more hyperlinks, though thankfully those can be styled hyperlinks in a long text field with rich text enabled, where the link text can be something other than the raw URL.

Bill_French · ‎Oct 04, 2021

I see, yes - cross-base links basically.

Bases are like little islands of rich, juicy mangos and coconuts scattered across the Pacific. Coconuts on one island are completely unfamiliar with mangos on another. But, tempting and seemingly torturous as it may be, inhabitants of one island are able to see live pictures of all the fruit of another island.

Okay, I have a serious illness - metaphorenia.