Default value for single select column?

[Karl_Berggren]

I have a table where I want all new entries (rows) to have a default value for a single select column. Is that possible?

[Matthew_Cullum]

Just chiming in as a new Airtable user: single select default would be a very useful feature. Having the grouped by workaround is nice, but having the option to set a default would be even nicer.

[Ray_Li]

How is this not a feature? We’ve been waiting for 3 years now for this.

[Abdulrahman_Alz]

I made a tool that solves this problem. You define a default value, and then the tool will periodically update empty rows with the default value. Works with single select, multiple select, linked records, attachments, etc.

[Jeremy_Cogman]

Just started using Airtable and that lack of default for single selects seems a major omission so I’m added my voice to the clamour for this.

[American_Appwor]

You can also create a computed column in addition to the column that you want to default using the “Formula” type. For example, I have a “Status” column that is my single select and a “Computed Status” that is a formula. My formula is IF(Status = “”, “Lead”, Status).

[Navik_Integral]

2020 - Please add this in!

[Trey_Williams]

I agree, this is absurd. Every single form builder and database I have ever used has this option. On the free version of air table right now. Super basic functionality they’re missing is causing me to never want to pay…

[kuovonne]

@Trey_Williams

I agree that this missing functionality is frustrating.

However the workaround described by @American_Appworks on Jan 23 works fairly well.

Here is a slightly modified version of the formula:

IF( {SingleSelectField} = BLANK(), 
  "default value", 
  {SingleSelectField}
)

[Genesis_Hair]

Hi @kuovonne. Loving that I just came across the same challenge and youve posted a solution today!

Pardon my novice use of formulas in AT. but how do U define “SingleSelectField”?

Scenario - lead generation from SMS using zapier and click send. Basically a new record is inserted when an sms response is received (works super well) I then want the ‘STATUS’ field default (inserted as null/blank) to be set to NEW. Then all the team need to do is use a drop down to change to either ‘closed/dead’ 'booked" or ‘call back’

Appreciate your guidance in advance.

Russell (from Australia)

[Genesis_Hair]

Ok. worked it out. You need to create a new column with the formula and SingleSelectField = the name of the field that has the dropdown. which kinda means I need to show 2 fields “Current Status” (formula field and “Change Status” (single select field).

Does that sound right?