Form to enter contacts in linked column

[Kendall_Shortt]

Hi,

I’m not sure this is even possible but this could be a lifesaver for me. I go into the field every day and take an inventory of what new items my contacts have purchased in the last few weeks. I would like to add their name to the specific product row, whether it’s one item or multiple items. I already have a tab with all my contacts and another tab with all the inventory but I need an easy way to add their name to each item they purchase, preferably a form I can fill out during my stop or at the end of my day.

EX: Contact A purchased Item A, B,C and D
Contact B purchased B,D

Fill out a form that pulls each contacts name and allows me to select from the inventory table the specific items they purchased.

Let me know if you have questions.

[JonathanBowen]

Justin_Barrett:

The only issue with an order form is that it will add new records, which @Kendall_Shortt wants to avoid.

This is true! :slightly_smiling_face: That said, I would respectfully argue that fewer records should not, in itself, be a goal of the system. More that the data entry process should be quick and slick and, having entered the data, there is good reporting to support whatever process is going on. Of course, I don’t know if my solution satisfies these goals in this case.

The “reverse thought process solution” might do it too!

JB

[Justin_Barrett]

JonathanBowen:

I would respectfully argue that fewer records should not, in itself, be a goal of the system.

True as well. There may be benefits to keeping a running history of what was purchased by each customer, rather than just a massive list with no context.

[Kamille_Parks]

To clarify @Justin_Barrett’s point: in a two-table approach, forms cannot be used for this purpose without some 3rd-party assistance (API, Integromat, Zapier, etc.). Native Airtable forms cannot update existing records, they can only add new records to one or more tables.

It sounds like you have a solution that works, but isn’t necessarily ideal or efficient. Is the concern of adding records in a third table about reaching the 1,200 record per table limit? I don’t see @JonathanBowen’s solution taking an inordinate amount of time to input purchases unless each of your product names are so unique that you have to type the whole thing each time as opposed to the first few letters or so.

[Kendall_Shortt]

Thanks, @Justin_Barrett ,@JonathanBowen, @Kamille_Parks for the responses. I definitely like Justin’s idea to flip what I’m doing now to the customer side vs product side.

I’m going to try that in the field tomorrow and see how it goes!

@Kamille_Parks, Would using a 3rd party application allow me to use a form to edit a existing record? This would simplify my process some.

[Kamille_Parks]

Yes, you can use a 3rd party set-up to update existing records. Formnano lets you do this, and of course Zapier and Integromat as well.

https://www.formnano.com/