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Is it possible to create a formula or script that will automatically add collaborators to a collaborator field, under a given condition?


Specifically, I’d like Airtable to automatically add a “collaborator” to one multi-select collaborator field when that collaborator is added to another specified field elsewhere in the base.


In my project mgmt base, we have separate collaborator fields for our Projects and Tasks table: (1) an “assigned to” field in Tasks (defining ONE person who is currently working on a given task) and (2) a “project team” field in Projects (defining ALL the people involved in the project).


Both fields are necessary for different types of tracking. The Tasks field allows a user to see the task on his to-do list. The Projects field allows the Project to show up in his “current projects” feed (essenitally allowing him to “follow” the project, even if a task is not currently assigned to him). Unfortunately, this approach often requires double-entry (since, by definition, if you’re “assigned to” the task, you’re a member of the “project team”). In our current workflow, the Tasks field changes constantly as a task gets passed between team members. The Projects field changes less often, but as a project goes on, different sets of people need to follow it.


So what I’d like is a formula or script that automatically adds a collaborator to the “project team” field if/when they are selected in the “assigned to” field of a related task.


Note that this action only has to go one-way. The collaborator never needs to be removed from the Projects field (unless he manually removes himself later), but (for example) if over the course of a week, 5 people are (at any point) assigned to a task (or tasks) related to a single project, all 5 should appear in that project’s “project team” field.


Possible?

I too would love to see an automatic add for collaborators. Or even a way to make a default collaborator so that whenever a record is added, the default collaborator is notified, then I wouldn’t have to make a zap for it.

I came on here to see if anyone had posted this question before as I have the same need. We have zaps set up to notify any collaborators but if the user forgets to populate the collaborator in the field, then the zap fails. It’s the same collaborator every time in this scenario as well. Hoping to ‘bump’ this topic! Thanks!

Also looking for this function. Anyone have any luck yet? Or any workarounds?

That would be great indeed

I think that it would be amazing if we can have function be meshed together with other fields like collaborators.

Hi,


Was there every a solution for this issue? I am having the same issue as well as not being able to add the additional collaborators to the same field with a Zap. Any help with this would be great!


Thanks,

Nicole Taylor

Same here, thanks! I would actually like to add this through an Airtable Automation.

This would be great.


Here is our use case: We are collecting research data. Each piece of data needs to be reviewed by at least one other pair of eyes. It would be great to be able to set “ready for review” to “yes” and have that automatically add a specified collaborator to the record.

Wait! You can do this via an automation!


Set your trigger and add the name of the person in the collaboration field.

I haven’t tested it yet but surely you could (1) set up a formula to calculate the user name then (2) Use an automation to grab the user name from the formula and edit the collaborator field.


That said, what would make even more sense, would be having a dedicated table for each user, where you could add different data like their email, to look up and use as needed.


And to make that table purdy - Airtable if you’re listening - it would be great if the primary field could be a collaborator.

I haven’t tested it yet but surely you could (1) set up a formula to calculate the user name then (2) Use an automation to grab the user name from the formula and edit the collaborator field.


That said, what would make even more sense, would be having a dedicated table for each user, where you could add different data like their email, to look up and use as needed.


And to make that table purdy - Airtable if you’re listening - it would be great if the primary field could be a collaborator.


Thank you for this hint, but have you ever managed to make it work? I created a formula field which outputs the names of the collaborators I want to tag in the format “John Smith”, “Jane Doe” and then made an automation to update the Collaborators field with the data from the formula field. “Test action” says “step successful” but the collaborators haven’t actually been added to the field. I suspect the formatting of my formula field is wrong. Has anyone made this work and what format did you use?

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