Help with custom naming of record using automation Create a Record at A Scheduled Time

[Harrison_Harry_]

Hi all,

I am trying to use the automation feature to create 4 new records in my table at the start of each month. I would like to use the month the records are created as part of the record name, written out alphabetically, follow by some custom text. For instance, the records automatically created in November would read “November Totals”

I currently have the trigger set to…“Trigger type: At a scheduled time” —> “Interval Type: Months” —> “Timing: Every 1 month on the 1st at 12am” —> “Starting: Today”

For the action i currently have… “Action: Create Record” —> “Table: Totals” —> “Field: Monthly Report”

When i select next trigger time and run a test, it creates a record that reads “2021-11-01T06:00:00.000Z”. I tried using datetime_format() to no avail.

Am i able to create a custom text using the created date using this automation?

[Justin_Barrett]

Welcome to the community, @Harrison_Harry_Stree! :grinning_face_with_big_eyes: Add a formula field to your table that uses the following formula:

DATETIME_FORMAT(CREATED_TIME(), "MMMM")

That will output the month in which the record was created. To use this generated month in an automation will require two actions: one to create the record, and another to update the same record using that generated month name (from the “Create record” action) as part of the primary field value. However, because you’re using the same month for all four records, you only need to do that create-update action pair for the first record. For the other three records that you want to create, you can insert the month name generated for the first record. In total, you’ll need five actions to create four records:

1. Create record 1 (which generates the month value)
2. Update record 1 (using the month generated in step 1)
3. Create record 2 (using the month generated in step 1)
4. Create record 3 (using the month generated in step 1)
5. Create record 4 (using the month generated in step 1)

Another option that wouldn’t require an extra field would be to use a script, which could create the records and generate each record’s name to include the new month.