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How can I make a lookup field show only unique results?

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Dapp_M
4 - Data Explorer
4 - Data Explorer

The result I am looking for is similar to the ARRAYUNIQUE function for a Rollup field. However, the results are a link to another table, and it seems that using a rollup can only show text results as opposed to clickable records. How can I make lookup field show only unique results, or make the unique results of a rollup field clickable?

27 Replies 27

I’ve hit this problem too - and also found that if the Roll Up field (ARRAYUNIQUE(values)) is referencing a Multi-Select field in another table, then it unfortunately fails to parse as expected and will return duplicate string data. I’m working on figuring out another parse of the data to clean it up. =/

I reported this to support today. How annoy.

Mathias_Mayer
4 - Data Explorer
4 - Data Explorer

Hey David,
I found a kinda “hacky” way to solve this with two Automations.
Step 1: Create a Linked Record Field
Step 2: Create the Rollup Field with ARRAYUNIQUE(values) as mentioned before
Step 3: Go to Automation Tab and hit new Automation
Setup as follows
Trigger:
“When record is created” →
Properties on the right:
Table: Select the table of the record
Add action:
“Update record” →
Properties on the right:
Table: Same as before
Record ID: Click the plus, select continue at “Record from step1” and select insert for “Airtable record ID”
Fields: Click “+ Choose field”, now choose the Linked Record Field you created at the beginning, now an empty bar with plus appears, click the plus and again select continue at “Record from step1” and select insert for the Rollup Field.
Now in the top left switch the button from “off” to “on”
Step 5: Repeat Step 3 but choose “When record is updated”
Done!
Now every time your record has a new Value in the Rollup Field it will get transported to the Linked Records field where the Records can be clicked and used as you like.
But it’s not instantaneous you have to wait a bit and it depends on your plan, how often you can trigger it… Pricing - Airtable

Screenshot

thank you, @Jeremy_Oglesby ! That’s exactly what I was looking for.

+1 @David_Krizan. This would be such a simple solution. Any response from Airtable on it in the past 3.5 years?

So useful! Thanks so much for this workaround! Works like a charm. :slightly_smiling_face:

Hey mate - how would you join those two lookup fields to show unique values on the third column?

 

For e.g. Bacon, onion, meat, vegetables etc

 

Stephen_Orr
6 - Interface Innovator
6 - Interface Innovator

+1 for "display unique values" toggle on the lookup field formatting options. Becomes absolutely essential with multiple levels of a linked record hierarchy.

Thomas_de_Beauc
6 - Interface Innovator
6 - Interface Innovator

Hi 👋I came up with a pretty satisfying solution using the Scripting automation. You can find it here