Linking records in forms

Lynn_Gaillard · ‎May 20, 2020

Hi, I need help with linking records with forms. I used this product last year to do exactly what I’m trying to do this year with no problems, but I am running into a problem now. I’m trying to make two different forms, and have information from the second form link to the first one. Specifically I would like the entrant’s email address to link to the first form. When I did this last year, the entrant had to fill out their email address on the second form, and then I went into the grid view and linked the records manually.
This year, I can only find the option for the entrant to select their email address from the ones that are already listed on the first form. I’m using these forms for summer reading registration at the library where I work. We get about 700 kids registering every year. Allowing anyone with a link to the second form to see the email addresses of everyone who registered on the first form is not an option; it’s a giant invasion of privacy. Is there a way to link these forms allowing entrants to fill out their email address, instead of selecting from the given list? This seems like it should be an easy fix, especially since we used it the way we want last year, but I can’t find the answer anywhere!

JonathanBowen · ‎May 21, 2020

Hi @Lynn_Gaillard - You need a 2 table solution for this. The best approach here I think is, in table 2 to have an email field and an email link field (which links to table 1 where the first form sends its data):

The form for table 2 doesn’t show the link email field, but only the other fields:

So your users can fill in their email in the 2nd form without being able to see any others. To make the link now between table 1 and table 2 and the two form submissions, simply copy the value in “Email” to “Link Email”. Now that you have the link between the 2 tables you can lookup fields from one table into the other for a consolidated view, if needed.

See Solution in Thread

JonathanBowen · ‎May 21, 2020

Hi @Lynn_Gaillard - You need a 2 table solution for this. The best approach here I think is, in table 2 to have an email field and an email link field (which links to table 1 where the first form sends its data):

The form for table 2 doesn’t show the link email field, but only the other fields:

So your users can fill in their email in the 2nd form without being able to see any others. To make the link now between table 1 and table 2 and the two form submissions, simply copy the value in “Email” to “Link Email”. Now that you have the link between the 2 tables you can lookup fields from one table into the other for a consolidated view, if needed.

Moe · ‎May 26, 2020

We’ve built an extension that allows you to hide your linked records in Airtable Form. For example a user can fill in just their email address and the record will get linked automatically (if it exists). If the email doesn’t exist, a new linked record will get created.