Prefill Todays Date in Grid

[oreocereus]

Hi folks, I know you can prefill dates in forms using URL functions. In this case, I don't need it to happen in a form, but on new record creation. I can use a formula for "today" - but it's uneditable for the small number of instances where it needs to be overridden. 

It's helpful to have "default values" for number fields, but it seems weird there is no default for date fields. Surely I am missing something obvious?

[CJSmith · Accepted solution]

Hey @oreocereus, me again 😂

Given your other question, I'm assuming this is gonna be mobile-centric, in which case you won't be able to leverage record templates. The good news is we can recycle that formula field with TODAY() in it, and do what you need using a simple automation:

• Trigger: When a record is created
• Action 1: Update record
  • Target record = the record from the trigger
  • Field to be updated = your editable date field
  • Data to be entered = value from the TODAY() formula field

The expected outcome from this automation would be that whenever a new record is created, the editable date field (read: field that can be overwritten) defaults to today's date since the formula field will ALWAYS be today's date.

Let me know if that works!

[oreocereus]

Bingo, nice one - that works. A shame airtable don't make a few of these things stock, but so it goes. I guess needing many automations is a good way to encourage upgrades on plans hah.