Pulling first linked record from a linked record field

[GrahamW]

Hi all,

II'll try and better explain.

Imagining you have a base with multiple tables, and on one table there are 2 fields... One, is a linked to field that allows for multiple selected records... Let's say it links to a table listing people's names; members of a team. 

One record has 3 names: 

• Jason Jones
• Amy Abner
• Steve Sullivan

Again, these are individual records from another base, not text. 

Is there a way I can pull just the first record, automatically, into the 2nd field? Similar to if I was using the right or left functions with numbers. 

I want to have a second field that pulls out just Jason Jones in this field, and does the same for all the other records along that same field; ie pulling out just the first record. 

🙏

[TheTimeSavingCo]

Linked fields still can work with the LEFT, so you can use it to get the first linked record like so:

LEFT(
  {New table},
  FIND(
    ',',
    {New table}
  ) - 1
)

And if you wanted it to operate like a linked field, you could either manually paste the value into a linked field or use an automation to do so?

[GrahamW]

Thanks for the reply TTSCo, I've got this to work with the exception of when that field with a list of names, contains only one name (given that there is no comma separator). Im thinking an IF Function applied to trap the times that there is a singular name, but can't wrap my head around the conditions I would place in there. 

Any ideas? 

[TheTimeSavingCo · Accepted solution]

Hmm, yeah, try an IF() that uses a FIND() to see if it can find a comma, and if it doesn't just display the name?

[GrahamW]

Holy Crap. Yes. That has to be it. Will try it, but marking it as the solution all the same. 

Thanks again 

[GrahamW]

Yeah that worked. Really grateful for your brain. 🙂 🧠