Allow a Default for Long Text

[Brian_Hendel]

I’d love to be able to define a default for LONG TEXT type fields so that I can spell out a template for my sales team to fill out prep sheets. Just a bunch of headings with colons. I am sure that I could automate this with a RECORD CREATED automation and populate the field if empty, but seems like there should be a defaults option for that field type.

[ScottWorld]

Yes, I agree with you that there should be a default option for long text fields.

However, the default field option is extremely limited and should never be depended on, as explained in the thread below.

Hands-down, your #1 best bet for this is to use automations for all your default field values. It’s the only way to ensure that you’ll get default values for all new records.

Default Text in Single Line field does not get pre-filled in other linked tables Base design

Unfortunately, the “default text” option of a field is extremely limited — it only gets filled in if you are manually creatIng a record in that table while you’re actively working in that table as your frontmost tab. This is a huge bummer because, as you’ve figured out, if you create a new record through a linked record field, your default text WON’T get entered. Not the behavior that somebody would expect to happen. In fact, the default text option of a field is so limited that it doesn’t eve…

[Brian_Hendel]

Yeah, bummer! But thank you for the info!

[ScottWorld]

You’re welcome! Glad I could help! :slightly_smiling_face:

[Sara_Moe]

I would also like to see a default text option for long text fields, especially with rich text formatting!

[Joseph_Leveque]

+1, so we can add a standard checklist to each record

[ZYGOTE_DEVELOPM]

Definitely +1 for this as well – with all the automation potential available in Airtable right now this feels like a very basic element which isn’t keeping up with the times

You could even do this completely through the automation panel: ie If new record created –> Update cell with pre-formatted text. I imagine you could even have a little Mock long-text field in the automation panel so you can pre-format yourself exactly as though you were formatting it in the long text field itself (With Rich text on or off)

[Limi]

This is from 2 years ago- is there a fix for this or a workaround? I want a default template of text that i want staff to see rather than having this template somewhere else- what's the best way to do this?