Allow Linking Automatically To All Records

[Richard_Kabilin]

Summary

When selecting “Link to another record” as a field type, Airtable should allow automatic linking to all records.

UI Change
The current slider that allows linking to single or multiple records, should be changed to a selection menu of the following:

• Link to single records only
• Link to multiple records
• Link to all records automatically

Rationale
This new option would allow scenarios where another field computes its value from the values of another table, easily.

For example, a column that computes the percentage of a value of this record against the total of all records would be simple, as the moving or current sum is automatically computed on the column based on all the records without having to re-link all of them.

[Justin_Barrett]

One way around this is to group by the link field (in the table containing the records that are all supposed to link to a single record in another table). The group requires that link to be there in order for a record to be part of that group. Because of this requirement, adding a new record to that group automatically adds the link.

[Mattias_Martens]

Could I have an example of this please?

[Justin_Barrett]

Welcome to the community, @Mattias_Martens! :grinning_face_with_big_eyes: Here’s a simple example. I’ve got two tables: [Main] and [Link]. In the [Link] table, the primary field has a period (.) as the name for the first record.

Back in the [Main] table, I’ll add a link field that points to the [Link] table, and link my three records in [Main] to that single record in [Link].

I’ll group the records in [Main] by that {Link} field.

Now I’ll click the bar at the bottom of the group to add a new record. Because that link is required for the record to be in that group, Airtable will make the link for me before I even start typing into the other fields.

[Mattias_Martens]

Thanks @Justin_Barrett for the explanation and the quick response! I understand now.

[Truong_Nhat_Lua]

Hi there ! I have same problems but i want to automatically link all daily new update record , do you know how to do it ?

[Justin_Barrett]

If I understand your use case correctly, you want to link all new records in one table to a specific record in another table. To do this, create a new automation that triggers when new records are added to your main table. Add an “Update record” action that updates the link field pointing to your second table. In the settings for the link field, add the record ID of the target record.

To find the record ID of any record (without needing a formula field), select the record, then tap the space bar to expand the record. In the browser URL, you’ll see the record ID (if you normally use the desktop app, you’ll need to do this step in a web browser):

Copy it (excluding the question mark after it), then paste it into the automation as described above.

[AndrewChen]

Was this method enable to link multiple record from Table A to Table B’s specific record automatically?

[Justin_Barrett]

Welcome to the community, @AndrewChen! :grinning_face_with_big_eyes: Yes and no. By inserting the record ID of the target record from [Table B] into the link field from [Table A] in the automation’s Update record action, Airtable will build the link. However, this only happens one record at a time. Each run of the automation will link one [Table A] record to the target [Table B] record. The automation trigger is what determines which [Table A] records will be linked.