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Duplicate Table to Different Base

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Caleb_Weeks
5 - Automation Enthusiast
5 - Automation Enthusiast

Hi AirTable Team,

Thank you so much for AirTable – it’s been so inspiring and helpful!

Feature Request: “Would it ever be possible to duplicate an AirTable Table to a different AirTable Base?”

Use Case: After creating a great Table with customized fields we realize, “This table would work great in another base we already have going. Let me just export it to CSV and Import.” While this gets us most of the way there, we lose the field type customizations in the process (i.e. Single Select, Multiple Select, Attachment, URL, Currency, etc.).

For now, I am happy to go back through the 18 fields (in our case) and customize each field type. Simply changing it to an “Attachment” or “URL” is no problem, but where it takes a little bit more time is in recreating or cleaning up the Single Select and Multiple Select options. We have a number of those fields and have to edit again, add, etc.

Idea for Implementation: Perhaps in the Table arrow dropdown we could enhance the “Duplicate Table” option that is already there so that, when clicked, it presents a new window that lets the user select which Base they want to duplicate this Table to. The dialogue/window might look similar to the one we see when we switch Bases by pressing Cmd+K: we can simply start typing the Base name with the ability to duplicate the Table to that Base. This might be one of many ways to introduce this functionality.

If the feature request ever makes it to the AirTable “Let’s do this” list, of course that would be exciting for me, but I know there are other priorities as well!

Thanks again for AirTable(!) and to the teams, friendships, and vision behind it – keep up the good work! :slightly_smiling_face:

49 Comments
Howie
7 - App Architect
7 - App Architect

You can actually already do this by pressing Cmd+A, Cmd+C to select and copy all cells, respectively, then Cmd+V to paste into a new table (even in a different Base). Replace Cmd with Ctrl if you’re on Windows.

Caleb_Weeks
5 - Automation Enthusiast
5 - Automation Enthusiast

Well, there you go - I am embarrassed! What a great feature!

Thanks, Howie. Really appreciate you dropping that tip (which I initially overlooked in the documentation as it is detailed in Appending data to an existing table with copy and paste. I was just using the wrong search terms for “Duplicate” instead of “copy/paste” etc.

Thanks again! Perhaps it will help someone else out there.

James_Samuel
6 - Interface Innovator
6 - Interface Innovator

The CMD-A, C, V doesn’t quite duplicate the table, as far as I can tell?

It seems to only duplicate (copy) the data. It would though be great to be able to duplicate a table for use in another base. EG a client table gets used over and over again, but how much better not to have to build it every time.

Howie
7 - App Architect
7 - App Architect

If you paste into a previously empty table, a prompt will appear asking if you want to copy over data and structure, or just data.

But more importantly, if the same table structure is being duplicated again and again, it may be indicative of an opportunity to use views + a type field instead of separate tables. https://support.airtable.com/hc/en-us/articles/202624989-Guide-to-views

James_Samuel
6 - Interface Innovator
6 - Interface Innovator

Thank you Howie! I see the trick is to create a new table, delete all existing columns, then paste, and voila.

I didn’t get any dialogue asking if I wanted to copy over data and structure, or just data, but it did copy the fields, complete with structure - field names and formats and formulas.

Bazil_Marshall
4 - Data Explorer
4 - Data Explorer

Thank you all gentlemen for this thread. I was just struggling with this and a quick search brought me here and I was quickly able to copy over my table.

Robbie_Huntoon
4 - Data Explorer
4 - Data Explorer

Is is possible to copy a table in one base, then move it to a different base? I don’t just want to copy the table in the same base, but use all the features of a table in a totally different base.

Maureen_Thomson
4 - Data Explorer
4 - Data Explorer

I had the same question and found the answer here: Duplicate Table to Different Base

Hope this helps

Dan_Kang
4 - Data Explorer
4 - Data Explorer

Not sure what I am doing wrong here, but when I try to copy a table to a new base it is not copying the column headers or file type. It just says pasted field 1,2,3 etc.

Do you know how to correct this? Seems really clinky to not have a simpler option to just create table in a new base.

Steven_Hambleto
6 - Interface Innovator
6 - Interface Innovator

Can you have the option of copying the table’s history? I use this for customer notes!