Link to other base

[John_Bacino]

So happy that someone finally filled the void left by Dabble DB.

One of the features I found most useful there, but can’t seem to do in Airtable, is linking to entries in another Base. Often, one will have multiple bases which handle distinct aspects of a business or project, but in which one piece of data overlaps.

Example: A political campaign may want Bases for contacting voters, managing events, and recording donations. Those are distinct domains which need their own Bases, but which could benefit from linking parts of them together. For example, it would be great to link donations to the event they occurred at, or voters to donations, or record who attended each event.

In Airtable at present one has to either cram all of those bases into one, or foregoe the linkage which makes this software so great. It may seem like a small thing, but once you can link bases, the sky is really the limit.

[Julian_Kirkness]

Hi @Lauren_Perfors

While I agree with everyone that links between bases would be very useful, I may have a couple of suggestions which may help you…

1. Airtable link directly to Slack and you could have your bases creating posts in slack channels - these are great because the posts have direct links to the records.

2. It would be possible to use Zapier to create the tasks in your master base automatically - including populating a field with the link to the record concerned.

3. Have you considered having all your data for all clients in one base - and use filtered views where needed to look at information per client? This would obviously not work if you need to share the base with the client. This also benefits you in that you can produce overall reports for your business.

[John_Beaudoin]

Lauren,

I am using Zapier as a workaround for a similar use case – you can see the details at Display Record URL as field autmatically.

Essentially, I have a multistep Zap watching each table in a base. When a new record is created, Zapier grabs the record name and URL and stashes it in a table I call “Log Registry.” A view on that table filters on the date, giving me a daily task list.

It’s not elegant, and I would prefer not having to use Zapier, but it works.

Jack

[Paul_Hitchenson]

+1 for this. I love everything about airtable and this could push it to a whole other level. It could instantly sort out the granular permissions request that gets thrown around so much and could instantly make more complicated bases much easier to manage.
I am currently building multiple rosters for different companies which really need to sit in their own base, but it would be great for them to be able to draw information from common bases.

[Alvaro_Martinez]

I keep coming back regularly to the forum, hoping to finally find this thread closed by a glorious final post proudly announcing the much anticipated rollout of this feature or the granular access permissions.
You may say I´m a dreamer…

[Sydney_Gerber]

Hello! To chime in on your Suggestion #3, I do feel claustrophobic with the number of tables, only in that it is unorganized! It almost makes me want to create separate tables, but I don’t have time to continually re-paste all my information, so I’d rather just dive very deep into customized views of a massive data network.

However, I would most prefer to interact with my tables in a better view than a cramped scrolling horizontal. Honestly, that interface reminds me of the anxiety of having too many tabs open at once. A good file management system, like that of the metaphorical desktop layout, does not blockade you from deeper levels of organization. Have you ever been in a folder for files that fit together, have it become stuffed to the brim to the point that you feel anxiety over your inability to create further categories

I think this connects back to the whole idea that everything can be broken down into simpler categories, like somewhere from 5 to 7 or 12.

To touch on Suggestion #2, we can’t deny how powerful a reporting feature would be! This could easily morph into the backbone of many an organization, and they would find it breathtaking if we could deliver pivot chart equivalents to them, based on the data. I already plan to use AirTable “currency” fields with budget, spending, pricing, payment, and so on-- the ability to also view the pulse of our business would be extremely impactful in organization-wide adoption.

I am so grateful for this app, though! Definitely rendered many of my old go-tos obselete. I would love to someday see the option to slide the table tabs from the top to the left, and allow some metaphorical equivalent higher in the hierarchy than a Base. Similar to onenote organization, but powerful in a very different open way (they’re a beautiful infinite notebook/planning and brainstorming tool, while you all organize my everything else).

I just feel frustrated having the equivalent of multiple scroll-throughs of small tabs that I can order next to their similar categories, but cannot tag or filter or connect in any way. For instance, different departments, roles, and tasks require different references and data or input. A way to somehow tie them together in themes would be wonderful.

Thanks again!

[Nick_Rivero]

Yes! Linking bases is the #1 reason we likely won’t stick with Airtable long term. As we work on multiple projects, and each project being a base, we have no way to see an overview of all of our projects in any succinct way. If we can link data from bases, then we could have a single base that is an aggregate of various aspects from each individual project-base allowing us to see a cross section of data much more efficiently. This would help immensely. Thanks!

[Dorina_Claessen]

Hi,

Great to read that there is being worked on the feature to enable inter linkages between bases. That would for us be hurdle to overcome before purchasing a company’s license and start investing on importing all our organisations information and training our team on working with it.

However, since it is not the case, there is no point in doing so. Unless we would know that the interlinking will be enabled in let’s say now and half a year time? Until then we could keep our records up-to-date manually, but then it really needs to get going…

Any idea on when the feature might be operational @Airtable?

Thanks,
D

[Zac]

@Airtable , this is the most popular thread, and the most requested feature.
It would be very much appreciated if you can tell us what’s the plan / time frame.

Thank you

[Teresa_Colon]

I’m going to +1 this comment. I have five distinct bases with different consultants having access to different bases. Because I have tasks listed in different bases, my primary interest at this point is the ability to pull in all my tasks and organize them by date as a way to make sure I’m keeping all my plates spinning and not wasting valuable consultant $$.

Combining everything into a single table makes no sense for me, as one of my bases is for writing books; I have another for interviews/podcasts; another for general marketing; and a last for other administrative details. These are different teams (so permissions issue), but even if I was OK with everyone seeing everything it is simply overwhelming and confusing to try to connect it all in a single base.

[DavidMa]

Let’s say I would like to create a base titled “My Tasks” that pulls all of my tasks (as a collaborator) from the different bases on my account. Is that possible?

Thanks