Prefill linked record in form by record ID

[Martin_Kopischk]

I am very glad Airtable has added options to the possibilities for prefilling forms, especially the ability to prefill linked records. However, it seems this functionality expects the record index string as the prefill query parameter. I’m happy to have someone point me to the right way to do this if I am mistaken, but if I am not, I would find it very useful to link records by record ID. This would make scenarios like this possible:

1. enter the One part in a One to Many data relationship in a first form;
2. redirect the first form to https://airtable.com/formForManyPart?prefil_link={record_id} on success;
3. enter one Many part correctly linked to its One.

Our exact usage scenario is to allow students to request resources for a project, with the ability to add the project to our DB first if it does not exist yet. Having that newly created project linked straightaway to the requested resources in the form would take away a lot of friction.

[ScottWorld]

That won’t work, because Airtable wouldn’t know which specific record ID you’re trying to connect with.

I just tried it for the fun of it, just to see what the results would be, and as expected, it just typed in the literal words {record_id} into the field.

But hopefully someday, Airtable will give us this ability to prefill form fields with field information!

In the meantime, we’ve got a few 3rd-party tools to do this for us, such as FormNano.

[ScottWorld]

Oh, never mind. I think we are both trying to do completely different things. Lol.

[Martin_Kopischk]

Yeah. The template string works if used as the redirect link form a newly submitted record. Not as a direct parameter in any other situation, obviously, for the reason you named.

[ScottWorld]

Right, sorry, I was trying to do a completely different thing than you! But it is very cool to know that what you are trying to do now works in Airtable! :slightly_smiling_face:

[ScottWorld]

OMG, I just tried your scenario – I used your syntax as the redirect link for a newly submitted record through a form – and it still didn’t work for me!

Airtable simply dropped the newly-created record ID (which ended up being “recNTeGHBeEPxpdlk”) into the specified field after redirecting. Lol!! :grinning_face_with_sweat:

So I still can’t even get it to work, even when I follow your instructions! But that’s okay, because I don’t need this functionality for my own needs.

I’m just glad that it’s working for you, though! :slightly_smiling_face:

[Martin_Kopischk]

Odd, I tested it again after reading your last post and it still works fine for me. I wonder what we do differently?

[ScottWorld]

Hmmm… not sure… maybe an Airtable employee will drop in here and enlighten us! :slightly_smiling_face:

[airtableuser123]

Thank you both for your input! I also tried replicating what @Martin_Kopischke described and get the literal record ID.

Martin, could you share a dummy base that or screenshots showing your form A to form B in action? I have this exact need and would love to be able to leverage your great solution. Thank you!

[Martin_Kopischk]

Just do document my workflow: I have

1. a form A for a bookings table that needs a linked entry taken from a project table. If a matching project is not found, the label for the field in form A instructs users to open form B (by clicking its link; you can see the label and link in the 4th screenshot) to enter a new project:
   
2. form B is configured to redirect to form A with a prefilled project ID using the prefill syntax and the form redirect on submission functionality:
   
3. adding the test project not found in the first screenshot in form A and submitting:
   
4. results in a successful prefill of the linked project field in form B:
   

That is all there is, really, and it worked just five minutes ago while I took the screenshots for this demo. NB: I am on a Pro account, not sure if that makes a difference.

[airtableuser123]

Thank you! I was able to recreate your method!

I realized my use case is different, hence why it wasn’t originally working.
I have a bookings table from which someone can select a room or multiple room.
After they’ve selected rooms, I want to redirect them to a form with the unique codes to access the room prefilled.
I don’t want to provide the access codes prior to completing the booking because they could select rooms/access codes without hitting submit to complete the reservation.

I’m going to tinker some more to see what I’m trying to accomplish is possible.

Thanks again! Very much appreciated.