JavaScript – Upcoming Formula Field Change in August Release 

With our August 2021 release app builders will no longer be able to insert or edit unsupported content (like JavaScript) into Formula fields. This is the final stage in the plan we announced earlier this year to change how Quickbase will handle custom code (like JavaScript) when it is placed outside of code pages. The plan to make these changes was driven by an effort to maximize security and stability in the Quickbase platform. This is especially important because many customers use Quickbase to serve enterprise-grade and mission-critical applications to their company and users.  

After our August release, builders will no longer be able to save changes to any formula fields that contain unsupported content such as JavaScript. Instead, builders will see an error message warning them that unsupported content has been detected and changes will not save. This will not remove existing JavaScript but will prevent any further edits or changes to what is in the field. Builders will only be able to save changes to these fields after our August Release (which was completed successfully on 08-15-2021) after they have removed any unsupported content.  

With this series of changes, we will not intentionally disable any existing solutions that leverage inserted JavaScript. However, it is impossible for us to test inserted JavaScript as we make changes to the Quickbase platform. A routine upgrade to an open-source library, a change to styling, or a change to our document object model (DOM) may cause these custom solutions to break without warning. This has always been a risk of using such unsupported techniques. However, as we progress with projects like modernizing our interface in 2021 and beyond, these kinds of changes will become more frequent. And if a solution stops working for one of these reasons after the area has been closed, app builders will not be able to edit the JavaScript to fix it. You can learn more about our full plan, the reason these changes are important, and the earlier loopholes we have closed in our blog post here.  

How do I know if my apps contain inserted JavaScript? 

We want to be as transparent as possible, so app builders are aware of any risks in their applications. Since February 2021, we have been displaying warnings in areas that have unsupported content to help builders find these areas in their apps that need attention like the one below. These warnings will continue to display wherever unsupported content is detected in your apps.  

 

We have also created a JavaScript Usage app to help Account Admins see if we have detected any realm branding, apps, tables, and fields that have JavaScript in your account.  We have been logging Quickbase apps that contain custom code like JavaScript outside of code pages. These logs are only able to cover apps where you have updated the app’s structure recently. If you have an app you are unsure about, you can update the properties of any field or table, which will cause the scanning to occur. The JavaScript Usage app is updated every Thursday with any new usage that is detected. If we detect that some of your apps contain inserted JavaScript or custom code outside of code pages, we will also reach out via email to your Account Admins to invite them to the JavaScript Usage app directly. 

If you are an Account Admin on an affected account, you can access the Inserted JavaScript Usage app right here. If you do not have access to the app, your Account Admin can help you to identify where your applications contain JavaScript in your account. To see exceptions that will be impacted by the August release, look for Exceptions with the value “1. Found in formula schema”, “3. Found in field output, field mode: formula”, or “4. Found in report formula” in the Reason field.  

If you have questions or need help, you can reach out to our Care team by submitting a support case.