Well, a Key field can't be a formula field, but yes you can create that formula field and use it to populate the key field initially and if adding a record manually (Form Rules).
If you can get that key field changed, then what you do is to create a formula checkbox field on the Parent called [Parent Exists?] with a formula of True. Look that up down to Children.
Then create or repurpose your Automation to create a Parent when a child is added or modified and the lookup value of
[Parent Exists?] is unchecked
The surprising but convenient behavior of the automation is this. Suppose you import 1,000 children needing 500 parents created. You would think that this would cause a rate limit being hit because you were asking for 1000 automations to run all at once and they can only be triggered at a maximum rate of 20 per second.
The surprise is that you will find that the automation is only run once except it will have 1000 steps. You can watch it run and it doesn't run particularly quickly but eventually it will finish.
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Mark Shnier (YQC)
Quick Base Solution Provider
Your Quick Base Coach
http://QuickBaseCoach.commark.shnier@gmail.com------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 07-27-2020 18:10
From: Deepa Deepa
Subject: Automatically create a parent record when info saved in the child reference field
Mark,
You are right. Currently the key field is just the record ID. The other fields that would uniquely identify the parent would be not one but multiple fields :Run Date, FileTime & Related Bot. A combination of these would identify it as the unique parent. I guess I could create a formula field that stitches these together and make that the key field?
Thanks!
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Deepa Deepa
Original Message:
Sent: 07-27-2020 17:58
From: Mark Shnier (YQC)
Subject: Automatically create a parent record when info saved in the child reference field
I think it's possible but some clarification first. What is the Key field of the parent table? Is it Record ID and a separate field is the value that needs to match the Child?
if that is the case, can we change the Key field of the parent to that Key field as part of the solution, or is that not an option.
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Mark Shnier (YQC)
Quick Base Solution Provider
Your Quick Base Coach
http://QuickBaseCoach.com
mark.shnier@gmail.com
Original Message:
Sent: 07-27-2020 17:35
From: Deepa Deepa
Subject: Automatically create a parent record when info saved in the child reference field
Hi Mark!
Data is being imported. The the key fields for the parent are included in the child import and the QBaction triggers the creation of the parent using those key data fields. Then another QBaction on the parent table triggers linking that parent to the child using a report link field (to link the newly created record ID of parent to imported child).
Assume I have two children with record IDs 234 and 235 and both belong to one parent with same parent key fields. As soon as parent with record ID 9876 is created for child 234, it should also get linked to child 235. Right now, when the children are imported two parents are created with different record IDs. Within each parent I can see only one child.
Is this doable?
Thanks
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Deepa Deepa
Original Message:
Sent: 07-27-2020 17:24
From: Mark Shnier (YQC)
Subject: Automatically create a parent record when info saved in the child reference field
Are your children being created via an import or just one by one.
If being created one by one, why will the above solution not work for you. Does the child record know the correct value for the Parent's Key field? What is your definition of a duplicate parent?
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Mark Shnier (YQC)
Quick Base Solution Provider
Your Quick Base Coach
http://QuickBaseCoach.com
mark.shnier@gmail.com
Original Message:
Sent: 07-27-2020 17:04
From: Deepa Deepa
Subject: Automatically create a parent record when info saved in the child reference field
I need to do this as well. But my table relation is such that each parent can have multiple children. So when multiple children are created belonging to the same parent, the Quickbase action is creating multiple parents. Is there a way for it to ascertain that it is the same parent and not create duplicates? QB support has said this is not possible and hoping you have a workaround.
Thanks in advance!!
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Deepa Deepa
Original Message:
Sent: 07-02-2019 21:54
From: Claire Martinez
Subject: Automatically create a parent record when info saved in the child reference field
Yes, this can be done using automations. I just learn this from Harrison today.
You can create a lookup field (named: has-parent) on the child record to the parent's formula checkbox field that has the formula value of true. This lookup will be true if the parent exists false otherwise. Then in the automation when a child record is modified/added and its lookup has-parent field is unchecked then create a new parent record using the child content for the reference field value.