Forum Discussion

BrianneJacobsen's avatar
BrianneJacobsen
Qrew Trainee
4 years ago

Import from Excel into a form

In Quickbase, I have an Estimate table where each record is an estimate.  (Record ID# becomes our estimate #) The actual estimate is created in Excel.​  For tracking and reporting purposes, there are several fields in my Quickbase table that overlap with cells in Excel.  Things like the estimate $, travel time charged, local tax rate used, etc.  Currently, information is manually entered again into Quickbase after the estimate is created in Excel.  What I would like to do is, go to the form associated with that Record/Estimate # and import the overlapping information that is already in the Excel spreadsheet into that Record.  Hopefully stream-lining the process and reducing errors.

The problem I am having is everything I find on importing into Quickbase deals with large amounts of information into multiple records from the Home page.  Whereas I want to update multiple fields within a single record from the Estimate Record Form.  Having to import from the Home page would likely confuse many of the less computer savvy people in the office and I need the end process to be simple. (FYI, I am much more comfortable in Excel and I can easily create a macro to pull out the information from Excel into a Quickbase friendly format.  I'm not worried about that end.)

So, in summary I'd like to:
1) Create a record in the Estimate table.
2) Separately create estimate in Excel.
3) Go back to the Estimate Record in Quickbase and import data into specific fields for just that record.

Can this be done?  If yes, how would I go about doing it? or is this just a pie in the sky dream?
I really need the end result to be as simple as filling out the info in the record manually and saving.​

Thanks,
Brianne

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Brianne Jacobsen
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  • If your Excel sheet can have the Quickbase Record ID# of the Estimate, then you can import one record and it will update any fields that you include in the import.

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    Mark Shnier (YQC)
    mark.shnier@gmail.com
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    • BrianneJacobsen's avatar
      BrianneJacobsen
      Qrew Trainee
      As I indicated, importing from Home page won't work.  If that is my only option then it just won't work.  I need SIMPLE.
      Thanks

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      Brianne Jacobsen
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  • I have the nearly identical scenario. I didn't want to give all my users rights to import, because I thought that would end up a nightmare. I don't have a great solution, but one thing of note is that when using firefox, you can copy/paste from excel into QuickBase reports in grid edit mode.

    It's not the most user friendly thing (have to use all mouse clicks for copy/paste, and your excel sheet cannot have merged columns), but there may be a way you can utilize that?

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    Michael Tamoush
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  • Hi,

    One approach I have done for a customer is to allow them to attach the CSV file to the form and add a button to the form.  When user clicks the button I execute a quickbase page that loads the attached excel data to the form based on the form record_id or key. The caveat is that the name of the header fields in the excel file must match the field names in the table where the form is attached to in quickbase. This way the data in the excel will map to the record and attributes in quickbase. I can provide you with the javascript code-page for your use. Let me know if I can help you by talking about workflow specifics. Reach out to me at sckaram@gmail.com. Below is a screen shot example. Rather than CSV you will attach excel.


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    Souheil Karam
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