Key fields for integration
Hi All, We are validating an integration for QB with another live system. There would be two-way data sync between both the systems. I would like to know how to configure the key fields which would...
Forum Discussion
Hi Ishan,
For your integration what method are you using for the import? Are you using an API call to ImportFromCSV or Pipelines or another method? Typically if you make the Project ID and Task ID fields your key fields and you go to import if those fields are blank or contains a value that doesn't have a record upon an import then Quick Base will instead generate a new record. Then if it matches an existing record anything you import will be overwritten.
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Evan Martinez
Community Marketing Manager
Quick Base
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For your integration what method are you using for the import? Are you using an API call to ImportFromCSV or Pipelines or another method? Typically if you make the Project ID and Task ID fields your key fields and you go to import if those fields are blank or contains a value that doesn't have a record upon an import then Quick Base will instead generate a new record. Then if it matches an existing record anything you import will be overwritten.
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Evan Martinez
Community Marketing Manager
Quick Base
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Hi Evan,
We are using ImportFromCSV for importing the data. We have a dedicated background process to sync the data between Quickbase and third party system.
Yes, I have tried using the Project and Tasks ID's as the key fields and that makes importing data easier for us. However, the issue is while creating new data in QB, these values are mandatory and we can't expect the users to enter these.
Similarly, if we use the Record IDs as the key fields, it makes data entry easier, but the import part gets tricky considering the reference fields.
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Ishan
------------------------------- If you are doing this via ImportFromCSV then can you not use a merge field? Leave your key field as Record ID if that helps users but when you need to import use a special merge field. This field can either be one field you know is unique or if you need multiple merge fields you can create your own through formula. What you can do is make a formula that is basically "[Field 1] + [Field 2] + [Field 3]" with the fields being things that would make the record always unique. Things that often work well are Customer Name, Phone Number, Website, etc. Mash the right ones together and it can be unique.
- So if I use the Record IDs as key fields, then all the relationships would be based on that. While importing the csv for child data (for ex Tasks), how do I populate the reference columns as that would require the record IDs of the parent record. This goes for any relational data and the reference columns.
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Ishan
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