Forum Discussion

JustinTorrence1's avatar
JustinTorrence1
Qrew Member
6 years ago

Static Quick Base User Name

I have a connected Quick Base table that pulls from another application table containing "Employee Profiles". I have set the key field of this connected table to a Quick Base User field (This comes over in the connected table as text type instead of user type). I then have a formula field that that converts that text to a User type "ToUser([User])". The problem is, any time a user updates their email or their username, the Quick Base User (key) field is not updated with it. That, and any records that use this connected table as a parent lose their reference. So I am in need of a way to get a text or numeric (unique) "User ID" that never changes that I can convert to and from User type using a formula. Should I lock down the user preferences menu and manually assign usernames to all new users? Or am I completely overlooking something much easier.

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Justin Torrence
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Quickbase Sync
User and group management
  • EvanMartinez's avatar
    EvanMartinez
    Quickbase Staff
    6 years ago
    Hi Justin,

    Another way to come at this is to occasionally pull that user formula value over into a static field. For example with an Automation that when a new record is created on that table and the User formula field has a value write the value from that formula field to a static User field. That way the user at that time is captured in the field and when the user changes email addresses later it will update as a standard user field would instead of the issue you are running into with the formula field. Then that formula would just exist in the background to populate that field when the record is created. I hope that suggestion is helpful.

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    Evan Martinez
    Community Marketing Manager
    Quick Base
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    • JustinTorrence1's avatar
      JustinTorrence1
      Qrew Member
      6 years ago
      Because it is a key field, it cannot be blank when the record is created

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      Justin Torrence
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      • EvanMartinez's avatar
        EvanMartinez
        Quickbase Staff
        6 years ago
        Hi Justin, 

        Could you set it to a default value and then let the Automation overwrite it? Though to be fair if it is a key field and you are using it in relationships now that you aren't able to rebuild then that would be less than helpful unfortunately. There isn't a function to pull just the UID from a user via a formula, just name or email address and as such if either changes Quick Base won't be able to update without going back to update from the source as it changes. If being able to pull the UID is something that would be helpful you can submit that as a User Voice feedback even if that wouldn't help you with your use case today. Sorry there isn't a formula function or trick I can suggest in this instance.

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        Evan Martinez
        Community Marketing Manager
        Quick Base
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