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Question

Auto fill lookup field during creation from child (details) table

  • March 17, 2017
  • 0 replies
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Self profess as a newbie. I have a relationship between to tables (person to call) and there is a text field on the parent that is defined as a lookup. If I add a call from the person record all is good. But - user preference is just click on new call and enter the person id (it is known) and then want the lookup field to automatically populate. Is that possible?
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      • MCFNeil
      • Registered
      • March 17, 2017
      Yes,
      Go to the setting for the relationship of Person -> Call.

      Select the option to "add Lookup Field" then select the desired field from the dropdown of available fields.

      Then just position the new lookup field where you'd like
      I think that what David is saying is the the user knows the the Person, they just want to enter type it in and not select from a drop down.

      My suggestion is this:

      1. Ensure that the key field of the Person table is the person ID.

      2. You already have a relationship based on a normal lookup field which is a drop down list.  leave that in place, but get rid of the look up fields on it.

      3. Make a new field which is just a numeric field called [Person ID (direct Entry)].

      4. Make a formula field called [Related Person (final)] withe formula

      IF([[Related Person] > 0, [Related Person], [Person ID (direct Entry)])

      Then use that field in a relationship and look up your fields from the Person table.

      The effect will be that the user can use either method to get the lookup connected to the Person.
      • DavidBerndt
      • Author
      • Registered
      • March 17, 2017
      Actually kind of in between. I am ok with the selection from the drop down but what I need is then when they select, the lookup field would immediately populate. RIght now, it only seems to populate when I click on save and they need to see the information while they are on the call record. So the flow looks lik

      1) From a main screen menu click to "Add Call"
      2) Select person ID from drop down
      3) "Doc on file" lookup field gets populated Y/N from the person record into the associated lookup field on the call record
      It is most unusual that the lookup fields do not immediately populate on the form.  If you like you can contact me directly via my contact info at QuickBaseCoach.com and I will have a quick look.
      I spoke to David directly. his one and only lookup field defaulted to be the reference proxy and essentially he ended up with a data entry field for the same field on the form twice. We deselected that reference proxy field and it instantly behaved as a regular lookup field and immediately populated when the Parent record was picked.
      • DavidBerndt
      • Author
      • Registered
      • March 17, 2017
      Thanks so much for the resolution
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