Can you make it so actions only edit specific related records

Is the task description a lookup, or a text field that your action is writing to?

It seems odd that you'd want to update the task description... does the task change?

I have a similar situation. I have a Projects table related to a work_items table (one to many relationship). Work_items have their own start and completed dates that are managed as work is performed. My hope for the Action is to fill in the work_item completed date ONLY for work_items that don't already have completed dates when the parent Project is marked Completed. I have tried setting up the Action but it acts on all work_item children and fills in null work_item completed dates AND overwrites previously recorded work_item completed dates. I need a condition that allows me to choose a subset of the child records. Without this, Actions are too broad to make the edit related option useful.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help.

The task description is a text field. The task does change and is updated. When information is updated in the Project table normally it requires an email or creating a new task to inform the person it has been updated. So the idea was that one of the task would be tied to the description in the project table. This way it can remain a general summary of what needs to be done and then when the project is updated it doesn't require creating a new task or an email.

Whoever is working on then the task can update the description in the task field and when people go the project table, they will see whats been added. For example if person A has new information for the project and they add it to the project field, they then could just write in the task description that it was added, and when person B is working through their task, they can see it in the description. This works fine if one project has one task. Though, workers have multiple task, whether its a follow up call, or an email, or reviewing a document, it is still part of the same project. That is why one project can have many task. I want the action to be able to target the task description for the task that is being used as a general overview of what is being done. To prevent sending one line emails or a task to say I got the information for these fields.
 
If workers are making task for a follow up phone call, I do not need its task description to be changed. So like Jeff, when I use the action so that description is field modified in the project record, it is updating every description associated in the task table that is associated with its one project to many task relationship. I would like to be able to target specific records in the action. I hope this is clearer.

Is there a reason that you cannot simply use a lookup field from the Parent down to the child?  Then perhaps a formula to decide to either use that lookup field or not in a description?

So your suggestion would be to use a lookup field so I can look up task and their description while in the project they are associated with. In order to do this I would need to create a field the in task table to assign it a name for the lookup field. And it would use the task name to bring up the associated description for editing?

I'm actually confused about your setup as you are saying that you are wanting to edit a Task Description on the Parent Project record?  And the child Tasks each have their own name. Can you help me understand the set up in your application?

Sorry, I inherited a system I didn't design about 2 weeks ago and am fairly new to quickbase so I am just working through it's capabilities. As it stands in the Project table, when a Project is created it is assigned a Project Name. In the Task table, in order for a Task to be created, it needs to be related to a Project Name, so Project Name is a foreign key constraint in the Task table. One Project Name can have many Task. All Task have a Task Description field. Currently, when a record is created in the Project table a new record is created in the Task table using actions. When you view the record for an entity in the Project table, there is a report link that shows all associated Task. Currently, you have to leave the Project record and to go modify Task descriptions. So I was trying to use the 'modify' action, so that there can be a field in the Project record that you can use to modify the Task Description of specific task without having to leave the Project record. Currently, when you I actions, since it is a one Project to many Task relationship, it is editing all Task descriptions. So in a Project with 3 task, I can edit all 3 of them simultaneously, but am unable to edit for example just 2 of them. That is why I am wondering if there is a way to target specific records when using the 'modify' action. Sorry, if you are still confused.

OK, so why not just set the form properties for the embedded child records of Tasks so that they can be Grid Edited when you edit the parent.  That is a form property setting on the form for the Tasks Report Link field  Then just make your edits in Grid Edit mode.  You can also copy and paste and "fill down".  So why not just do that?

I didn't realize you can do that (being using quickbase for about a week)! Thank you for the help!

I think that we are all thrown off by your question specifically about Actions which is a very new feature of QuickBase.  There was an easier answer after all.

Welcome to QuickBase.  It is a very empowering platform as you can really develop powerful apps quickly.  The EMPOWER 2017 conference  https://empower2017.com/  is the week after next.  Great opportunity there to better understand QuickBase.