Forum Discussion

ElenaLarrabee1's avatar
ElenaLarrabee1
Qrew Captain
4 years ago

Automation to create multiple records based on a multi-select text field

Hi everyone! I have a tricky question for you. I have a parent table (jobs) with a child table (schedule) with its own child table (crew assignments), which in turn has its own parent table (crew) which is just a master list of the staff. 

The way I have my app designed, users add schedule items in a grid edit within the main Job form. Then within each schedule item in the grid edit, there's a multi-select text field set up to assign crew members to each schedule item. It's fine, but it's just a multi-select text field that pulls crew names from the master crew table, it's not actually associating crew assignment child records with that schedule item. Having users click a report link from each schedule item and add crew assignments in grid edit mode would be adding too many steps. 

What I think I need is to be able to do is keep my multi-select text field, but create an automation that separates that list and then creates a child record in the crew assignments table for each name on the list. I haven't done much with list fields in automations so I'm not sure where to start. Or of course, if I'm missing something blindingly obvious about being able to create multiple grandchild records within a grandparent form let me know. 


Any help would be awesome!

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Elena Larrabee
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  • LeeGilmore's avatar
    LeeGilmore
    Quickbase Staff
    If I am understanding correctly, you're conclusion sounds correct in that you'll want to use a Pipeline to create the child records based on the values you've selected with your multi-select text. It sounds intimidating at first but Pipelines is a fantastic tool and this is a great first use case to get you started and more comfortable with automating your process! Quickbase University has a great set of trainings on Pipelines as well as the Empower User Conference that we just hosted. The Empower content should be available to help as well. You're also welcome to create a Support Ticket with our Care team if you get stuck or something isn't working as you intend.

    University Pipeline Lessons:
    https://university.quickbase.com/series/data-integration

    2021 Empower On Demand: Registration

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    Lee Gilmore
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    • ElenaLarrabee1's avatar
      ElenaLarrabee1
      Qrew Captain
      Hi Lee, thanks! I'm pretty familiar with pipelines, I'm using several of them already for functions throughout my app. Love the additional capabilities. I'm currently working on an automation that may be able to do what I'm hoping but if I can't get it to work today I'll build a pipeline.

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      Elena Larrabee
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