This video is embedded from Youtube and here’s the original one.
When architecting a database in Airtable, there are many uses for passing data from one table to another. In fact, this is the true power of a relational database. On my team, we call this “spreadsheets in 3D” – when you really start to tap into the relational database element, it’s like working in a spreadsheet that has crazy layers of depth and complexity. The hardest part of that is understanding the difference between Lookup and Rollup fields. In short, a lookup field looks to a second table that is linked and it returns a field that you specify. The rollup field acts much the same way, with the added bonus of performing some type of “aggregation function” on your data before returning a field. Each of these field types has its own specific use cases. In this video I outline a few of them, specifically as they pertain to creating proper automations. Be sure to stick around for the end of the video where I demonstrate a complex use-case. There are many instances where we’ve needed to use this exact (advanced) procedure to establish the proper lookup relationships for our clients – it requires a few extra steps, but be advised that you can easily hide the extra fields from view after you’ve built the proper logical architecture. What parts of your data presentation and/or automated processes can be streamlined with better use of these complicated field types?
Timestamp:
00:00 What this video covers
01:15 Framing the Example Database
02:08 Reasons for using a Lookup or Rollup
03:05 Why a Direct Link Fails
03:53 Building a Lookup
06:11 Where the Lookup Field isn’t enough
07:26 Building a Rollup
09:43 Complex Example (Putting it all together)