Often your users want to enter all pertinent information together, even if the data lives in separate tables. For example, when you create a new Project, you may want to add related Tasks at the same time and save all those records in a single click. You can easily grant the ability to add data to multiple tables from within a single form.
Enter it all on a single screen. This Project record features an embedded report of related Task items.
Even though Tasks live in a separate table, you can add them at the same time you create the Project.
To add a new Task, start typing in any blank line at the bottom of the embedded report.
Enable adding and editing detail records from within a master record:
To grant users the ability to add and edit related records, embed report(s) of related detail records on the master form and make it editable. This means the report appears in grid edit mode when the master form is in add or edit mode.
Tip: When shouldn't I enable this feature?
Before you enable spreadsheet-style editing and adding of related detail records, be sure that's what you want. This feature can really help your users work faster and more efficiently, but there are a few reasons that an application manager may not want to implement grid edit on a form. Don't enable this feature if:
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Dynamic form rules are an important part of entering detail records. Dynamic form rules don't work in grid edit mode. If you have dynamic form rules set on your detail form that you need to enforce, don't make your embedded report editable. Note that dynamic form rules are not available to accounts on the Quickbase Essential service plan.
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You want the embedded report to total or average detail records. Grid edit views don't show totals or subtotals.
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Detail records include file attachments. If your details table stores documents, enabling this feature won't do you much good, since you can't upload documents in grid edit mode.
To enable adding and editing related records from the master record:
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If it doesn't already exist, embed a report of detail records on the master form.
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Make that report editable. Within the form builder, select the report link field for the embedded report and turn on the Editable checkbox in the right-hand pane.
When you select the Tasks report link field on the left,
Quickbase shows info and controls including the Editable checkbox. -
Remove old Formula - URL Add detail record fields.
If your form already featured an embedded details report, you probably also included a Formula - URL field that let users add a new detail record. (These fields look like buttons or links.) Since users will be able to edit and add detail records directly through the editable embedded report, you should remove the old Formula - URL field from the form.
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Click Save to save and return to the form.
The master form now lets you edit and add detail records spreadsheet-style.
Note: Editable reports don't display in Grid Edit mode when you merely display the master record form. Like any other data-entry field on the form, embedded Grid Edit reports are only editable when you're editing or adding a master record.