The record link field allows you to link records from separate apps together. It also allows you to link parent records in a repeatable field within the same app. The records in the linked app can be used for many use cases, but a primary use case is to use this field type for lookup table functionality.
Field Settings
The record link field has a few options that are not found in other field types. In this guide, you will find the description of some of the configuration options for this field, as well as links to the dedicated pages for these settings to get more information about them.
As all other fields, the first 3 fields are Label, Description, and Data Name.
Next, you will find the 'Linked App' field. Here you will need to select one of the Apps available in the dropdown to create the association between the two apps. It is possible to select the app you are currently editing.
Below the Linked App field, there are four checkboxes:
Allow Selection of Existing Records: This allows the user to select existing records from the app linked in the record link field.
Allow Creation of New Records: This allows the user to create new records in the app that is linked to the record link field.
Allow Updating of Existing Records: This allows the user to update data in existing records in the app linked to the record link field.
Allow Multiple records: This allows the user to link multiple records from the linked app to the record link field.
Next, you will find the "SELECTION FILTERS" button, which allows you to filter the options presented to the user. For more information, please check out the selection filters article.
You are also presented with the option to "AUTO POPULATE FIELDS", which gives you the ability to pull in values from fields in the linked record and automatically populate fields in the record with the record link field. For more information, please check out the auto-populate field article.
Up next are four more checkboxes. Enabling the first will make this a required field.
The second gives you the ability to hide the linked app on mobile devices. Doing so will only allow the field user to access the linked app through the record link field. This will ensure that the linked app is only accessed for its intended purpose and keeps the apps list less cluttered.
The third checkbox, "Read-only field?", makes the field visible but the data collector or user editing/creating the records will not be able to enter anything into that field.
The fourth, "Default to previous value?, allows data collectors and users to speed up the record creation process by automatically entering the same value used when creating or editing a previous record.
This field also offers the option to create both Visibility and Requirement rules. To learn more about these two options, please check out the Conditional Logic Rules article.
For information on what exported data looks like for apps that have a record link field, please check out the managing record linked exports article.
Notes
In order for your organization members to link records from another app, they will need permission to both the app that has the record link field and the app that is being referenced by the record link field.
The pick list for a record link field uses the record title schema of the linked app. If you wish to change what is presented in the record link field's pick list, you will want to update the record title of the linked app.