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.
Table of Contents
How to Set Up a Record Link
In the App Designer, scroll down to the Advanced Settings and add a new Record Link field.
Choose the linked app you want to pull records from.
Select the level of connectivity by checking any of the boxes below. See Setting Options in the next section to see if they're right for you!
Select existing records
Create new records
Update existing records
Link multiple records
Once you've added the record link field and associated app, select the applicable boxes to give your team the added flexibility if needed. Check out the Setting Options below to learn more.
Setting Options
The record link field has a few options that are not found in other field types. In this section, you will find a description of the configuration options, as well as links to dedicated pages for these settings, providing further information about them.
Like 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, four checkboxes are provided with explanations of their functionality.
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.
All options will be found in edit mode once you drag and drop the Record Link field into your app builder.
Selection Filters & Auto Populate Fields
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.
Additional Options
Required Field? Enabling this option will make it a required field.
Hidden? This 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.
Read-only field? This "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.
Default to previous vale? This "Default to previous value? option 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.
The record link 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 Exporting with Linked Records article.
Permissions and more
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.