Action "Data: add a new row to another table using values from this row" selects all rows from the source table

[Kevin_Burbidge]

Hi folks

I have source data in two tables / tabs within a Google Sheet document, and I’m trying to use AppSheet to help combine these similar-but-slightly-different data sets into a single consistently-structured data set. The idea is that I surface the data in AppSheet, then use the “Data: add a new row to another table using values from this row” Action to selectively import specific rows into the target table. I have defined a specific “Copy Record” Action for each data source (screen snips to follow in subsequent posts):

I’ve assigned the action to the UX, but for any of the columns it’s copying based on existing data, it’s selecting values from all the rows and dumping them into the single new row (screen-shots to follow).

I’ve already checked the data types between the source and target tables are aligned. I also tried encapsulating the data being transferred in withing the TEXT() function, also without success.

Do I need to define a filter under Action > Behaviour? (It’s currently blank…)

I can’t help but think I’m stuck on a ‘trap for new players’ and that I’ve missed something simple… can anyone help me understand what am I doing wrong?!?

Thanks!

[Kevin_Burbidge]

Screen snip of Action #1:

[Kevin_Burbidge]

Screen snip of Action #2:

[Kevin_Burbidge]

Data from one of the source tables:

This is clearly showing two quite discrete records, before the Copy action.

[Kevin_Burbidge]

Data from the target table:

Running the Copy action for each of the source rows has created two distinct records (unique keys) containing the same concatenated source data.

[Steve · Accepted solution]

An expression of the form, table-name[column-name] (e.g., Form Responses[Child's Gender]) produces a list consisting of all values from the column named in the table named. It appears you instead want the column value for only the current row. For that, just omit the table name (e.g., [Child's Gender] instead of Form Responses[Child's Gender]).

I also suspect you don’t need the TEXT() function where it appears in your screenshots. It may actually cause problems later unless you’re using it for its particular behavior.

help.appsheet.com

TEXT()

Format as text

[Kevin_Burbidge]

Hi Steve

Thanks for the tip; indeed a “trap for new players” as I suspected! Curse my trying to be too specific.

Your suggested fix has worked, as demonstrated below:

Thanks again!

[Mehvish_17]

hi,
i think i have similar problem here.,
i have two table.,
I want to select some row from the first table and copy it into the second table.,
but., do i need to make a button to run the action?
or can i run the action automatically?
because i just try to add new data in first table then nothing happen in the second table.,

[Steve]

Mehvish_17:

do i need to make a button to run the action?
or can i run the action automatically?

You may do it either way. To do it automatically, you’ll need to attach the copy action to something initiated by the user (e.g., saving a form, pressing a button, or choosing an action to apply to the selection), or use a workflow.

[Juliandario38]

hello,

Great info

If i have a inventory database that have to be updated regularly, how can i make a list with the new elements, i need this info because in the same aplication i have another table  (table B) with the same inventory data but it have photos and some other info, the first table (table A) have 80 columns and 43000 rows,  the second table must have the same 43000 rows after the update (table B), but just have 40 columns (just 10 fields from this table are the same of table A including the unique id field) .

Regards

[Steve]

Please start a new topic for help with this.