Action: UPDATE EXISTING ROW(s) using values from this row

[GreenFlux]

This feature request is for a new Action-type that would replace the need for several actions to accomplish the same task:
Update a set of rows using values from this row

Currently we can:
Add a NEW row to another table using values from this row, and
Execute an action on a set of rows

But to pass values from the current row to a set of existing rows requires a bit more setup. This could easily be defined in a single action and could use the same UI as the existing actions:

This would really simplify a lot of common routines where you want to push a value from a parent record to multiple child records. And I think it would replace the need for workflows in some cases, making the app more powerful when in offline mode.

[Koichi_Tsuji]

Currently it is only achievable by using Appsheet API to update the target rows regardless of sitting in same or different table to update. I also spoke to Appsheet team before to introduce exactly this action to make a life easier.

Firstly, API set up a little complex. I always make a typo on JSON body to construct which fail API to run.
Secondly, Appsheet Action should happen on client side, i.e. when we do make a change in data, it should be immediately available on user view. For instance, if we could update the change the row value by action, the change will be immediately reflected and user can see the change, and then Appsheet will be looking after the backend/background to change the data source accordingly.
When we change value by API, it take a while, as all the things are happening on the backend service. Appsheet client has no way to detect the changes, unless server start to push the changes to browser, which take a while.

I do have API to change the rows values using API in various place in my app, but my clients keep asking to update the rows instantly, so that they can access to view after the change being made super quickly.
My client is not exceptional, but generally user is not tolerant to wait for backend service to complete!!!
I need to handle such a request from my clients somehow.

So all in all, as you kindly placed a feature request, the change made by action will be reflected upon action is triggered. User dont care how long sync (update the changes in database) after that.
So this should be one of top priority, i wish appsheet team to consider to introduce new feature as well as another API related feature to capture the API response (parse JSON response body and push into the target data table where Appsheet editor is connecting.)

API GET request is pretty much basic and easy. But currently we have no way to display the same (responded body) within appsheet.

[Jonathan_S]

Man this would make my life easier.

[Marc_Dillon]

Gets my vote!

[WillowMobileSys]

Another huge benefit to the community for this feature is in Inventory management.

In many cases we have some kind of Order table with child records where the child records hold a Quantity that needs to adjust Inventory amounts.

Currently, we can only navigate to the Inventory record by:
Execute an action on a set of rows and then
Action to Update Inventory

By the time we get to Action to Update Inventory we no longer have a reference to the row that prompted the update request. So we are forced to build in a mechanism to be able to identify the row to use in the update OR use some kind of SUM function to adjust for all ACTIVE rows and then mark them as Inactive afterwards.

Having an action for Update a set of rows using values from this row would greatly help simplify these Inventory management functions as well as other similar types of updates.

[Sergey_Pestov]

I support this initiative! Great benefit from a little refinement;)

[Ami]

It gets my vote as well.
I need to have data changed based on a change in another table, right now i can only acheive this with a report with change data. I therefore have to create for 24 hours, 48 reports.

[hcquadros]

Agreed!

One possibility is to do that with a timestamp collumn, retrieving data from the last changed row (using MAXROW),but its not ideal because:

1. Not very clean, since we need to make changes on the data source, and;
2. More importantly, not very reliable, since the row’s timestamp is based on the user’s device’s time. When multiple users are using simultaneously, a few minutes difference on their device’s clock might create a big problem.

[Adm_Tech]

Definitely needed! It would solve a lot of problems and would help strongly to improve productivity. That’s what I’ve been looking for since months.
I see it’s number 1 in voting.

Dear Appsheet Team, are you working on that? Give us hope pls

[Jonathan_S]

When Can we expect this to be implemented? I mean look at the votes… Definitely should on top of the priority list.

[Austin]

This would simply my life infinitely. All the tables other than the ones I marked out are my current solution to storing information from my current row then pulling that into my action on the targeted table. If I could update rows based on my current row I would be able to eliminate nearly all of these tables and many many actions from my apps. This is also only the tables for a single app!

[paullynun]

Hell Yeah!

It is great that AppSheet allows to interact on other tables. The number of required tasks make things complex quite fast when you need it very often. I would probably be able to cut 10-20 actions in my 60 action app.

Can we multiple the number of vote on this feature request by the number of actions that can be saved?

[gioKelly]

AppSheet team, please give us some news about this great request.

[Jonathan_S]

Yes please!!, listen to the masses. NEWS?

[aucforum]

Do we need to start a crowd funding campaign?

[Jonathan_S]

Ok now lol, I want this real bad but lets not start a riot.