Select Data column not finding row from imported CSV

1

Hey all,

I am attempting to import an updated CSV into a table on Coda, and I was really hoping for all “select list” columns to recognize the character strings for their particular columns, but that is unfortunately not working.

For instance, I have an existing and filled table with our employees, and I have a select list column in another table that picks from said employee table. When I import a table with that same column filled with our employee’s names, they either exist as text format instead of the select list, or Coda tells me the row is not found in the reference table and offers to repopulate that row, creating a duplicate.

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong? Hopefully I was clear enough with my issue.

Thanks!

edit: For clarification, I am exporting and reimporting the same table plus a few extra rows. I have no idea why the table no longer recognizes the select list format when it just did so.

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Hi Austin,

Welcome to the community!!

What you are describing is known behavior. Although it is quite frustrating, it does make sense.

When you import a CSV file, it is not a process “integrating” with existing tables. Coda does not know how to link entries in the CSV upload with entries to other, existing tables. It treats all these entries as new values, which is why it is saying “the row is not found in the reference table”.

For Coda to be able to do that, a lot of scenarios would need to be taken into account:

  • What to do if there are two employees with the same name? A very common occurrence.
  • What if the new value coming from the CSV is actually the same person, but in the CSV it is spelled as Peter Strydom, while in the existing select list it is spelled as Piet Strydom?
  • In the case where it is not simply a select list, but to a related table - Does Coda create an entry in the related table? The same two questions arises.
    • Also, if Coda does create an entry in the related table, what about all other fields in the table, like address, phone number, etc, etc.

More important to address would be why do you export and import the same table repeatedly?

Regards
Piet

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