# Adding information to a cell without erasing the data **URL:** \ **Category:** Ask for Help\ **Created:** [March 20, 2022, 5:50pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/adding-information-to-a-cell-without-erasing-the-data/39875 "2022-03-20T17:50:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![josepm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8c91f0/32.png) [@josepm](https://community.glideapps.com/u/josepm)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2022, 5:50pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/adding-information-to-a-cell-without-erasing-the-data/39875/1 "2022-03-20T17:50:38Z")
Hello guys! I would like to use a text field in a form to add data to a row without replacing or erasing what’s already there. I want to use it as a comment field, so that users can add new comments while still having the old information there. Anyone knows if it is possible? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Robert\_Petitto](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/robert_petitto/32/25193_2.png) [@Robert\_Petitto](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Robert_Petitto)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2022, 6:07pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/adding-information-to-a-cell-without-erasing-the-data/39875/2 "2022-03-20T18:07:46Z")
This requires a bit of trickery. First, let me ask, is a form the correct mechanism? Forms add new rows of data, but it sounds like you want to just add onto existing data. Is the appended text the only field you’re modifying or do you need additional info such as author, timestamp, etc.? ---
**Author:** ![josepm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8c91f0/32.png) [@josepm](https://community.glideapps.com/u/josepm)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2022, 6:21pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/adding-information-to-a-cell-without-erasing-the-data/39875/3 "2022-03-20T18:21:11Z")
Hello @Robert_Petitto , sorry for the mistake, I was planning to use it as a text field in an edit page related to the row. I would also like to add the timestamp and the name of the editor. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Hager](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/jeff_hager/32/43_2.png) [@Jeff\_Hager](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Jeff_Hager)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2022, 10:31pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/adding-information-to-a-cell-without-erasing-the-data/39875/4 "2022-03-20T22:31:25Z")
You can add or remove as many components as you wand from the Edit Form. If all you want is a text entry component for comments, then you can remove all other components from the Edit screen. The Edit form also allows you to add special value components. That includes the email of the signed in user and a timestamp. Just add those two special value components and set them to write to whichever columns you would like to hold the timestamp and email of the editor. ---
**Author:** ![Robert\_Petitto](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/robert_petitto/32/25193_2.png) [@Robert\_Petitto](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Robert_Petitto)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2022, 10:34pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/adding-information-to-a-cell-without-erasing-the-data/39875/5 "2022-03-20T22:34:15Z")
> [@josepm](#): > > I want to use it as a comment field, so that users can add new comments while still having the old information there. I think he wants to use the edit screen to APPEND new comments to existing comments. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Hager](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/jeff_hager/32/43_2.png) [@Jeff\_Hager](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Jeff_Hager)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2022, 10:45pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/adding-information-to-a-cell-without-erasing-the-data/39875/6 "2022-03-20T22:45:35Z")
Ah, makes sense. In that case: - I would probably add a user specific column to the table to temporarily hold the the user’s new comment. - Then add a template column to join the existing comments and the new user specific comment. - Then add a button to the screen with a custom action to first clear the user specific column, followed by a Show New Screen → This Item action, to get a second detail screen. - Then add a text entry component that points to the user specific column. This is where the user would enter their comments. - Then add a button to that screen with a set column action that overwrites the existing comments with the template column comments. At the same time set the datetime and email using the datetime and user email special values. ---
**Author:** ![josepm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8c91f0/32.png) [@josepm](https://community.glideapps.com/u/josepm)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2022, 11:01pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/adding-information-to-a-cell-without-erasing-the-data/39875/7 "2022-03-20T23:01:01Z")
> [@Robert\_Petitto](#): > > APPEND Exactly, that’s right,