Copy a Computed Column into a Basic column automatically

Feature Requests
1

Since GBT can’t handle Computed Columns, can Glide create a Basic column that is a copy of computed column? One that automatically writes the value of the Computed Column to a Basic text column?

Call it a Sync Basic type that takes a computed column as its input and writes the value to a Basic Column.

This solves 99% of the reason why devlopers don’t/can’t use GBT. Frankly, there are probably less than a dozen computed columns in even the most complex tables that would need this feature - but they REALLY need it to make the App work when migrating to GBT.

In my case I use working tables when creating new objects (for the most part) and can write to Basic columns instead of computed columns in the new object (the computed column is in the working table).

But when importing data I have to transform the ‘compute column’ outside of Glide into a Basic column so the App works.

Better would be a Column type (Basic) that automatically copies a computed column result into a Basic column type. Instead of copy/paste transformation.

2

There has been talk about something like this, but I don’t know if it’s actually on the roadmap. I hope so :slight_smile:

For now, my go to solution when I discover I need to move a computed column to a non-computed column is as follows:

  • Export as CSV
  • Import into a Google Sheet
  • Insert the column I need and populate it (usually with an arrayformula)
  • Export as CSV
  • Import back into Glide

It’s a bit fiddly, but it gets the job done.

3

My process is I need to seed a lot of data sets then import them into Glide. I am now reproducing (via lookups and other formulas) Glide formulas in Excel so I can export/import them into Glide.

These two tables, unfortunately, are used literally everywhere. These tables have about 100 columns each and so far 5 computed columns drive a LOT of other tables. Thanks for the confirmation that this is a goto solution.

Most objects I create I use computed columns so I can move compute columns into the working table and copy the result into a Basic column as I add new objects.

Also, these two tables started as Google sheets so the pain is triple since I had to migrate them GBT then re-wire all the other computed columns THEN re-wire all the screens.

This is the last phase :crossed_fingers:…to a “scale out” Glide App.

4

You could use my https://real-time-workflow.mbci.space/ input update AI Component to execute a set column value action when the value in the computed column changes.