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Automatically fill relation fields with Zapier or Integromat?

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I use Zapier to automatically create new contacts in our Notion contacts database based on email submissions. It fills the name and email address, but can't fill the relation field. Any workarounds?

by toml12 (150 points)

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polle Points27320

You can't select custom fields from an external database using Zapier, because you are not filling anything as the other fields do with information, you are trying to select a custom item from an external database and that is not possible as it is impossible to know which one of the external, custom and random item it is needed.

Hopefully that makes sense.

If you explain the complete scenario, there may be a way to achieve it with a workaround.

by polle (27.3k points)
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polle commented

Hey @needsol221, that is because a natural field is a field and a relation is not. A relation is an external database with 1 or 5000 or 18000 records and from Zapier it is impossible to know, manage and guess which item to select from an external and not controlled source. Zapier is not connected to the external related database. Makes sense?

by polle (27.3k points)

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needsol221 commented

No, it is not impossible to know because you are just "searching" for exact match from one DB to another - if there is an exact match then select it, if there is not then throw an error. Zapier does this for MANY other platforms it connects with, just not Notion - so again, no, it is not improssible.

I am well aware of the difference between a 'natural' field and a relation field - but I also know Zapier has Search functionality for other integrations, just not Notion.

However, I am not even talking about reusing Zapier in my scenario as far as updating the already existing records in the Time Tracking DB - all of that is already in Notion; all I am looking to do (inside Notion) is to auto-select the relation field based on EXACT MATCH of the text field...

IF Client (Text) is NOT Empty
THEN search for the exact match in Client DB and select
Client (Relation) = Client (Text)

The Clients in Toggl will ALWAYS be identical to the Clients in Notion because I already send exact Client and Project names from Notion to Toggl - the issue is with it coming back into Notion because of Zapier's very limited field options for Notion. That is why there has to be some way of doing this within Notion (or a second third-party automation tool).

Remove Zapier from your thinking - I already know Zapier is useless for this scenario for Notion - what in Notion, or another third-party automation tool, could do the Search functionality for the auto-select?

by needsol221 (100 points)

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polle commented

Please open a new question.

by polle (27.3k points)

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needsol221 commented

Why would I open a new question - this is still the same topic of the title "Automatically Fill Relation Fields with Zapier or Integromat"..??

We know Zapier is out, but Integromat is still a third-party automation tool that is still in question as to how to do it.

by needsol221 (100 points)

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polle commented

Only the thread creator can mark the question as solved and as multiple questions can't be solved with a single answer, then it is better to create your own question to solve your own problem with your own needs.

by polle (27.3k points)

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