Append vs Replace

[roattw]

Have a table used for a dropdown box.  I want to reorder the list and add one new entry.  Wanted to verify twso things:

1. Append it or Replace?

2.  Whichever method chosen, want to be sure the exisitng table data entered using the old dropdown list does not get changed/deleted from current table, correct?  That the new table will be seen in dropdown list from now on, but old choices fed to table unaffected.

[Ilyrian]

Hi @roattw
 

• Replace: Overwrites the data of an existing table and load the new data into it. Any new fields are added to the table design.
• Append: Adds the new data to an existing table. Any fields that don’t exist in the current table design will be added.

So, basically, when you use Replace it will overwrite all data, and if the data in the new file that you are trying to import is different from what you have in the table, it will overwrite all.

When using append, it will keep your current data in the table, it will only add the new records that you have in the file.

[Queso]

Hi! It seems better if you export the table used for dropdown and do the re-ordering of the list/adding more entries via excel. Then, import it back to the table using Replace action. This is because it is faster to do the re-ordering/adding more entries there, and you have also created a backup of your old list dropdown table.

[roattw]

Thanks.

And data that is already in the table from the old dropbox values is not affected.  For example, if I delete a dropbox entry from the dropdown list table, then import the new table back in with new order and new entries, it doesntr remove data from the table where the records are stored.  Like if I used to have a drop down ITEM A, and remove that dropdown choice, it doesnt remove all instancs of the old ITEM A from tables that used it?

[roattw]

On 3/24/2023 at 3:59 AM, Ilyrian said:

Hi @roattw
 

• Replace: Overwrites the data of an existing table and load the new data into it. Any new fields are added to the table design.
• Append: Adds the new data to an existing table. Any fields that don’t exist in the current table design will be added.

When using append, it will keep your current data in the table, it will only add the new records that you have in the file.

Append "will only add the new records"

Does that mean an entire new entry/record/row?  What If I am only adding data for empty fields in a record?  Will append only add entire new records or fill in blanks in all records?

[kpcollier]

@roattw APPEND will add new records/rows to the table. If you are trying to fill blank columns for existing records, you'd use UPDATE.

REPLACE will replace your existing data with the imported data.

[Tubby]

Same with what @kpcollier said, if you're planning to basically "update" an already existing record's column with data, I'd go for UPDATE. Just a reminder tho, your import file needs to have the same Unique field that you have on your table in order for you to use UPDATE and for the system to know which record do you update with which value. Otherwise, it will just append those columns as new rows I believe.

[Kronos]

Just to add, they also have included some tips in one of their articles:

Import Actions

[NiceDuck]

Personally, I would rather use an application Task to process this. I would import the file as a new table and use an application task to add whatnots on the actual table. It sounds like a lot more work but it allows me to control what to do and what to skip on adding records to the table.