[DONE] Ability to Access Current Entity in Non-Automation Formula

Ideas & Features
1

As I understand it currently, while it is possible to access the current entity fields when using a filter in an automation formula — i.e., a formula constructed for use in an action button or rule, where the current entity is referred to as the “Step 1” entity — there is no such ability to do this when constructing a non-automation formula.

Is there a reason why this is so? Is there a way that such functionality can be added for use in a non-automation formula?

(NOTE: I wish to use such functionality so as to create a lookup (via formula) to return a single entity rather than by having to link that entity via a relation.)

To the extent that such functionality is not currently possible, I suggest this as a new feature.

Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated. Thank you!

2

Can you provide a concrete example of what you want to do. It might be possible.

3

It sounds like you are describing the ordinary function of a Formula field, which can access the current entity’s fields, and return any of them.

Perhaps I don’t understand correctly?

4

I think the need is for being able to use ‘this’ entity in a filter, e.g if a Project has Meetings (many-to-many), and you want a formula for only those Meetings where the due date is later than one week after the Project start date.
The formula field in the Project should be something like

Meetings.Filter([Due date] > this.[Start date] + Days(7))

where ‘this’ refers to the Project itself
It’s not currently possible.

But sometimes there are workarounds, which is why I was curious for the concrete use case.

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5

Is this is what we do with formulas like:

[Some Collection].Filter( <some criteria> ).Sort( [Creation Date] ).First()

6

:balloon: Now we have [This ...] within the Filter(...) function of non-automation Formulas:

Meetings.Filter([Due date] > [This Project].[Start date] + Days(7))
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