I’m trying to figure out the best way to cluster 200+ fields in a single entity. Much of my data makes sense to enter [and inspect] horizontally in spreadsheet-like fashion. I suppose I could create many different table views of the database, showing/hiding certain fields depending, all consolidated into a single document…but then how would I configure the filtering to dynamically isolate whatever record-in-focus doc-wide?
So far the only solution I’ve come up with is to create many-to-many auto-linked self-relations to enable/render childlike subtables in the parent entity view. BUT I don’t like the many-to-many hack, since technically they should be one-to-one. Does that make sense? Is there a better way? How would you cluster many large groups of fields for a single entity?
*Note that SmartSuite handles this via Record Sections, though I still prefer spreadsheet-style inputs. And that’s why Fibery’s Multiple Entity Views doesn’t fully solve my problem either. Any other creative ideas with Documents or Whiteboards? Thank you!
What does this mean exactly?
Are you looking to view/edit multiple fields for a single entity, or for multiple entities simultaneously?
Do you have any implementation examples from other tools that you particularly like?
I want to view/edit multiple fields for a single entity at a time. But I still prefer a [single row] Table interface for some data entry (i.e., “spreadsheet style”). See my quick mockup below. And now imagine 200+ fields. It’s more than an information density problem with Fibery’s 2-column-max Entity View. There’s a contextual grouping desire too (in “sections” or “clusters” of fields).
I tried using Multiple Entity View tabs as my Sections, but then everything felt too buried/hidden. So I thought, wait, I know I can show related databases as subtables, so what if I just self-relate & auto-link… and it kinda works, but only as many-to-many, since one-to-one relations don’t offer a single-row Table view for some reason(?).
Anyway, I’m trying to use Fibery as intended, and not funkify my schema to hack my way around , hence my question: Is there an ideal/recommended way to view & edit 200+ fields while maintaining context?
*P.S. I’m willing to abandon the default Entity View if you propose some clever workaround with filtered Table Views instead(?). I’m wide open to novel ideas/suggestions… Thanks again!
I think using an auto-linking self-relation (m:m) and making use of multiple table views for that relation is actually possibly the least worst option available to you.
You could do something similar by having the tables as context views within a smart folder, but it’s basically the same principle.