Issue
Entity Type A can have a parent link of type Entity Type A, Type B, or Type C. Parent link is not required. User would like a metadata field on new entity Type A to autofill from a metadata field on the parent link (all 3 types have this metadata field). Most Type A entities have a parent link, but if there is no parent link, the user would like to be able to fill in this field manually.
The user does not currently have access to schema fieldsets.
Environment
Production
Cause
Benchling currently lacks built-in "if-then" logic for schema fields. Automatic population of values conditional on the availability of a source will require a workaround.
Resolution steps
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Workaround Solution:
- Lookup Columns: In the notebook entry, add lookup columns to the Entity Type 1 Table to pull the metadata field from each parent source. There must be one lookup column for each parent source.
- Spreadsheet Function: Use a spreadsheet function (concatenate([column1, column2...])) in the metadata column to auto-populate the data from the lookup columns.
- Manual Entry for First Iteration: Allow manual entry for first iteration items by clearing the spreadsheet function from the cell and entering the desired value.
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Implementation:
- Sub-template Creation: Create a sub-template of Entity Type 1 Registration Table with the lookup columns and spreadsheet function pre-included to streamline the registration process for end-users.