Link, Lookup & Rollup
Relational columns let you connect data across multiple tables, like a lightweight relational database.
Link Column
Creates a relationship between two tables.
Relationship types
| Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| One-to-One | Each record in Table A links to exactly one in Table B | Employee → Laptop |
| One-to-Many | One record in A links to many in B | Company → Employees |
| Many-to-One | Many records in A link to one in B | Employees → Department |
| Many-to-Many | Records in both tables can link to multiple in the other | Students ↔ Courses |
Setting up
- Add a Link column
- Select the target table
- Choose the relationship type
- Records show a link picker; click to search and select linked records
Lookup Column
Pulls values from linked records into the current table.
How it works
- You have a Link column connecting to another table
- Add a Lookup column
- Select the Link column as the source
- Select which field from the linked table to display
- The value auto-populates from the linked record
Example
| Contact | Company (Link) | Company Size (Lookup) |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Doe | Acme Corp → | 250 employees |
| John Smith | Globex → | 50 employees |
"Company Size" is a Lookup that pulls the "Size" field from the linked Company record.
Rollup Column
Aggregates values from multiple linked records.
How it works
- You have a One-to-Many or Many-to-Many Link column
- Add a Rollup column
- Select the Link column
- Select which field to aggregate
- Choose the aggregation function
Functions
| Function | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Count | Number of linked records | Company has 5 contacts |
| Sum | Total of numeric field | Total revenue from all deals |
| Average | Mean of numeric field | Average deal size |
| Min | Lowest value | Earliest start date |
| Max | Highest value | Largest deal |
Example
| Company | Deals (Link) | Total Revenue (Rollup: Sum) | Avg Deal (Rollup: Avg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acme Corp | 3 deals → | $45,000 | $15,000 |
| Globex | 1 deal → | $8,000 | $8,000 |
Tip
Use Link + Lookup + Rollup to build a CRM: Companies table linked to Contacts table linked to Deals table. Rollup total deal value on the Company record for pipeline visibility.
Note
Formulas in TinyTables currently support 4 functions (concatenate, lower, upper, average). For complex calculations, use Rollup columns or TinyWorkflows with database nodes.