> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://filla.io/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Editing existing records

> Allow respondents to edit linked records through an embedded child form.

## What this lets you do

When **Enable editing** is turned on for a linked record field, respondents can click on a linked record and open a child form to edit it. Changes are saved to Airtable immediately.

This means a single form submission can both update the primary record and update one or more linked records at the same time.

## Setting up editing for linked records

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the linked record field settings">
    Click the linked record field in the canvas to open its settings panel.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enable editing">
    Toggle **Enable editing** on in the **Edit linked records** section.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the child form editor">
    Click **Form to open for editing** to open a form editor scoped to the linked table.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add the fields you want editable">
    Drag fields onto the child form. Mark fields as required, add validation, or set them as read-only as needed.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## How respondents use the edit flow

1. The respondent searches and selects one or more records in the linked record picker
2. An edit icon appears next to each selected record
3. The respondent clicks the edit icon to open a nearly fullscreen child form modal with that record's data pre-loaded
4. They make changes and submit the child form
5. The linked record in Airtable is updated immediately
6. The modal closes and the respondent continues with the main form

The child form modal inherits the parent form's theme, so colors, fonts, and button styles stay consistent.

## Combining create and edit

You can enable both **Enable creating** and **Enable editing** on the same linked record field. Respondents can:

* Search and select existing records
* Edit any selected record
* Create new records through the create child form

The create and edit child forms are configured separately. They can be identical or completely different.

## Read-only linked record fields

If the linked record field is read-only (via the static toggle or conditional read-only), the edit action is suppressed even when **Enable editing** is on. Clicking a linked record will not open the edit child form. Because of this, the **Enable editing** and **Form to open for editing** settings are disabled in the field settings panel while the field is read-only, with an inline note explaining why.

## Common questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Are edits to linked records saved even if the main form isn't submitted?">
    Yes. Edits made through a child form are saved to Airtable immediately when the child form is submitted, regardless of what happens with the main form.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can a respondent edit the same linked record more than once during a session?">
    Yes. The respondent can open the edit child form multiple times for the same linked record.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does the edit form trigger automations from the linked record's form?">
    No. Child forms within a linked record field do not fire automations. They are a direct write to Airtable without automation execution.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I limit which fields respondents can edit?">
    Yes. Only add the fields you want editable to the child form. Fields not on the child form cannot be changed by the respondent.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>