Is there a way to display only the first record in an Airtable view?

Other Questions Airtable
1

I’m trying to figure out how to show just the top row in my Airtable view. Here’s what I’m working with:

Fruit  | Mass | Hue
Banana | 2    | Yellow
Orange | 3    | Orange
Grape  | 1    | Purple

I want a view that only shows the first row:

Banana | 2 | Yellow

The tricky part is I need this view to update when the table changes. Like if I add a new fruit or sort the table differently, the view should show the new top row.

For example, if I sort by Mass:

Orange | 3 | Orange

I’ve looked through the Airtable docs and forums but can’t find a way to do this. I tried using filters and formulas, but nothing seems to work for just the first row.

Has anyone figured out a way to make this happen? Or is it just not possible in Airtable? Any tips would be super helpful!

2

While Luna23’s formula approach is clever, there’s another method you might consider. Create a single-record view by setting up a filter with a unique identifier. For instance, if you have an auto-number field, filter for ‘{Auto-Number} = 1’. This ensures only one record displays, always the first. The view updates dynamically as your base changes. Remember, though, this method shows the first record based on your current sort order. If you need more flexibility, you could explore Airtable’s scripting options or integrations with tools like Zapier for more advanced filtering capabilities.

3

As someone who’s worked extensively with Airtable, I’ve encountered this challenge before. Here’s a workaround that might help:

Create a new field called ‘Row Number’ with this formula:
ARRAYFIND(RECORD_ID(), ARRAYUNIQUE(RECORD_ID()))

This assigns a unique number to each row based on its position. Then, set up a view with a filter where ‘Row Number = 1’.

This method dynamically updates as your table changes, always showing the top row regardless of sorting or new entries. It’s not perfect, but it’s the closest I’ve found to achieving what you’re after without resorting to external scripts or automations.

Keep in mind, this approach might slow down larger tables. If performance becomes an issue, you may need to explore more advanced solutions or reconsider your base structure.

4

hey Emma, i think u can use a formula field for this. Try making a new field with formula like:

IF(RECORD_ID() = FIRST(RECORD_ID()), TRUE, FALSE)

then filter ur view to only show records where that field is TRUE. it should update when table changes. hope this helps!