# New feature: set default value for a single select field

**URL:** <https://air.tableforums.com/t/new-feature-set-default-value-for-a-single-select-field/418>\
**Category:** News & Announcements\
**Created:** [March 17, 2023, 10:05am UTC](https://air.tableforums.com/t/new-feature-set-default-value-for-a-single-select-field/418 "2023-03-17T10:05:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Databaser](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/air.tableforums.com/databaser/32/11_2.png) [@Databaser](https://air.tableforums.com/u/Databaser)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2023, 10:05am UTC](https://air.tableforums.com/t/new-feature-set-default-value-for-a-single-select-field/418/1 "2023-03-17T10:05:59Z")

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> **[Airtable on LinkedIn: ✨ New feature alert ✨ 

You can now set a default value...](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/airtable_new-feature-alert-you-can-now-set-a-activity-7042271316439162880-w71n?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android)**
>
> ✨ New feature alert ✨ 
> 
> You can now set a default value for any single-select column. For example, all new Tasks could start with the status To do. This… | 21 comments on LinkedIn

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**Author:** ![Karlstens](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/air.tableforums.com/karlstens/32/929_2.png) [@Karlstens](https://air.tableforums.com/u/Karlstens)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2023, 10:38am UTC](https://air.tableforums.com/t/new-feature-set-default-value-for-a-single-select-field/418/2 "2023-03-17T10:38:29Z")

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I was hoping that default values would be added to Grid Views and Form Views - I’m still trying to think of how I may leverage a Single Select default value that’s set at the field config. Keen to see how people may be using this new feature.

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**Author:** ![ScottWorld](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/air.tableforums.com/scottworld/32/5_2.png) [@ScottWorld](https://air.tableforums.com/u/ScottWorld)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2023, 1:08pm UTC](https://air.tableforums.com/t/new-feature-set-default-value-for-a-single-select-field/418/3 "2023-03-17T13:08:54Z")

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Thanks for being our news anchor, @Databaser ! 🕶 🙌

In an interesting decision, this works as an automatic pre-fill on forms, without needing to use a prefill URL.

> [@Karlstens](#):
>
> I was hoping that default values would be added to Grid Views and Form Views

Yeah, all of Airtable’s default values throughout the entire product are just static values that are set at the field value.

However, as far as I know, I don’t believe they work through the API or through automations, but I could be wrong about this. I think they only work when a human is involved.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Databaser](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/air.tableforums.com/databaser/32/11_2.png) [@Databaser](https://air.tableforums.com/u/Databaser)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2023, 5:34pm UTC](https://air.tableforums.com/t/new-feature-set-default-value-for-a-single-select-field/418/4 "2023-03-17T17:34:39Z")

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> [@Karlstens](#):
>
> . Keen to see how people may be using this new feature.

- set tasks as to do
- set year to 2023 for invoicing
- set location for events  
…

Seems like a simplified version of the “template” feature.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Karlstens](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/air.tableforums.com/karlstens/32/929_2.png) [@Karlstens](https://air.tableforums.com/u/Karlstens)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2023, 8:34pm UTC](https://air.tableforums.com/t/new-feature-set-default-value-for-a-single-select-field/418/5 "2023-03-17T20:34:26Z")

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Testing it further, it looks like a Grid Views grouping still acts as the active default for newly created records within a Group - but outside the group, the default Single Select is used.

I suspect some users don’t know about the Grid View Grouped “+” button below each group acts as a mechanism to add default values to newly created records within that group. It’s very useful.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Databaser](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/air.tableforums.com/databaser/32/11_2.png) [@Databaser](https://air.tableforums.com/u/Databaser)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2023, 9:40am UTC](https://air.tableforums.com/t/new-feature-set-default-value-for-a-single-select-field/418/6 "2023-03-18T09:40:18Z")

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> [@Karlstens](#):
>
> I suspect some users don’t know about the Grid View Grouped “+” button below each group acts as a mechanism to add default values to newly created records within that group. It’s very useful.

Yes. Except if you have mulitple fields you want you want to fill in via default. You can only group so much 🙃