The answer is sort of yes but also no. If you have an App with Reference Data that is shared to multiple departments, that data will be available to the users in all of those departments when they're filling out the App.
But, just like the App itself, that data lives in the original department. It won't show up on the Reference Data & Images screen in those additional departments.
If you need the same App to have different Reference Data (but the same fields), you'd need to share the App to the second department and then make a copy of it. Then that second department owns that App, and you can upload new Reference Data.
In the reverse, if you have Reference Data from an App, but that App doesn't need to exist in the second department, but you want the data for a different app, you'd need to upload it into the second department.
That's probably more of an answer than you were looking for, but I hope it makes sense.
That makes sense. So... if i make a copy of the app in the second department, do i need to update the data in both department if my data changes? Or if i update the original department data does it copy over to the second department?
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Sara Kaplow, Community Manager
If you copy over the App, it will make a copy of the Reference Data file. That file is basically a completely new, separate file (it even changes the name to differentiate, it looks like it adds _1). So you'd have to update both in that case. But, you'd only need to make the copy if you want to have that data be separate. If it's okay for them to keep sharing the data, you can rely on the sharing mechanism instead.
Adding to this instead of creating new... I would like to be able to have reference data shared between departments so for common reference data we only have to update in 1 location. Having to copy the same reference data to multiple places or keep all apps in one department is problematic.
I know this is a 5 year old thread - but wanted to re-up this request. Being able to share reference data between departments would be super beneficial. While you can use an app to mirror the reference data, you can't then reference that data when building another app. If I wanted a master list of site information for example that I wanted to update just once in one department, I wouldn't then be able to use that master list to build out apps within other departments too. Copying reference data when we have 50ish departments means I have to update it way too many times, so sharing it is a significant ease of life improvement!
Thank you for your continued support in this feature! I can definitely see how that would be time-consuming. As of right now, the functionality is the same as what Sara mentioned above. If you haven't already please be sure to upvote this post as our Dev team uses upvotes to help get initiatives on the roadmap.
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Such a good question, Ashley.
The answer is sort of yes but also no. If you have an App with Reference Data that is shared to multiple departments, that data will be available to the users in all of those departments when they're filling out the App.
But, just like the App itself, that data lives in the original department. It won't show up on the Reference Data & Images screen in those additional departments.
If you need the same App to have different Reference Data (but the same fields), you'd need to share the App to the second department and then make a copy of it. Then that second department owns that App, and you can upload new Reference Data.
In the reverse, if you have Reference Data from an App, but that App doesn't need to exist in the second department, but you want the data for a different app, you'd need to upload it into the second department.
That's probably more of an answer than you were looking for, but I hope it makes sense.
That makes sense. So... if i make a copy of the app in the second department, do i need to update the data in both department if my data changes? Or if i update the original department data does it copy over to the second department?
If you copy over the App, it will make a copy of the Reference Data file. That file is basically a completely new, separate file (it even changes the name to differentiate, it looks like it adds _1). So you'd have to update both in that case. But, you'd only need to make the copy if you want to have that data be separate. If it's okay for them to keep sharing the data, you can rely on the sharing mechanism instead.
Adding to this instead of creating new... I would like to be able to have reference data shared between departments so for common reference data we only have to update in 1 location. Having to copy the same reference data to multiple places or keep all apps in one department is problematic.
I know this is a 5 year old thread - but wanted to re-up this request. Being able to share reference data between departments would be super beneficial. While you can use an app to mirror the reference data, you can't then reference that data when building another app. If I wanted a master list of site information for example that I wanted to update just once in one department, I wouldn't then be able to use that master list to build out apps within other departments too.
Copying reference data when we have 50ish departments means I have to update it way too many times, so sharing it is a significant ease of life improvement!
Hi Derall,
Thank you for your continued support in this feature! I can definitely see how that would be time-consuming. As of right now, the functionality is the same as what Sara mentioned above. If you haven't already please be sure to upvote this post as our Dev team uses upvotes to help get initiatives on the roadmap.
Thanks,
Hazel Kral
Sr. Customer Engagement Manager