The Simple Way to Reference Data Across Tables in Airtable

You have a table of companies, and each record includes a company name and its NAF code.

Then there’s another table that lists all NAF codes along with their plain language meanings. For example, the code 8542Z corresponds to Higher education.

Now you want each company record to automatically display what its NAF code means, without having to copy and paste the description from the other table.

In Excel, you’d use an XLOOKUP on the NAF code field to pull that description. So how can you achieve the same thing in Airtable?

How to do it in Airtable

Airtable does not use XLOOKUP. Instead, create a relationship between tables using a Linked record field and pull the related value with a Lookup field. Here’s how to set it up.

Step 1: Link the Company Table to the NAF Codes Table

Open the company table and make sure the NAF code field is a Linked record pointing to the NAF Codes table.

If it’s still a text field, convert it to a linked record. Airtable will automatically match any existing codes that appear in the NAF Codes table.

Once linked, each company record now references the correct NAF code from the NAF Codes table instead of storing the code as plain text.

Step 2: Pull the Description with a Lookup Field

Next, in the company table, add a new field and choose Lookup as the field type. Point it at the linked NAF code table and select the Description field from the NAF Codes table.

Airtable will instantly display the matching description next to each company record. When a NAF code changes or its description is updated in the NAF Codes table, the company table automatically updates too.

The NAF Codes table stays as the single source of truth, and the company table always shows the correct description without manual updates.