How to Use a Formula Field as a Dropdown Filter in an Airtable Interface

Want people to filter an Airtable Interface by a calculated value, such as a month, quarter, or category? Format the formula's output as single select options. Airtable can then use that formula field in an Interface dropdown filter.

A plain text formula will not appear as a dropdown option. The formula needs to return one of the predefined options you add to its field settings.

Format the Formula as Single Select Options

Use this example for a formula that returns month names from a date field:

DATETIME_FORMAT({Date}, 'MMM')

Then format the result as single select options:

  1. Open the base and find the formula field.
  2. Click the arrow next to the field name and select Edit field.
  3. Open the Formatting tab.
  4. Turn on Change formula output to single select options.
  5. Add every value the formula can return, such as Jan, Feb, and Mar through Dec.
  6. Choose what Airtable should do when the formula returns a value that is not in your list. You can select a fallback option, or leave it blank.
  7. Click Save.

Airtable formula output formatted as single select options and used in an Interface dropdown filter

The formula still calculates its value from the record. Airtable is only formatting that result like a single select field so other parts of Airtable, including Interface dropdowns, can use it.

Add the Formula to the Interface Filter

Open the Interface in edit mode and select the list, grid, gallery, or other visualization that shows the records. Add a dropdown filter, then select the formula field.

The values you added in the formula field settings will appear as the choices in the dropdown. Publish the Interface when you are ready for other users to see the change.

If the formula returns a value that does not exactly match one of the options, Airtable uses the fallback you selected. If you did not choose a fallback, that cell appears blank.

Which Fields Can Use Interface Dropdowns?

Interface dropdown filters support date, single select, multiple select, linked record, user, created by, and checkbox fields. Lookup, rollup, and formula fields can also be used when their output is formatted to match one of those field types.

For a formula that returns a fixed set of labels, single select output is usually the simplest option. If the formula returns a changing value, such as an unlimited number of years, use the original date or number field instead when that works for the way people need to filter.