One of the most common challenges we come across is: “How do I let users submit multiple related items in a single form, while keeping my data structured and my automation flexible?”
Many real-world use cases like equipment requests, expense claims, orders and inspections don’t fit neatly into a single‑record model. They need one primary record with many related items.
Repeating Sections are now supported in forms linked directly to tables, unlocking powerful new design and automation patterns.
How is this enabled
Previously, Repeating Sections were only available in forms attached directly to workflows. This update expands that capability and gives builders more control over how and when automation runs.
- Repeating Sections can now be added to forms linked to a table
Design rich, relational data capture experiences without requiring the form itself to be workflow‑bound.
- Greater flexibility in workflow execution using table events
Trigger workflows as needed with greater flexibility e.g. on create, update, or specific changes.
This separation of data capture and automation gives teams more control, scalability, and governance.
This capability is made possible through the new Relationship data type recently added in Tables. Instead of storing repeating section data as unstructured content, each row is saved as a related record and linked to the main record.
The result is cleaner data, easier automation, and more flexibility when working with repeating section data across workflows and apps.
Key use case: Equipment Request with multiple items
Let’s look at a use case many teams deal with every day.
The challenge
An IT or operations team needs an Equipment Request form. A single request may include:
- A laptop
- A monitor
- A dock
- Accessories
Traditionally, teams solved this by:
- Asking users to submit multiple forms.
- Using free‑text fields to list items.
- Running workflows on every submission, even when not required.
- Cancel and resubmit new form if data errors occur.
This often led to poor user experience, messy data, and rigid automation.
The solution: Repeating Sections in a table‑linked form
With Repeating Sections now supported in table forms, you can model this scenario cleanly:
- The Equipment Request is stored as the main table record
- Each Equipment Item is stored as a related table record
- A Repeating Section captures multiple equipment items in a single form
- Each related record is linked to the main table record through the Relationship column.
- Table events determine when workflows should run
- Fix form errors by editing your submission, without restarting the workflow.
Users simply add rows as needed - each row representing one equipment item.
Watch this video or refer to this help page to get started.
What the form looks like to users
Inside the Repeating Section, each row captures structured data such as:
- Item name
- Item number
- Quantity
- Cost
From the user’s perspective, it feels like filling out a simple form.
What happens behind the scenes
When the form is submitted:
- One Equipment Request record is created or updated
- A related Equipment Item record is created for each row in the Repeating Section
- Each item is automatically linked back to the request using the Relationship column
Workflows can then be triggered via table events, for example:
- Only when a request is approved
- Only when items are added or updated
- Only when specific conditions are met
This avoids unnecessary workflow executions and supports more scalable automation.
Why this matters to builders and admins
This release unlocks important benefits:
- Cleaner data models with true relational data
- Improved user experience - One form, one submission, multiple related records.
- More flexible automation - Decouple form submission from workflow execution using table events.
- Better governance and scalability - Standardized data capture with controlled automation triggers.
When to use Repeating Sections in table forms
Use this pattern when:
- One record needs to store many related items
- Each item requires its own fields and lifecycle
- Automation should run selectively, not automatically on every submission
If you’ve ever thought “I need a table of items, not multiple forms” - this release is for you.
Over to the community
We’re already seeing Repeating Sections in table forms used for:
- Equipment and asset requests
- Expense and invoice line items
- Purchase orders
- Inspections and audits
- Attendance and participant tracking
What will you build with it?
Share your scenarios, tips, or feedback with the community. We’d love to learn from you.