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References & Lookups

Published February 27, 2026 · Last updated March 5, 2026 · 3 min read

References connect records across sheets — like a hyperlink between rows. Instead of duplicating data, you point one record at another and let Obvious pull in what you need automatically.

Say you have a Tasks sheet and a Projects sheet. Rather than typing the project name into every task row, you link each task to its project. Change the project name once, and every linked task reflects it.

Set up a reference field

The quickest way: ask the agent.

Link each task to its project in the Projects sheet.

The agent creates a reference field, connects it to the right sheet, and configures the display. You can review and adjust from there.

To set one up manually:

  1. Click + Add Field in the column header bar.
  2. Select Reference from the field type list.
  3. Name the column — "Project," "Client," "Assigned Team," whatever describes the relationship.
  4. Under Source sheet, select the sheet you want to link to.
  5. Choose a Display as field — this is the value from the linked sheet that shows up in each cell. Pick something recognizable, like a name or title.
  6. Click Save. The reference column appears in your sheet.

To link a record, click a cell in the new column and select from the list of records in the linked sheet. The display value you configured appears in the cell.

Tip: Leave the Lookup field set to Internal ID (default) unless you have a specific field you want to match on, like an external ID or code. Internal ID handles the connection behind the scenes — you don't need to think about it.

Allow multiple references

Some records link to more than one thing, like a task belonging to multiple projects. When setting up a reference field, check Allow multiple references to allow each cell to hold multiple linked records.

Lookups: pull data from linked records

Once a reference field connects two sheets, lookups let you pull additional fields from the linked record without leaving the current sheet. A lookup reads through that connection to grab a specific value — like a due date or status — from the linked record, updating automatically if the source changes. Lookups appear as their own column type: Linked Records, created automatically with bidirectional references. They are read-through and reflect the linked record's current value.

Bidirectional references

By default, a reference is one-way. Your Tasks sheet points to the Projects sheet, but the Projects sheet doesn't know about it.

Turn on Bidirectional reference when setting up the field, and Obvious creates a matching Linked Records column in the target sheet. This allows the Projects sheet to show which tasks are linked to each project, without manual connection. You can configure the linked field name and the linked display field. Link a task to a project, and that project's row instantly shows the task; remove the link, and it disappears. The two sheets stay in sync.

When to use references vs. duplicating data

If you're typing the same value into multiple rows across sheets, that's a sign you need a reference instead. References keep a single source of truth, ensuring changes in one sheet automatically reflect everywhere that record is linked, preventing data drift.

Next steps

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