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Single value and multiple values describe whether a cell stores one value or a group of values. After you understand this concept, it is easier to see why links, lookups, rollups, and formulas may return multiple results.

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Basic Concepts

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Default Single and Multiple Value States

Here, “default state” means the field’s common state on its own. Optional means you can decide whether the field is single-value or multiple-value through field settings. Dynamic means the result depends on formula logic, rollup functions, and whether referenced fields are multiple-value fields. After a value passes through a link, lookup, rollup, or formula reference, its state may change.
  • Link fields: If a link field is multiple-value, fields referenced through that link may also become multiple-value. For example, if one task can be assigned to several employees, looking up employee phone numbers through that link may return several phone numbers.
  • Formulas and rollups: Formulas and rollups are often single-value, but they may become multiple-value when they reference multiple-value fields.

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Example

Suppose you manage a company in Teable with two tables: Employee Information and Project Tasks. Employee Information table Project Tasks table In this example:
  • The “Tasks” field in the Employee Information table is multiple-value because one employee can be responsible for several tasks.
  • The “Assignee” field in the Project Tasks table is single-value because each task has one assignee.
When you create a new task in the “Project Tasks” table and assign it to an employee, that employee’s “Tasks” field in the “Employee Information” table updates to include all assigned tasks.

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Number Mini Charts

Number fields sometimes display multiple lines or bars instead of one number. This usually means the field has become multiple-value, often through a link, lookup, rollup, or formula reference.
Last modified on May 26, 2026