Is there a power-up that can integrate a parts list and add multiple parts from a larger database?

Question

I'm using Trello to help organize electrical device repairs. It would be great it I could enter in a parts list for each device I'm repairing, and be able to select multiple parts and have them listed.  Right now I'm referenced three different systems to look-up the part numbers, and then the prices. Ideally I'd like to integrate that all into a card, so I can pull up the device. See the list of available parts, and toggle the ones used and have them appear on the card. In a perfect world it would also provide a rough total of attached prices, but one thing at a time. I haven't been able to find anything like that so far.

If I used the custom fields drop-down, I can only select one option, so if I use multiple parts I'd have to use multiple drop-downs which is cluttered. Or if I used a checklist, then the checklist would have the ENTIRE parts list visible in the card, and also clutter things.

Any ideas appreciated.

Thanks.

milynnus · Answer

@Grant Anderson  learned this today.

https://help.trello.com/article/1203-issuing-http-requests-with-butler

looks like with a clever set of Butler rules or processed it at the endpoint, it can help fetch the data from external scopes and create stuff in your cards. Tested with a POST request and just takes minutes to set it up.

The backend data can be google sheet, airtables, SQL....for GET Request.

Vongsawat · Answer

So here are two ways I thought of off the top of my head. Both rely on Butler, so how useful they are to you will depend on how many times you'll add an item vs the Butler Quota.

Solution 1: Have a Custom Field drop-down called NewParts with all the parts.

Then have a Butler Rule where: when the custom field NewParts is set in a card without the label "Butlering". Add the label "Butlering", add a checklist item {{%NewParts}} to checklist "UsedPartsList", set NewParts to "None", remove label "Butlering"

This way the custom field is more like an Add Checklist Item functionality than anything. You could have more than one custom field for different types of Parts to reduce the clutter that is one suuuuper long drop-down list.

Or,

Solution 2: Have a board specifically for parts called say PartsBoard. One card per part. Add all information like price or instructions in the description or custom fields etc. And title your cards in this format [partsnumber]: [partname], and regard the ":" as a special character (or replace it with something else) be careful that the format matches exactly with the search format below, including any uses of spaces at the end.

Then have a Butler Rule where: when a checklist item is added to checklist UsedPartsList, lookup a card titled {checklistitemname}:{*} on board PartsBoard, remove item {checklistitem} from checklist "UsedPartsList", add item {foundcardlink} to checklist "UsedPartsList"

This way, adding a new item to a checklist is akin to a search function (exact match for the parts number only) that will remove the item and replace it with a link to the card with all the information (extra step because you can't rename a checklist item boo) The Board with all the parts is easy to navigate, searchable, holds all the information you want it to, and is maintainable. You could even add the price to the end of the card name, so they'd show up in the checklist for manual adding.

milynnus · Answer

@Grant Anderson  Reading your post a bit, more is the key requirement be met if you can have  to available parts checklist by device, check off those you want, have Trello built new part cards in another list perhaps put in some content specific to the required part like the price, or instruction checklist, re-instate the original available parts list for next repair.... all data from some backend database or tables?