# Compare or Refer to a previous record

**URL:** <https://forums.knack.com/t/compare-or-refer-to-a-previous-record/19425>\
**Category:** Get Answers\
**Created:** [June 6, 2025, 3:57pm UTC](https://forums.knack.com/t/compare-or-refer-to-a-previous-record/19425 "2025-06-06T15:57:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Steven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Steven](https://forums.knack.com/u/Steven)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 3:57pm UTC](https://forums.knack.com/t/compare-or-refer-to-a-previous-record/19425/1 "2025-06-06T15:57:52Z")

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Hello All,

I am building an app that will allow Administrators to track sick day occurrences of employees. Within the same Object, I need to be able to look back (compare, refer) to a field in the most recent work day record to see if that employee worked or was sick. The field I would look back to is a Yes/No field. Is this possible in KNACK?

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**Author:** ![RayWindlow47079](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forums.knack.com/raywindlow47079/32/4715_2.png) [@RayWindlow47079](https://forums.knack.com/u/RayWindlow47079)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2025, 2:26am UTC](https://forums.knack.com/t/compare-or-refer-to-a-previous-record/19425/2 "2025-06-08T02:26:21Z")

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Anything is possible but the fact you only want a recent occurence recorded probably means you will need to automate some process to clean out prior event recording.

I would think maybe it would be better to save the event to an external connected file using the employeeID and storing the date of the non-attendance triggered by indicating the person absence.

That would create a file of only the “no events” minimizing the number of entries over time, but eventually you would need to select all those that are “before a date and delete those records.”

I would then add some text formulas to the “event file” rather than the employee file so you can see name, id etc etc and then have a grid of non attendances which could be based on a sort of the date. So your only going to see those who did not attend on a given date you nominate.

You can then do a grid which can be filetered to show absent staff on a specific date.

Not sure if it address your needs fully but maybe give you some ideas to work with

I did something very quick (not the full multi file) to show what I am talking about)

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/knack/original/2X/a/adf5e1a52ac34cd1c82b421fc1cea903d961cd35.jpeg)