---
title: "Change formula fields"
slug: "changing-formula-fields"
updated: 2026-09-11T14:39:40Z
published: 2026-09-11T14:39:40Z
canonical: "help.quickbase.com/changing-formula-fields"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.quickbase.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Change formula fields

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> This article pertains to new Quickbase updates that enable enhanced security. For more information about these features, see [POST Temporary Token](/v1/docs/post-temporary-token-from-a-quickbase-field).

In this article, we discuss changing your formula fields in your Quickbase apps to meet the upcoming security changes and help keep your data secure.

If you have questions or need help changing any of these fields to be compliant with our new security measures, [submit a technical support case](https://help.quickbase.com/docs/get-help-from-quickbase-technical-support).

## Formula types and uses

### Field type: Formula URL

Formula URL fields will have a **Checkbox** in the **Field's Settings** called **POST Temporary Token**—this needs to be checked on to be compliant with our new security standards. This checkbox is in the **Display** section of the field settings, right below the **Open Target** options, as shown here:

![POST Temporary Token checkbox in the Display section of Formula URL field settings](https://cdn.document360.io/dd260e4e-10bb-4b66-8fb3-5504c272b904/Images/Documentation/82c521f7b9-image_169_.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-04T02%3A54%3A35Z&se=2026-11-04T03%3A54%3A35Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=ag7DhQQCgn9dxJkdtVpVIWYpn29GPIrdpFG2WXlOKZM%3D)

### Field type: Formula Rich-Text

Formula Rich-Text fields will be a bit more complicated—if you're unsure about your changes, we recommend either [submitting a technical support case](https://help.quickbase.com/docs/get-help-from-quickbase-technical-support) for assistance or duplicating the field to test the changes.

In the formula, typically near the bottom, there is a section within the *<a>* tag for the CSS classes—this may contain things like `Vibrant`, `Success`, `Danger`, `OpenAsPopup`. The following image shows this. Add `POSTTempToken` to this list of classes.

After that, you then need to add the attribute `data-tempTokenDBID` and set it equal to the DBID of the table shown here. We also share a code snippet so you can copy and paste it into your formula.

![Table DBID location for the data-tempTokenDBID attribute](https://cdn.document360.io/dd260e4e-10bb-4b66-8fb3-5504c272b904/Images/Documentation/ee9ad0a67f-image_170_.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-04T02%3A54%3A35Z&se=2026-11-04T03%3A54%3A35Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=ag7DhQQCgn9dxJkdtVpVIWYpn29GPIrdpFG2WXlOKZM%3D)

*POSTTempToken*

*data-tempTokenDBID='" & Dbid() & "'*

### Use case: Quickbase redirect to extension

Some of our users have their formula buttons execute Quickbase API calls before running our extensions. If this is the case, you need to reorganize your formula to comply with the new security standards.

> [!WARNING]
> Important
> 
> If your API call goes to a separate table, this guide doesn't work for you—see [Security edge cases](/quickbase-extensions/docs/security-edge-cases#:~:text=Formula API Redirects to Different Table(s)) instead.

First, let's identify the parts of your formula. Here's a screenshot depicting a Quickbase Edit Record API call that redirects to our extension:

![Screenshot showing the Quickbase Edit Record API call redirecting to the extension](https://cdn.document360.io/dd260e4e-10bb-4b66-8fb3-5504c272b904/Images/Documentation/2233ccefee-image_171_.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-04T02%3A54%3A35Z&se=2026-11-04T03%3A54%3A35Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=ag7DhQQCgn9dxJkdtVpVIWYpn29GPIrdpFG2WXlOKZM%3D)

The outlined portion is the API call. Copy (cut) this API call portion, remove the `rdr=` line, and put it into a new parameter for the extension named `preqbaction` with `Base64Encode`, as shown here:

![New preqbaction parameter with Base64Encode added to the extension URL](https://cdn.document360.io/dd260e4e-10bb-4b66-8fb3-5504c272b904/Images/Documentation/0fbce0413e-image_172_.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-04T02%3A54%3A35Z&se=2026-11-04T03%3A54%3A35Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=ag7DhQQCgn9dxJkdtVpVIWYpn29GPIrdpFG2WXlOKZM%3D)

*& "&preqbaction=" & Base64Encode( {API call here} )*

This effectively tells our extension to run this Quickbase API call before executing the extension. We use the currently logged-in user's permissions to execute this call, just like it worked before the security update. You also need to make the other necessary changes based on the type of formula field, as noted earlier (Formula URL vs. Formula Rich-Text).

API calls such as `GenAddRecord` and `GenEditRecord` that open a page and then redirect don't work with `preqbaction`. If the API call goes to a different `dbid` than the table you're running it from, the API call fails. These redirects can't be upgraded.

If you have questions or need help changing any of these fields to be compliant with our new security measures, [submit a technical support case](https://help.quickbase.com/docs/get-help-from-quickbase-technical-support).