# Common Dataset after base export/import

**URL:** <https://forum.seatable.com/t/common-dataset-after-base-export-import/1956>\
**Category:** Common dataset\
**Created:** [January 11, 2023, 3:56pm UTC](https://forum.seatable.com/t/common-dataset-after-base-export-import/1956 "2023-01-11T15:56:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Foxington](https://forum.seatable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@Foxington](https://forum.seatable.com/u/Foxington)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 3:56pm UTC](https://forum.seatable.com/t/common-dataset-after-base-export-import/1956/1 "2023-01-11T15:56:47Z")

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My institute uses a self-hosted SeaTable and provides Common Datasets of some central lists and information that we are using in our tables.

We want to regularly back-up our bases locally, but when we re-import the locally stored files, the common datasets are obviously unlinked and act as a normal table.  
Re-adding the common dataset and re-creating all the link-columns is possible, but very tedious as our datasets are comparatively complex and integrated into some scripts which makes this also rather error prone.

My question: Is there a way after import to re-link the table to the common dataset or if not, is there another back-up strategy that retains the link?

Thank you very much in advance!

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**Author:** ![daniel.pan](https://forum.seatable.com/user_avatar/forum.seatable.com/daniel.pan/32/13_2.png) [@daniel.pan](https://forum.seatable.com/u/daniel.pan)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 3:45am UTC](https://forum.seatable.com/t/common-dataset-after-base-export-import/1956/2 "2023-01-12T03:45:38Z")

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> [@Foxington](#):
>
> My question: Is there a way after import to re-link the table to the common dataset or if not, is there another back-up strategy that retains the link?

There is no such way at this moment.

I understand you need to regularly back-up the bases. But why do you need to regularly re-import the backed-up bases?

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**Author:** ![Foxington](https://forum.seatable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@Foxington](https://forum.seatable.com/u/Foxington)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 7:34am UTC](https://forum.seatable.com/t/common-dataset-after-base-export-import/1956/3 "2023-01-12T07:34:23Z")

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Thank you for your quick answer.

You are right in that I do not need to regularly re-import them. We just want a solid strategy to re-import them in case it is necessary because otherwise, the back-ups are not really helpful. But I guess in that case we just have to manually convert all the links back to the common dataset, which I guess I could also do via a script.

Thank you.

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**Author:** ![system](https://forum.seatable.com/uploads/default/original/1X/04603423fe81a46c321283663086c475429e8ccb.png) [@system](https://forum.seatable.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 7:34am UTC](https://forum.seatable.com/t/common-dataset-after-base-export-import/1956/4 "2023-01-14T07:34:43Z")

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