How to Change a Field from Choice to Lookup Without Data Loss (or Custom Coding)
Applies To Version(s): 3, 3.5, 3.7
Example: Change the relationships list field “Relationship” from a choice to lookup.
To do this work you need to be Internet Explorer and have administration (delete) privileges. You will need to make and change views so that you can see fields that you are going to update or copy from. You will use Datasheet to update data.
You need to manage your time so you can do all of the work at one sitting, or break before Step 5.
At Step 5 staff will not have access to contacts or any reports that use relationships to pull contacts.
Steps
Check and note the “internal” Name of field
Create lookup list = (Lookup) Relationship
Back up your relationship data (template with content)
Copy existing data into a new temp Single Line of Text field
Delete original choice field and create a new Look up field with EXACT same internal name
Copy temp data into new field
Check and test pages and reports
Delete temp field
Report anything that doesn’t work to your assigned Product Expert
Save List as template
http://help.sharevision.ca/#!Documents/savelistastemplate.htm