accepts_nested_attributes_for not working properly - ruby-on-rails

Question

I'm fairly new to rails, building my first app. I'm running rails 4 w/ bootstrap 3. I'm trying to get a complex form to work. I have two models:
class Employee < ActiveRecord::Base
belongs_to :company
belongs_to :user, :through => :company
has_one :position
accepts_nested_attributes_for :position
end
class Position < ActiveRecord::Base
belongs_to :employees
accepts_nested_attributes_for :employees
end
I have a form where the User can create a new job title (Position Model) and select the employees (Employees Model) that position will be applied to. Basically it's a single form that will add fields to 2 different database tables (Position and Employee).
This is my view:
<%= simple_form_for(#position) do |f| %>
<%= f.error_notification %>
<div class="form-inputs">
<%= f.input :job_title %>
<%= f.input :job_description %>
</div>
<%= f.fields_for :Employee do |f| %>
<%= f.input :employee_title, label: "Apply to:", collection: Employee.all, label_method: :first_name, as: :check_boxes %>
<% end %>
<div class="form-actions">
<%= f.button :submit %>
</div>
<% end %>
Below are the controllers:
class PositionsController < ApplicationController
before_action :set_position, only: [:show, :edit, :update, :destroy]
# GET /positions
# GET /positions.json
def index
#positions = Position.all
end
# GET /positions/1
# GET /positions/1.json
def show
end
# GET /positions/new
def new
#position = Position.new
end
# GET /positions/1/edit
def edit
end
# POST /positions
# POST /positions.json
def create
#position = Position.new(position_params)
respond_to do |format|
if #position.save
format.html { redirect_to #position, notice: 'position was successfully created.' }
format.json { render action: 'show', status: :created, location: #position }
else
format.html { render action: 'new' }
format.json { render json: #position.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity }
end
end
end
# PATCH/PUT /positions/1
# PATCH/PUT /positions/1.json
def update
respond_to do |format|
if #position.update(position_params)
format.html { redirect_to #position, notice: 'position was successfully updated.' }
format.json { head :no_content }
else
format.html { render action: 'edit' }
format.json { render json: #position.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity }
end
end
end
# DELETE /positions/1
# DELETE /positions/1.json
def destroy
#position.destroy
respond_to do |format|
format.html { redirect_to positions_url }
format.json { head :no_content }
end
end
private
# Use callbacks to share common setup or constraints between actions.
def set_position
#position = Position.find(params[:id])
end
# Never trust parameters from the scary internet, only allow the white list through.
def position_params
params.require(:position).permit(:position_title, :position_description, :position_create_date)
end
end
class EmployeesController < ApplicationController
# encoding: UTF-8
before_action :set_employee, only: [:show, :edit, :update, :destroy]
# GET /employees
# GET /employees.json
def index
#employees = Employee.all
end
# GET /employees/1
# GET /employees/1.json
def show
end
# GET /employees/new
def new
#employee = Employee.new
end
# GET /employees/1/edit
def edit
end
# POST /employees
# POST /employees.json
def create
#employee = Employee.new(employee_params)
respond_to do |format|
if #employee.save
format.html { redirect_to #employee, notice: 'Employee was successfully created.' }
format.json { render action: 'show', status: :created, location: #employee }
else
format.html { render action: 'new' }
format.json { render json: #employee.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity }
end
end
end
# PATCH/PUT /employees/1
# PATCH/PUT /employees/1.json
def update
respond_to do |format|
if #employee.update(employee_params)
format.html { redirect_to #employee, notice: 'Employee was successfully updated.' }
format.json { head :no_content }
else
format.html { render action: 'edit' }
format.json { render json: #employee.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity }
end
end
end
# DELETE /employees/1
# DELETE /employees/1.json
def destroy
#employee.destroy
respond_to do |format|
format.html { redirect_to employees_url }
format.json { head :no_content }
end
end
private
# Use callbacks to share common setup or constraints between actions.
def set_employee
#employee = Employee.find(params[:id])
end
# Never trust parameters from the scary internet, only allow the white list through.
def employee_params
params.require(:employee).permit(:first_name, :last_name, :employee_title)
end
end
The problem I'm facing is I get the form to render perfectly, but when I submit it, only fields that belong to the Position model get recorded. The :employee_title stays blank. Any suggestions what the problem is?
Thank you!!

Answer 1

Too many points to fit in a comment:
belongs_to :employees should be singular: belongs_to :employee
Your fields_for should be like (differentiate the ff from parent form):
<%= f.fields_for :Employee do |ff| %>
<%= ff.input :employee_title, label: "Apply to:", collection: Employee.all,
label_method: :first_name, as: :check_boxes %>
<% end %>
If it doesn't work, supply your controller also and I'll update my answer.
Edit:
After seeing your controllers, it seems most likely to be case of unpermitted params.
In position_controller.rb add employee params to position params
def position_params
params.require(:position).permit(:position_title, :position_description, :position_create_date, employees_attributes: [:first_name, :last_name, :employee_title])
end