Airtable Sync - Advanced options

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Introduction

After reading through the support article on Airtable Sync's basic setup, it may be worth your time to dive into some of the more advanced sync options. These provide more functionality for collaboration and customizing your sync configuration.

As a reminder, there are three steps to complete in order to set up a sync.

• Step 1: Create a syncable view share link in the source base
• Step 2: Choose which method you would like to use to create the sync in the destination base
• Step 3: Use the setup window to configure and create the synced table

Advanced options

The process below shows the steps for adjusting settings during the initial sync setup. Settings for previously configured syncs may appear slightly different. After clicking the dropdown next to the name of the synced table you would like to adjust, choose the Update sync configuration option. This will open a popover menu. Sync frequency and record retention settings will appear under Settings. The options to Change source label, Edit synced fields, Change source, or Remove source will appear after clicking the spillover menu (... icon).

Sync frequency

In the sync configuration process, there is an option to sync manually or automatically (Workspaces on the free plan will not see an option to sync automatically). Turning on automatic syncing will cause the synced table to update about every 5 minutes. You can still manually sync a table, even if you have turned on Automatic syncing. Choose your preferred update method in the sync configuration window.

Manual sync can be accomplished on any plan at any time you choose. To manually sync your table click on the synced table's dropdown menu and click "Sync now". After you click the table will begin to update and save any changes. This process may take more time depending on the amount of information being synced. You will see an "All changes saved" message when the sync has finished successfully.

Field sync settings

From the sync configuration window, you can choose to sync all fields from the view or just some. If you choose to sync all fields, then new fields added in the sync source will show up in the synced table when the next sync occurs. If you choose to sync just some fields, then any new fields added in the source table will not sync until you have toggled them on as visible from the sync configuration window.

Record retention

You can also choose how to handle records that are deleted or hidden in the source view: you can either delete or keep them in the destination table.

Should you choose to "Leave the records in this table," you will be able to manually delete specific records that have been deleted in the sync source by clicking the "Delete unavailable records..." option.

Primary field customization

While you are configuring a sync you'll arrive at the "Advanced" drop-down option on the "Select fields to sync" section. This option allows you to choose a specific field that will act as the primary field in Airtable. Primary fields should contain unique information in each cell to act as the primary key. Additionally, only certain field types are allowed to be used in the primary field.

Custom field types

After you've configured and created a synced table, you are able to customize each of the fields. To do this, click the drop-down next to the field's name, click "Customize field type," and choose the field type that you want to change the field to be.

There are some important things to note about this feature:

• If a field has had its type changed in the target base, that will take precedence over the field type from the source base.
• Multi-source syncs will have different options than single-source syncs

Customizing field types in Multi-source syncs

In the settings menu, you'll find the "Advanced field options" section. Click "Change" to update your table's field customization.

From this window, you'll see the message "Field has been manually edited" for any fields that have been customized.

To change the field back to be the same field type as the sync, choose one of the sync sources from the drop-down menu.

Additional options

Sync activity

Sometimes, you may wonder how many other bases are synced to the source view that you have set up. In these instances, you can click on the "Share view" button in the source view and click on the lightning bolt icon next to the "Allow data in this view to be synced to other bases" option.

Clicking on the button will open the "Sync activity" window. Here you can see which destination bases are synced to this source view. Additionally, you can see when the last sync in that base occurred, the sync owner, and finally, you are able to click on the base's name to open it or request access if you are not currently a collaborator in the destination base.

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