Adding descriptions in Airtable

Unlike other surfaces, a description of a base is called a Base guide in the product. This is because entire bases usually require a bit more information to fully explain. For that reason, after a base guide has been added, it will appear the first time another user opens the base.

To add a guide to a base or edit an existing guide, navigate to the base to which you'd like to add a guide. Next, click the dropdown arrow next to the base's name. Then, click the dropdown next to Base guide option.

This will open up a text box into which you can enter details about the base or edit an existing guide. You can also use Markdown within the base guide to add headers, links, emojis, and images. 

Sometimes the name of your table or view isn't long or detailed enough to explain everything. When this happens, you can add a description to make it easier for your collaborators to understand how the base is set up.

To add a description to a table, navigate to the table to which you'd like to add a description. Next, click the dropdown arrow next to the table name. From the dropdown menu, pick the Edit table description option.

This will open the description window where you can fill in a brief description of the table:

The table description will appear when hovering over the table's name:

View descriptions are helpful for keeping track of what each of your views is set up to display and sharing that information with others. To add or edit a view description, start by clicking on the name of your view to expand the view options menu. Then click Edit view description.

This will open the dialog box where you can fill in a brief description of the view:

The view description will appear in two places:

1. By hovering over the view's name
2. By opening the views sidebar and finding the description under the view

If the title of your field could use a longer explanation, you have the option of adding a more detailed field description to each of your fields. To add a field description, click on the dropdown arrow next to the name of the field to which you wish to add a description, then select the Edit field description option.

This will open the dialog box where you can fill in a brief description of the field:

The field description will appear when hovering over the field's name:

It's a best practice tip to add descriptions to every automation you create. Automations can have specific complexities that are more easily understood when a few details are provided in a description. To add an automation description, click on the dropdown arrow next to the name of the automation to which you wish to add a description, then select the Edit description option.

This will open the dialog box where you can fill in a brief description of the automation:

The automation description will appear in two places:

1. When hovering over the automation's name
2. In the automation list just below the automation's name

If the title of your field could use a longer explanation, you have the option of adding a more detailed field description to each of your fields. To add a field description, click on the dropdown arrow next to the name of the field to which you wish to add a description, then select the Edit field description option.

This will open the dialog box where you can fill in a brief description of the extension:

The automation description will appear when hovering over the extension's name:

Depending on how your organization is using Airtable, users might have access to multiple workspaces. In these cases, it could be helpful to add a workspace description, especially when onboarding new employees to your organization's Airtable ecosystem.

To add or edit a workspace description, first, navigate to a specific workspace from the Airtable home screen.

This will open a text box where you can fill in a brief description. This is also where the description will appear in the future.

Yes, 20,000 characters.