The Airtable power user's guide
- 30 Aug 2022
- 3 Minutes to read
-
Print
-
DarkLight
The Airtable power user's guide
- Updated on 30 Aug 2022
- 3 Minutes to read
-
Print
-
DarkLight
Welcome to the Airtable power user's guide! Airtable is friendly enough that anyone can dive right in with one of our templates or Airtable Universe bases —but it's also a complex tool with many powerful features that you might not be aware of at first glance. Learning more about these features can help you build an Airtable base that does, well, pretty much whatever you need it to do.
The following tips and tricks will teach you how to make bases that are more powerful (and better looking!) and how to more efficiently access the relevant information within those bases. Read on to learn how to leverage linked records, extensions , formulas, and so much more.
.png)
NEW ✨
Sync information across your network
With Airtable Sync, you can now share customized views, individual data fields, and other specific information without sacrificing control of what data gets shared and when. Whether it’s just connecting with one new team or coordinating information across multiple companies, Sync helps teams collaborate better across their networks. Here are some articles that will help you get started
NEW ✨
Create powerful workflows with automations
With Automations, you can tell Airtable to automatically send customized emails or message notifications, generate reports, perform repetitive steps, and more, based on rules you create. You can even code completely customized actions based on your team’s needs.
Here are some articles that will help you get started:
NEW ✨
Build and publish your own Custom extension
Custom extensions give you the ability to build and run your own extension, using the same developer tools that our own team uses to build extensions. Your extension can be submitted and published in the Marketplace for others to install and use.
Here are some articles and resources that will help you get started:
Getting more information into Airtable, quickly
Your base is only as good as the information inside it—but entering in new records one at a time can be a pain. Here are a few techniques which'll save you time as you build out your bases, including the easiest way to get your existing spreadsheet up and running in Airtable.
Tidying up your information in Airtable
To get the most out of Airtable, we highly recommend that you take the time to convert fields from single line text fields to other field types, where appropriate. Read on for some of the most common conversions you should know—and some of our favorite tips for maximizing your Airtable fields.
The power of Airtable's linked records
One of the unique aspects of managing your information in a database is the power of linking records together across tables. Linked records can eliminate redundancy, enforce data integrity, and enable new methods of automation—turning your list of records into a fully fledged custom extension. Learn how you can put Airtable's linked records to work for you.
Structuring your Airtable bases effectively
When your information is collected together in one powerful database, organizing your tables, fields, and views effectively is key—and adding a few well-placed extensions can make a big impact. Here are some best practices to keep in mind as you're architecting new Airtable bases, and powering up existing ones.
Designing linked records and dependencies
When creating a base, linked record fields can unlock all sorts of clever ways to work with the information you put in it. While linked record fields typically link two tables together, you can also use the linked record field type to link records within the same table, allowing you to do even more with that table’s records. Learn how you can set up this type of linked record and how different approaches can add new functionality to your base.
Navigating Airtable
Once you've put together a collection of rich and interesting bases, each with many tables, views, and records, it becomes even more important to know how to navigate the Airtable interface efficiently. These tips can help save you some time when you need to get the relevant information ASAP.
Leveraging formulas in Airtable
Formulas allow you to compute values based on values in other fields. With the judicious use of lookup and/or rollup fields, you can also compute values based on values from other tables. Formulas are incredibly powerful, and when in doubt, there's probably a way to do what you need to do using formulas. Read on to learn the best ways to get started with formulas.
Was this article helpful?