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    Airtable automation trigger: When record enters view
    • 19 Jan 2024
    • 2 Minutes to read
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    Contents

    Airtable automation trigger: When record enters view

    • Updated on 19 Jan 2024
    • 2 Minutes to read
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    Article summary

    Learn how to use the "When record enters view" trigger to trigger an automation to run anytime a record enters a specified Airtable base view.

    Introduction

    Plan availability

    All plan types with varying limitations

    Permissions

    • Owners/Creators - Create, delete, duplicate, configure, or rename an automation and edit an automation's description.

    • Editors - View an automation's configuration or copy an automation's URL.

    Platform(s)

    Web/Browser, Mac app, and Windows app

    Related reading

    Getting started with Airtable Automations

    Considerations before using the “When record enters view” trigger

    • The "When record enters view" trigger allows you to trigger (or run) an automation for each record that enters a selected view only after the automation has been turned on.

    • Records already in a view can’t trigger the automation to run unless they first get filtered out of the view and then re-enter the view. The change of state.

    • Using this trigger, you can setup automation workflows with custom views that take advantage of a predefined filters that only show certain records that match the conditions that have been configured.

    • As an aside, we also recommend checking out the "When record matches condition" trigger if you are looking for a fluid workflow based solely on conditions.

    Note

    We strongly recommend pairing the "When record enters view" trigger with a locked view.

    • By using a locked view, or ensuring a locked field is involved, you can decrease the likeliness of accidentally changing a view's filtering

    • Changing a view’s filtering conditions can cause accidental automation runs for unintended records that enter that view, even for only a brief amount of time.

    • When changing conditions of a view that is referenced by this trigger type, the best practice is to turn the automation off while making changes to view. Then, relock the view before turning the automation back on.

    Setting up an automation to trigger when a record enters a view

    Step 1: Create a new automation

    To start creating an automation, from the open base of your choice click on Automations in the upper left corner of your screen to open the automation configuration window. Click the + Create automation option to begin the setup process. If you would like, you can rename the automation right away to make it easier to understand what it does.

    Step 2: Configure the “When record enters view” trigger

    1. Next, you will need to click + Add trigger option.

    2. Once clicked, the available triggers will be displayed for you to choose from. Choose the When record enters view option.

    3. Under the “Table” section, select the table containing the view you want this automation to watch.

    4. Under the “View” section, click the dropdown and scroll to or search for the particular view you want this automation to be triggered by when a record enters that view.

    Step 3: Test the trigger

    It’s important to test the trigger at this point so that you can utilize dynamic tokens in the automation action steps. This trigger allows you to pull in information from the record that triggered this automation such as record ID or last modified time.

    Step 4: Add one or more automation actions

    Check out our help center’s Automation actions section to learn more about each action Airtable offers.

    Step 5: Test and turn on the automation

    Again, be sure to test all of the steps in the automation that you are building. Once every part of the automation has tested successfully, you’ll likely be ready to turn the automation on. Find the red colored “OFF” toggle and click it so the automation now appears as “ON” in green.

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