Learning Airtable terminology in the beginning will go a long way towards understanding formulas and give you a shared lexicon to collaborate with other when working with them. This article will provide you with the general terminology you'll encounter when creating formulas and a some flash cards to help you test your memory.
Terminology
Formulas in Airtable utilize terms (e.g. "String") and symbols (e.g. "&") common to programming languages, however they are simplified to make formulas easier to write and understand. The table below lists the terms you'll encounter and some common examples of each one.
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Word
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Usage
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Example
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Curly bracket
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Reference a {Field Name}
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{Order Status}
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Operator
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Symbols used in a formula to output various changes in the formula
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&
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Function
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References a defined formula function that performs specific calculations using specific values in a particular order.
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AVERAGE({Order 1},{Order 2})
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String
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A group of text characters that are used as data in a spreadsheet program. Strings input into formulas must be surrounded by either single or double quotes.
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"This order contains the following items..."
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Array
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A collection of values, typically separated by a comma.
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Order 1, Order 2, Order 3
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Integer
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A whole number value that can be positive, negative, or zero
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3
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Date format
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A readable date that is formatted in a number of different ways.
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January 1, 2020
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Knowledge check
Which of the following symbols are operators in Airtable? Take a guess and then click any of the operators to reveal the answer.
Do you know the correct terms for the following items? Make your best guess and click the card to flip it and reveal the answer.
{Status}
Reference a field
FIND("Complete", {Status})
Function
"user@airtable.com"
String