AirTable 101 - Robust Spreadsheets
Airtable is one of the tools we use at Vaudeville. To see info on all the tools we use, go to the VV Tools Overview article.
Getting Started
Airtable resembles a normal Excel spreadsheet or Google Sheet, but has much more functionality and customization. Other than formulas, Airtable should be considered for work that would normally be done in Google Sheets or Excel.
If you are the project manager, you will be responsible for setting up the Base for the project. Otherwise, if you are a team member, you’ll receive an email to join the Base once the project manager adds you.
The Basics
A Base is a database containing all the information for a project. It’s the equivalent of a workbook in traditional spreadsheet programs.
Within a Base you can have multiple Tables. A Table is similar to worksheets in a spreadsheet. Tables are used to hold a list of one particular type of item. For example, a product-focused project could have different tables for user stories, stakeholders, and priority.
You can customize the way you look at data using the View function. You can save your own views, meaning you can have unique settings for column and row order, hidden columns, and filters.
Within the Tables, you have Fields and Records—these are similar to columns and rows (basically an item in your list) in a spreadsheet, but in Airtable the columns are highly customizable. An Airtable field can have a special field type for different kinds content. The field types include: file attachment, checkbox, phone number, long text, and select dropdown. This keeps your data high organized.
Use Cases
AirTable can be used in the place of an Excel/Google Sheet in general, but you can also set it up for specific use cases. Some example templates: Product Roadmap: https://airtable.com/templates/product-design-and-ux/exphVKuL99S35ZsMi/product-roadmap Product Planning: https://airtable.com/templates/product-design-and-ux/expJAKb5VbrjX1RkC/product-planning Design Project Pipeline: https://airtable.com/templates/product-design-and-ux/exppd6pbxsQEo4zx2/design-project-pipeline Agile Workflow: https://airtable.com/templates/product-design-and-ux/exps29rjSzaWD5UD7/agile-workflow Project Tracker: https://airtable.com/templates/featured/expZJgLA5YjprHz55/project-tracker
Creating a Database
There are four ways to create a new database. The right method depends on what you want to create and whether you have existing data.
From a Template
Airtable provides a variety of pre-made templates, for specific use cases and comes prefilled with some relevant tables, fields, and other content. You can start with a template and then customize it to suit your needs. Some examples of Airtable templates are this one for managing projects and this for scheduling content productions.
To access the template gallery and use a template, select “+ New Base” from the homepage, choose a “Start with a template”
From Spreadsheet
To import and existing spreadsheet on to Airtable, you can either upload a CSV file or copy-and-pasting the data into a new, empty Base.
Option 1: Import a CSV file
Open your original application and export the data as a CSV file.
Click + New Base from the homepage and select Import a spreadsheet.
When prompted, choose the CSV file that you want to import.
Option 2: Copy and paste from another application
Open the application from which you want to copy data.
Select the desired set of data and copy it to your clipboard:
For Numbers, Excel, and Google Sheets, use Ctrl+C (on a PC) or Cmd+C (on a Mac) to select a range of columns and rows.
For FileMaker, use Option+Ctrl+C (on a PC) or Option+Cmd+C (on a Mac) to select all found records.
Prepare your new base by creating the proper field types for your data. (Note that the target base must have the fields ordered exactly as they are in the source for the data to copy correctly.)
Paste your data using Ctrl+V (on a PC) or Cmd+V (on a Mac).
From Scratch
You can make your own database from scratch and create your own tables and fields. Just select “+ New Base” from the homepage, choose “Start from Scratch”
From an Existing Base
From the homepage, click the dropdown beside the Base name and select “Duplicate.”
You can choose to keep the existing records and comments in the new version or just duplicate the structure of the Base. Note that the revision history and any Base snapshots will not be copied from the original Base.
Customizing your Base
Time to customize your base! From the home screen, click the dropdown beside the Base to open its configuration menu (you can also access the configuration menu from inside a Base by clicking its name). You can then name the Base, choose a color, select an optional icon, invite collaborators, and add a Base description, which will appear when people open the Base for the first time. This is useful when you share Bases with other people.
Creating Tables
Create a new table by clicking the [+] button to the right of your existing tables.
Setting up Fields
To add a field, click the [+] on the far right side of a table. You can also right-click (Ctrl + click on a Mac) on the header row to insert a new field. After you’ve created a field, name it and specify a field type. Note that you can create multiple fields of the same type.
To edit a field, Click the dropdown arrow in the header cell of a column to change its name or type. That menu also gives you options to add a description, copy it, or delete it.
The first column of every table is called the “primary field.” This field is used as the name of the record (so please use a unique name for each record), and cannot be deleted, moved, or hidden.
By default, the primary field is “frozen,” so it is always visible as you scroll right and left. You can add or remove frozen fields by dragging the divider on the right side of the frozen fields.
Fields can reference other fields across the whole base
Basic field types
Airtable currently offers 16 field types:
Long text – great for notes or multiple lines of text. A long-text field automatically expands, giving you more room to work, and you can even mention a collaborator inside the text to send them a notification. Long text fields are a great way to capture notes that don’t fit in other fields.
Attachment – allows you to attach files to records. Upload files from your computer or cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, and Evernote. This field type is useful for collaborating on files because all the collaborators can preview and download files from any device.
Checkbox – add a green check mark your to record, or remove it. Just as you’d expect, you can click the cell to check and uncheck it. Great for marking when a task is complete.
Single select – ideal for when you want to choose one option from a set of options that you have predefined. You’ll see a drop-down list of these options when you edit the cell. Use this in situations with only one possible value. You can add, remove, and edit the option values by clicking the column header and selecting the “Configure” button.
Multiple option select – similar to a single select, except it allows you to select more than one option. Use it to tag records with multiple values. Each option value appears as a small tag and can be removed by clicking the “X.” For instance, if you wanted to assign multiple people to a task, this is the field to use.
Date and time – you can enter a date and time (optional) into a column. When editing this field, a calendar will appear to make it easy to select a date.
Phone number – this will format values as a US phone number in the form (XXX) XXX-XXXX. On mobile, we’ll show convenient buttons to call or text that number.
Email – this will format the text in the field as an email address. If you click on the email address, it will open up your computer’s native email client with the To: field addressed to the email you just clicked on.
URL – formats the text within it as a URL. Clicking on a URL within a URL field will open up that page.
Currency – formats numbers as currency, using the currency symbol of your choice, in the form of $1.00.
Percent – formats numbers as a percentage. You can select the precision of the percentage.
Autonumber – generates an automatically incremented number for each record in a table. It can be used to create unique IDs.
Formula – calculates values based on functions. In Airtable, you enter formulas for a whole column (not for a specific cell like in a spreadsheet), and the same formula applies to every record in the column.
Formulas in Airtable do not use the beginning equal sign and they reference field names instead of cell ranges.
Creating Records
To add a record to your base you can do one of the following:
Scroll to the bottom of a table and click the last row
Copy and paste records into the last row
Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V on PC
Cmd+C and Cmd+V on Mac
Right-click on a record and choose to add a record above or below
Use the keyboard shortcut [Shift]+[Enter] to insert a record below the selected cell
Editing Records
Edits made in Airtable update in real-time across all devices and collaborators, so no need to refresh the page or click save.
Errors can be reversed by using the undo button in the “History” menu on the top right side of a Base, or by using the keyboard shortcut — CTRL+Z on a PC, CMD+Z on a Mac.
You can expand a particular record to a full-page view, for more ease while working on it. To expand, click the round button next to a record’s name. The expanded view also shows a history of changes and any comments that people have made.
If you need to enter the same piece of data repeatedly, you can copy and paste the data across cells (as long as the field types are the same). Fill a specific group of cells by selecting them before pasting data. You can also autofill values by dragging the small square in the bottom right corner of a cell.
To delete records, right-click (Ctrl + click on a Mac) on a record and select “Delete record.” You can delete multiple records by selecting the checkboxes on the left of records, right-clicking, and choosing “Delete all selected records.”
Collaborating with Airtable
You can share a single Base with your team or an entire workspace consisting of many Bases.
Sharing a Base
Click the “Share” button at the top right side of a Base, then, enter that person’s email address and set their permission level using the drop down menu. That person will receive an email from Airtable with a link that they can use to access it.
Permission level for shared bases:
Creator – full access to the Base, including the ability to modify other collaborators’ permissions and delete the Base.
Editor – can add, delete, and modify rows and add, delete, and modify views. They can’t modify field types.
Commenter – see and comment on records
Read Only – allows collaborators to view records but not edit them.
After that person logs into Airtable, the Base will appear in the “Shared Bases” workspace on their homepage. Going forward, that person will have the ability to add other people to the Base at their permission level.
Sharing a Workspace
Workspaces are useful if you have multiple Bases you want to share with your team. Create workspaces by scrolling to the bottom of the homepage and selecting “Add a workspace.” Right-click on the workspace name (Ctrl + click on a Mac) to rename the workspace, access account information, or delete it.
To share the workspace with your team, click the icon on the top right side of the workspace, then enter the email address of the people you want to add and set their permission level using the dropdown.
Permission levels for shared workspace:
Owner – full access to the workspace and the ability to modify billing settings for the workspace.
Creator – full access to the bases in a workspace, including the ability to modify other collaborators’ permissions and add/delete Bases in a workspace.
Editor – access all the Bases in a workspace and the ability to add, delete, and modify rows and views. They can’t modify field types.
Commenter – see and comment on records
Read Only – access to view all Bases in a workspace but not edit them.
Additional Features for Collaboration
You can see when people are making changes to a Base in real-time. Collaborators’ profile pictures will appear in a record when they are actively editing it.
You can mention a team member on Airtable to send them a notification and make them aware of pertinent information. To mention someone, type the “@” symbol and then select a person from the dialog that appears. Mentions work inside long text fields and the comment box of an expanded record.
Airtable will send you notifications when someone shares a Base with you, adds you to a workspace , or mentions you in a record. These alerts are delivered through email, mobile push notifications and the bell-shaped notification icon on the website.
You can email records by right-clicking to select the “Email records” option, and entering the recipients’ email addresses. Airtable formats the records in an email-friendly way, making it easy for your recipient to read the information.
Airtable integrates well with Slack. Open the Base configuration menu by clicking the name, and select “Slack notifications.” On the configuration page, click “Add to Slack,” authenticate, and choose the Slack channel that you want to receive updates.
List of keyboard shortcuts and formula functions
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