Upload data to airtable.

Teramine Forms integrates with Airtable to provide the following:

• Automated creation of a form from an Airtable. Select your base, pick a table in the base, and click to create form. As simple as that. No field mapping required. And when a user fills out the form, data is uploaded to the specified table.
• You can also manually create a form and map your form fields to an Airtable columns. When the form is filled out, a new row is added into the table.
• We also support prefilling a form with data from an Airtable row. In this case, values from the form are used to update the Airtable. Need to make a quick update of one field in an Airtable? This is the way to go!

Once you have created a form and opened the form editor, you will see an Integrations link at the top. Click that link to view the status of all available integrations. Browse over to the Airtable entry and click the Connect button. You will be redirected to the Airtable website to login and allow access to Teramine Forms. Once you have authenticated and given permission to Teramine Forms, you will be redirected to a success page. And that's all there is to it. Teramine Forms is now connected to Airtable and you can browse your Airtable bases and tables.

Here are some common problems that users may experience with Airtable:

1. Limited Record Count:

   • Free and lower-tier Airtable plans have limits on the number of records (rows) you can store in a base, which can be restrictive for larger projects.

2. Complex Formulas:

   • While Airtable supports formulas, users often find it less powerful than full-fledged spreadsheet tools like Excel or Google Sheets, especially when handling complex calculations or conditional logic.

3. Limited Automations:

   • Airtable's built-in automations have limitations in terms of complexity and the number of triggers or actions available, which can restrict workflow automation for more advanced users.

4. Performance Issues with Large Bases:

   • As the number of records grows, users may experience performance slowdowns, especially when filtering, sorting, or running reports on large datasets.

5. No Native Gantt Charts or Timelines in Basic Plans:

   • Airtable lacks certain advanced project management features like Gantt charts or timelines in its free or lower-tier plans, requiring users to upgrade or use third-party integrations.

6. Limited Reporting and Data Visualization:

   • While Airtable offers simple charts, it lacks advanced reporting and data visualization capabilities, which might require users to export data to other tools for in-depth analytics.

7. Limited Collaboration Permissions:

   • Airtable has a few levels of collaboration (e.g., Editor, Commenter, Read-only), but users often wish for more granular control over permissions, such as setting permissions on specific fields or views.

8. Export Limitations:

   • Exporting data can be tricky, as Airtable does not have robust native export options, especially when dealing with attachments or linked records.

9. Mobile App Limitations:

   • While Airtable has a mobile app, it lacks some of the functionality and user-friendly features available in the desktop version, making it harder to manage large bases on the go.

10. Learning Curve:

    • Despite its simplicity for beginners, more advanced features, such as relational databases and creating complex automations or formulas, may present a steep learning curve for non-technical users.

11. Pricing Structure:

    • Users often find the pricing structure limiting, as many advanced features (e.g., higher record limits, advanced blocks, and increased automation limits) are only available in the more expensive plans.

12. Attachment Management:

    • Managing attachments (e.g., documents or images) can become challenging due to storage limitations, lack of built-in file management features, or difficulties accessing attachments across different bases.

These challenges are commonly reported by users, especially when scaling up Airtable for more complex projects or when comparing it to other database or spreadsheet solutions.

Here are a few workarounds to handle Airtable's limited record count (particularly on free or lower-tier plans):

1. Use Multiple Bases

   • If you're running into the record limit for a single base, consider splitting your data across multiple bases. For example, if you have different projects, teams, or time periods, you could store each of these in a separate base.
   • Workaround: Use a master base that consolidates key data from different bases for a high-level view of the information.

2. Archive Old or Inactive Records

   • Regularly archive old data that is no longer needed for day-to-day use. You can export old records to a CSV file and store them externally, such as in Google Sheets or Excel.
   • Workaround: Create an archive base within Airtable and periodically move inactive records there to free up space.

3. Use Linked Records Efficiently

   • Use linked records between tables to avoid duplicate data. Instead of entering the same data in multiple records, use links between tables to reference the same information (e.g., linking customers to orders or employees to departments).
   • Benefit: This reduces record count since you’re reusing data rather than duplicating it.

4. Optimize Table Design

   • Review your table structure to ensure it's optimized for minimal record usage. For example, if you're tracking events over time, you might combine related records into one rather than creating a new record for each event.
   • Benefit: This reduces unnecessary record creation, especially when managing recurring or grouped data.

5. Use Airtable Automations to Sync Data with External Tools

   • Use Airtable Automations or third-party tools (such as Zapier or Integromat/Make) to automatically sync your data with external databases or spreadsheets.
   • Workaround: Automatically offload non-essential data to Google Sheets or another system, and keep only key records in Airtable.

6. Integrate with External Databases

   • For users who frequently hit record limits, consider integrating Airtable with an external database like MySQL, PostgreSQL, or even a cloud-based solution like Google BigQuery for large-scale data storage.
   • Benefit: Use Airtable for front-end collaboration, and push large datasets to external databases.

7. Delete Unnecessary Fields/Columns

   • Sometimes fields or columns take up unnecessary space. Removing redundant fields, especially formula or calculated fields, can reduce complexity and optimize performance.
   • Workaround: Replace some calculated fields with on-demand reports or exports where you calculate values only when necessary.

8. Use Rollups and Lookups Instead of Storing Data Repeatedly

   • Use Rollups and Lookups across linked tables instead of manually duplicating information across tables. This allows you to reference records and calculate values without needing additional rows for each data point.
   • Benefit: You can avoid inflating the record count by efficiently referencing related data.

By using these strategies, you can stretch Airtable's limits and optimize your workflow to fit within the record count restrictions.

Using multiple bases in Airtable is an effective way to organize and manage different projects or datasets while leveraging the tool's versatility. Here are some strategies on how to utilize multiple bases effectively:

1. Separate Projects or Teams: Create individual bases for distinct projects, teams, or departments. This allows for focused management without cross-contamination of data. Each base can have tailored views, fields, and permissions according to specific team needs.

2. Linking Records Across Bases: While Airtable does not natively allow direct linking between records in different bases, you can use integration tools like Zapier or Integromat to facilitate data transfer between them. For example, a completion response in one base can trigger an entry in another.

3. Consistent Structure: To streamline processes, establish a consistent database structure across multiple bases. This includes using similar field types, naming conventions, and template views, which will help maintain clarity when managing different datasets.

4. Permissions Management: Utilize Airtable's permission settings to control access to different bases. This way, team members can only view or edit the bases they are authorized to access, enhancing data security and reducing confusion.

5. Dashboard Base: Consider creating a dashboard base that aggregates key summary information from other bases. You can manually input or use integration tools to summarize data from multiple bases into one comprehensive view.

6. Templates for Efficiency: If you frequently create similar bases, consider developing standard templates. This will help save time and ensure consistency across projects.

7. Automations: Utilize Airtable's Automation feature to trigger actions across your bases. For instance, an update in one base can automatically notify team members or initiate workflows in another base.

By employing these strategies, you can efficiently manage multiple bases in Airtable, maximizing the platform's capabilities while ensuring that your data remains organized and accessible.

To archive data from multiple tables in Airtable, you need a method that retains your data structure and relationships while ensuring the archived data is safely stored. Here’s a recommended approach to archive data from multiple tables efficiently:

1. Create a Separate Archive Base

   • Create a new archive base in Airtable where you can move old data from multiple tables. This keeps your main working base clutter-free while preserving old records.
   • For example, if you have Projects, Tasks, and Clients tables, replicate the same table structure in the archive base.

2. Filter and Identify Data to Archive

   • Use filters or views in each table to identify records that should be archived. For instance, you can filter for:
     • Completed projects older than a certain date.
     • Inactive clients.
     • Tasks marked as completed more than a few months ago.
   • Create a view for each table showing only the records that meet the archive criteria, making it easier to select them for archiving.

3. Copy and Paste Data to Archive Base

   • Once you’ve identified the data to archive, copy and paste the records from your main base into the corresponding table in the archive base. Airtable allows you to copy multiple records at once, including linked fields.
   • Tip: Ensure you copy all fields (columns) to maintain the integrity of the data.

4. Maintain Linked Records

   • When copying data across tables that are linked (e.g., linking tasks to projects or clients), be mindful of maintaining those relationships in the archive base.
   • You will need to paste records in the same order to maintain the correct links, or you can re-establish the links manually after pasting.

5. Use CSV Export/Import for Large Data Sets

   • If you have large amounts of data, manually copying and pasting might be time-consuming. An alternative is to export the data to CSV from the filtered views and import the CSV files into the archive base.
   • Use Airtable’s built-in CSV export option, and then import the data into the corresponding table in the archive base. Re-create any necessary relationships using linked fields after importing.

6. Automate the Archiving Process with Integrations

   • If you need to archive data regularly, consider using tools like Zapier, Make (formerly Integromat), or Airtable Automations to automate the archiving process.
     • Set up automations to move data that meets certain conditions (e.g., completed tasks older than 6 months) into the archive base automatically.
   • Example: Use Airtable Automations to trigger when a record’s status changes (e.g., a project is marked “Completed”), and then move the record to the archive base.

7. Periodically Delete Archived Data from the Main Base

   • After archiving data to the new base, delete the archived records from the main base to free up space. Ensure the data is safely copied before deletion.
   • You can create a backup of the main base before deleting records to avoid accidental data loss.

8. Export to External Systems for Long-Term Storage

   • For long-term storage or if Airtable’s limits are too restrictive, you can export archived data to external systems such as:
     • Google Sheets for simple storage.
     • Cloud databases like Google BigQuery, MySQL, or PostgreSQL for more robust storage.
     • CSV backups stored in secure cloud storage (e.g., Dropbox, Google Drive).

Benefits of Archiving Data This Way:

• Data Segregation: Keeps your main base lean and operational by moving inactive data elsewhere.
• Maintain Data Relationships: Preserves relationships between tables (e.g., linked fields).
• Regular Archiving: You can set up a routine for data archiving, ensuring your main base doesn’t get cluttered over time.
• Data Backup: Archived bases serve as backups for old data, providing easy access when needed.

This approach keeps your Airtable workspace organized, ensuring your main base runs smoothly while still maintaining access to older records.

Yes, re-creating links between tables in Airtable during archiving or copying can be cumbersome, especially when working with large datasets or complex relationships. Fortunately, there are several tools and strategies to help maintain linked records without manually re-creating them.

Tools and Methods to Help with Linked Records:

1. Airtable Sync

   • Airtable Sync allows you to sync records from one base to another while preserving links and relationships across tables. You can sync specific views from one base (your main working base) to an archive base. This way, you don’t have to manually recreate links.
   • How it helps: While sync works great for copying data, note that it is one-way. Changes made in the synced view (in the archive base) will not affect the original data. This is ideal for read-only archived data.

2. On2Air: Backups and Archiving

   • On2Air is a powerful Airtable integration platform that offers backup and archiving tools. It helps automate the process of copying tables or bases and maintaining relationships between linked records.
   • How it helps: On2Air can automate the process of exporting your Airtable records to an external system (e.g., Google Drive, Excel, or a database) while keeping the integrity of linked records intact. It reduces the pain of manual archiving.

3. MiniExtensions for Airtable

   • MiniExtensions offers a range of tools for Airtable, including a feature for copying linked records between tables. You can copy entire tables or linked records while maintaining relationships across tables.
   • How it helps: MiniExtensions provides automations that allow you to bulk copy linked records or filter records to archive them efficiently without breaking links.
   • Features: Export filtered data, maintain linked fields, update records, and more.

4. Make (formerly Integromat)

   • Make is a robust automation tool that integrates with Airtable and can help automate the archiving process. You can set up scenarios that archive records while maintaining links across tables.
   • How it helps: You can create complex automations that copy records between bases, tables, and even external storage systems (e.g., Google Sheets) while preserving the relationships between linked fields.
   • Example: Automatically move records from the main base to the archive base and set up steps to re-create the links between records using Airtable API actions.

5. Zapier

   • While Zapier has limitations compared to Make for handling linked records, it can be useful for simpler archiving automations. You can set up a Zap to copy records between tables and re-establish links by referencing unique identifiers.
   • How it helps: Automate data archiving by moving records between bases, but you might need to include a unique identifier (like Record ID or a custom field) to re-link records in the new base or table.

6. Airtable API and Scripting

   • For more customized archiving solutions, Airtable’s built-in Scripting Block or API can be used to script the entire process of copying records and maintaining links.
   • How it helps: You can write custom scripts that automate the process of copying records from one table to another while maintaining linked fields.
   • Example: A script could iterate over records in one base, copy them to another, and automatically set the correct linked fields based on a unique identifier like the Record ID.

7. CSV Export with Linked Record IDs

   • If you choose to export your data via CSV for archiving purposes, make sure to include the linked record IDs (Airtable provides these as unique alphanumeric codes). When re-importing data, you can use these IDs to re-establish links between records.
   • How it helps: This manual process can be sped up by ensuring the CSV export includes the Record ID for all linked fields, so you can map the correct records when re-importing data.

Best Workflows for Managing Linked Records During Archiving:

1. Automated Sync + Archive

   • Use Airtable Sync to sync filtered views from your main base to the archive base. This allows you to keep linked records automatically.
   • Combine with Make or Zapier to trigger an automation when records meet archive criteria, copying records to the archive base while maintaining links.

2. On-Demand Archiving with MiniExtensions or On2Air

   • Use tools like MiniExtensions or On2Air to automate or schedule the archiving process. These tools can automatically move records between tables and bases while preserving relationships between records, minimizing manual work.

3. Custom API Solutions

   • For more control, use Airtable API or Scripting to write custom scripts that move records while maintaining links. This option is great for more complex data structures but requires programming skills.

These tools and methods significantly simplify the process of archiving linked records in Airtable, reducing manual effort while maintaining the integrity of data relationships.