airtable-automation

# Airtable Automation

Automate Airtable bases with views, automations, integrations, and cross-platform workflows. Based on n8n's Airtable integration templates.

## Overview

This skill covers:
- Database design and views
- Built-in automations
- n8n integration workflows
- Formula and rollup design
- Reporting and dashboards

---

## Database Design

### Base Structure Template

```yaml
base: "Project Management"

tables:
  Projects:
    fields:
      - Name: single_line_text (primary)
      - Status: single_select [Planning, Active, On Hold, Complete]
      - Priority: single_select [P0, P1, P2, P3]
      - Owner: collaborator
      - Start Date: date
      - Due Date: date
      - Budget: currency
      - Tasks: link_to_records (Tasks)
      - Progress: rollup (Tasks.Status, COUNTIF(Done)/COUNT)
      - Days Remaining: formula (DATETIME_DIFF(Due Date, TODAY(), 'days'))
      
  Tasks:
    fields:
      - Task Name: single_line_text (primary)
      - Project: link_to_records (Projects)
      - Status: single_select [To Do, In Progress, Review, Done]
      - Assignee: collaborator
      - Due Date: date
      - Hours Estimated: number
      - Hours Actual: number
      - Attachments: attachment
      
  Team:
    fields:
      - Name: single_line_text (primary)
      - Email: email
      - Role: single_select [PM, Developer, Designer, QA]
      - Current Projects: link_to_records (Projects)
      - Capacity: number (hours/week)
      - Utilization: rollup (calculate from Tasks)
```

### Views Configuration

```yaml
views:
  Projects:
    - Grid: All Projects
        fields: [Name, Status, Owner, Due Date, Progress]
        sort: Due Date (ascending)
        
    - Kanban: By Status
        group_by: Status
        card_fields: [Name, Owner, Due Date]
        
    - Calendar: Timeline
        date_field: Due Date
        
    - Gallery: Project Cards
        cover: Attachments
        
  Tasks:
    - Grid: My Tasks
        filter: Assignee = {Current User}
        sort: Due Date
        
    - Kanban: Sprint Board
        group_by: Status
        
    - Calendar: Task Calendar
        date_field: Due Date
```

---

## Automations

### Built-in Airtable Automations

```yaml
automation_1:
  name: "New Task Notification"
  trigger:
    when: record_created
    table: Tasks
  actions:
    - send_slack:
        channel: "#project-updates"
        message: |
          📋 New task created!
          Task: {Task Name}
          Project: {Project}
          Assignee: {Assignee}
          Due: {Due Date}

automation_2:
  name: "Overdue Task Alert"
  trigger:
    when: record_matches_conditions
    table: Tasks
    conditions:
      - Status: not "Done"
      - Due Date: before today
  actions:
    - send_email:
        to: "{Assignee.email}"
        subject: "⚠️ Overdue Task: {Task Name}"
        body: "Your task '{Task Name}' was due on {Due Date}."
    - update_record:
        field: Status
        value: "Overdue"

automation_3:
  name: "Project Complete"
  trigger:
    when: record_updated
    table: Projects
    field: Progress
    condition: equals 100%
  actions:
    - update_record:
        field: Status
        value: "Complete"
    - send_slack:
        channel: "#wins"
        message: "🎉 Project '{Name}' completed!"
```

### n8n Integration Workflows

```yaml
workflow: "Form to Airtable to CRM"

trigger: typeform_submission

steps:
  1. create_airtable_record:
      base: "Leads"
      table: "Contacts"
      fields:
        Name: "{form.name}"
        Email: "{form.email}"
        Company: "{form.company}"
        Source: "Website Form"
        Created: "{timestamp}"
        
  2. enrich_data:
      clearbit: lookup_email
      update_record:
        Company Size: "{clearbit.company_size}"
        Industry: "{clearbit.industry}"
        
  3. sync_to_hubspot:
      create_contact:
        email: "{email}"
        properties: from_airtable
        
  4. notify_sales:
      slack:
        channel: "#new-leads"
        message: "New lead: {Name} from {Company}"
```

---

## Formula Reference

### Common Formulas

```yaml
formulas:
  days_until_due:
    formula: "DATETIME_DIFF({Due Date}, TODAY(), 'days')"
    output: number
    
  is_overdue:
    formula: "IF(AND({Status}!='Done', {Due Date}<TODAY()), 'Yes', 'No')"
    output: text
    
  full_name:
    formula: "CONCATENATE({First Name}, ' ', {Last Name})"
    output: text
    
  progress_bar:
    formula: |
      REPT('▓', ROUND({Progress}/10, 0)) & 
      REPT('░', 10-ROUND({Progress}/10, 0)) & 
      ' ' & ROUND({Progress}, 0) & '%'
    output: text (visual progress)
    
  status_emoji:
    formula: |
      SWITCH({Status},
        'To Do', '⬜',
        'In Progress', '🔵',
        'Review', '🟡',
        'Done', '✅',
        '❓'
      )
    output: text
    
  workdays_remaining:
    formula: "WORKDAY_DIFF(TODAY(), {Due Date})"
    output: number
    
  quarter:
    formula: |
      'Q' & CEILING(MONTH({Date})/3) & ' ' & YEAR({Date})
    output: text
```

### Rollup Examples

```yaml
rollups:
  task_count:
    linked_field: Tasks
    aggregation: COUNT(values)
    
  total_hours:
    linked_field: Tasks
    rollup_field: Hours Estimated
    aggregation: SUM(values)
    
  completion_rate:
    linked_field: Tasks
    rollup_field: Status
    aggregation: |
      COUNTALL(IF(values='Done', 1)) / COUNT(values) * 100
      
  average_rating:
    linked_field: Reviews
    rollup_field: Rating
    aggregation: AVERAGE(values)
```

---

## Integration Patterns

### Airtable + Slack

```yaml
slack_integration:
  new_record_notification:
    trigger: record_created
    action: post_to_channel
    template: |
      *New {Table} Record*
      {Field1}: {value1}
      {Field2}: {value2}
      <{record_url}|View in Airtable>
      
  daily_digest:
    schedule: "9am weekdays"
    query: records_due_today
    action: post_summary
    
  slash_command:
    command: /airtable-add
    action: create_record_from_slack
```

### Airtable + Calenda