Airtable Trigger

Starts the workflow when Airtable events occur

Overview

This node triggers workflows in n8n when changes occur in an Airtable base and table. It listens for updates on specified fields or all fields if none are specified, and can include additional fields in the payload. This is useful for automating processes based on data changes in Airtable, such as syncing records, sending notifications, or updating other systems.

Practical examples:

  • Trigger a workflow when a new record is added or updated in a specific Airtable table.
  • Monitor changes to certain fields (e.g., status or priority) and perform actions like sending emails or updating CRM entries.
  • Include previous values of changed fields to track what exactly was modified.

Properties

Name Meaning
Base ID The ID of the Airtable base to watch for changes.
Table ID The ID of the Airtable table within the base to watch for changes.
Fields to Watch List of fields that trigger the webhook when their values change. Leave empty to watch all fields.
Fields to Include List of fields to include in the webhook payload. Leave empty to include only the changed fields.
Options Collection of additional options:
- Include Previous Values Boolean option to include previous values of changed fields in the output payload (default: true).

Output

The node outputs an array of JSON objects, each representing a changed record with the following structure:

{
  "recordId": "string",          // The unique ID of the changed record
  "fieldChanged": "string",      // The name of the field that changed
  "fieldChangedId": "string",    // The ID of the field that changed
  "previousValue": "any",        // The previous value of the changed field (if included)
  "currentValue": "any",         // The current value of the changed field
  "includedData": {              // Additional fields included in the payload (if any)
    "fieldId": "value"
  }
}

If no changes are detected or the webhook payload is invalid, the node returns an empty array.

The node does not output binary data.

Dependencies

  • Requires an API key credential for Airtable to authenticate requests.
  • Uses Airtable's webhook system to receive real-time event notifications.
  • Requires proper configuration of the webhook URL in Airtable via this node.
  • The node depends on the Airtable helper class bundled with the node for API interactions.

Troubleshooting

  • Webhook signature validation failed:
    This error occurs if the incoming webhook request's signature does not match the expected MAC signature. Ensure the webhook secret is correctly stored and the webhook URL has not changed.

  • Webhook not configured:
    If polling or webhook handling is attempted before activating the workflow, the webhook may not be created yet. Activate the workflow to create and register the webhook.

  • Error creating webhook:
    Could be due to invalid API credentials, incorrect base/table IDs, or network issues. Verify credentials and parameters.

  • Empty payloads or no data:
    If no relevant changes occur or fields to watch are too restrictive, the node may output empty results. Adjust the fields to watch or test with known changes.

  • API rate limits or connectivity issues:
    Network problems or Airtable API limits might cause errors during webhook registration or polling. Check network connectivity and Airtable API status.

Links and References

Discussion