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How to compile tasks and notify colleagues using repeating group feature

M
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Hi, 

I saw that there is a new feature where we can set up a basic repeating group in an automation with the aim to get a list of my team members and find each of their assigned tasks for the week, and then send each with a custom email with their tasks. 

I tried setting it up using the instruction provided: https://support.airtable.com/docs/repeating-groups-of-automation-actions

But I am getting stuck at "Step 5: Add an action or actions". For example, in my "Step 3: Add a Find records action" it provides me with 3 tasks to be sent, when I add "Send email" to my Step 5 action, it sends the list 3 times.

Could anyone help where I can Find record and compile a list of "to-do" tasks assigned to Collaborator A, and the automation will help me send email of that list to Collaborator A every Monday 9am?

 

Thanks,

Eve

6 replies

Dimitris_Goudis

Hey @MCC, 

Most probably in step 5 you have error token setting please check my screenshots below: 

You need to choose the email field from the "Current item" option  on left side of menu 😉 

if this doesnt work please let us know. 

 

 

M
1 person likes this
Alexey_Gusev

Hi,
Problem is that you loop through tasks, while you should loop through team members.
To perform action you described, your first 'Find Records' must form a list of your team members. Depending on your base structure, it might be done in many ways. If you don't have a table of team members, you might choose some date, when all team members included. This list must be an input list for repeating action.
Inside repeating action, you should put other Find records, where you search for 'to-do' tasks for a given team member. with condition 'where Name = (Dynamic)Name from list'. Result of this second 'Find' must be sent to a respective team member (column of email addresses should be present in first 'Find records'). In message body you can add result of second 'Find records' as Grid, for example.

M
1 person likes this
M
  • MCC
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  • May 10, 2023
Dimitris_Goudis wrote:

Hey @MCC, 

Most probably in step 5 you have error token setting please check my screenshots below: 

You need to choose the email field from the "Current item" option  on left side of menu 😉 

if this doesnt work please let us know. 

 

 


Hi @Dimitris_Goudis,

Thanks for the information. I did try the "Current item" option but Airtable does not read the Collaborator's email though. 

In my "Find records" configuration, I set the following:

  • "End Date" is within the next week 
  • "Status" is none of "Done"

Currently in my Tasklist tab, there are 3 collaborators and I am hoping to generate a weekly reminder email on Monday to each collaborator with a compiled list of their assigned tasks that are going to due by end of Friday. However, because in "Find records" stage Airtable found 3 records that matches the condition, it sent 3 same email to collaborator. 

M
  • MCC
  • Author
  • Known Participant
  • 15 replies
  • May 10, 2023
Alexey_Gusev wrote:

Hi,
Problem is that you loop through tasks, while you should loop through team members.
To perform action you described, your first 'Find Records' must form a list of your team members. Depending on your base structure, it might be done in many ways. If you don't have a table of team members, you might choose some date, when all team members included. This list must be an input list for repeating action.
Inside repeating action, you should put other Find records, where you search for 'to-do' tasks for a given team member. with condition 'where Name = (Dynamic)Name from list'. Result of this second 'Find' must be sent to a respective team member (column of email addresses should be present in first 'Find records'). In message body you can add result of second 'Find records' as Grid, for example.


Hi @Alexey_Gusev,

Thanks for that. That makes sense. My next issue is when I tag the Collaborator as person responsible, Airtable is not able to extract their email in the Automation section. I tried typing in but it still sent me 3 emails.

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Alexey_Gusev
MCC wrote:

Hi @Alexey_Gusev,

Thanks for that. That makes sense. My next issue is when I tag the Collaborator as person responsible, Airtable is not able to extract their email in the Automation section. I tried typing in but it still sent me 3 emails.


Click on 'Current item'

upd: Just realized you have multiple assignee field. It contains group of persons, and you can't just compare it witn a single value.
Do you have any table/field with a single assignee?
You can just create a table 'Assignee to send mail' with a single column type Assignee (single), and put there 3 records. Then 'find' them, and use result to loop through 

M
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  • May 15, 2023
Alexey_Gusev wrote:

Click on 'Current item'

upd: Just realized you have multiple assignee field. It contains group of persons, and you can't just compare it witn a single value.
Do you have any table/field with a single assignee?
You can just create a table 'Assignee to send mail' with a single column type Assignee (single), and put there 3 records. Then 'find' them, and use result to loop through 


Hi Alexey,

Thank you for pointing that out. I actually did not have that. 

Currently, my Tasklist table is set up as such:

  • Task (single line)
  • Stage (single select) - basically the automated email reminder does not need this field
  • Start date of the task (date)
  • End date of the task (date)
  • Status of the task (single select)
  • Unit (single select) - i.e. which subject this task falls under - should I make a Unit table?
  • Instruction (long text)
  • Person responsible (multiple select) - should I change this to User instead of Multiple Select?
  • Email - should I add an email field?

I look forward to your favourable response 🙂

Best,

Eve

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