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Airtable to generate a TV Channel Grid in Google Sheets

  • July 20, 2022
  • 1 reply
  • 25 views
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Hi All,

I hope this meets you well, I need an expert in Google API.
We would like to have a professional paid service to automate and generate a TV grid in google sheets. So we have a specific structure in a weekly bases with time slots vertical and date horizontal. We have the episodes with the time slot and release date available in Airtable.

We want a script to place those data in the right cell for each episode, I will share a snapshot of the grid and a snapshot of how we have it in Airtable .

for your note : we have built something like this
Airtable → On2air → Google Sheets
a script with Json will read from the episodic view and place that to the right cell, and generate in PDF.

Let’s book a meeting and discuss timeline and your service fees.
My Best
Ahmed Elagami

    1 reply

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    • Bill_French
    • Inspiring
    • 3263 replies
    • July 21, 2022

    If the On2Air solution works, why do you need to hire anyone?

    Often we tend to oversimplify the true requirements. In this case, a few questions arise that may help us determine the scope of the solution.

    1. When a mistake in a specific cell is discovered, does the process need to fully re-run, or should it update only the changes made in Airtable to a specific cell in the sheet?
    2. What is the process that kicks off this process?
    3. Is this process intended to be fully automatic, creating each new weekly sheet in a Google spreadsheet?
    4. If a change is made in the sheet, does it need to update Airtable?
    5. Is the sheet printed, shared, or otherwise distributed through the web or mobile apps?
    6. I get the sense that once the sheet is built, the script must generate a PDF instance of the grid and upload it to Airtable. Are you aware of Airtable’s unreliable history concerning attachments via the Airtable API?

    With regard to #6, I can point you to a number of threads with dissatisfied Airtable users who have struggled with resilient PDF uploads (this one is deep and comprehensive). I have also explored ways to use an HTML bridge and a conversion service that allows us to perform PDF generation and updates into attachment fields without ever going to Google in the first place. This leads me to ask -

    Why should Google be involved in this process at all?

    Is it because the process requires a spreadsheet for other stakeholders? Is it the need to host the sheet for other users and other Google-based workflows? Is it an archiving requirement? A last-minute edit requirement?

    If you could have a PDF of this grid in exactly this format without the complexities of pushing it all through Google, would you do it?

    Would it be advantageous to eliminate the Google dependency? Would a process that’s 20x faster and 100% internal to Airtable provide clear business and/or technical advantages?

    My feeling is that the best part of an automated machine is no part at all. Those who strive to eliminate parts tend to enjoy hyper-efficiencies and far lower costs of development and maintenance.


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