Skip to main content

Ability to lock fields

  • March 21, 2016
  • 76 replies
  • 228 views

Show first post

76 replies

Forum|alt.badge.img+9
  • Participating Frequently
  • April 1, 2019

  • New Participant
  • April 26, 2019

I too would love an update on this.

Aside from accidental deletion, for security reasons it’s never good to have everyone on your team have full access to any level of data.
This feature would protect the data from team members with lower authorisation removing data intentionally or otherwise.
Loosing any data within these tables could have a huge impact on various aspects of a business.


  • New Participant
  • May 6, 2019

Deciding whether Airtable would could be a CRM for us, but need to lock all fields to prevent user error.


Linda_Bonder
Forum|alt.badge.img+14
  • Known Participant
  • June 5, 2019

Is there an update? We want teachers to input their attendance without worrying that they’ll mess up the student records.


  • New Participant
  • June 22, 2019

Is there an update? We want teachers to input their attendance without worrying that they’ll mess up the student records.


This is a vital feature for airtable to be viable for storing anything but the most trivial information in the company.


  • New Participant
  • June 25, 2019

Is there an update on this? In using Airtable for a content audit, I’m finding it would be useful to prevent a sheet from accepting typos when selecting an answer in a pulldown menu.


  • Participating Frequently
  • July 19, 2019

I definitely want to be able to lock down certain fields to prevent accidental changes. In the schedules I work on, certain deadlines are fixed, and but deadlines for certain stages are adjustable. I’d like to be able to lock the fixed field so only an admin could make a change.

Could I make a particular field “read only” without making the view “read-only” ?


We’re wanting to switch from Google Sheets to Airtable and this is a must. I’m surprised this isn’t already a thing. Even if you did this at the view level rather than the collaborator. Allow a view to have read-only fields then we can determine who has access to certain views.


Meee tooooo ! Pleeeeeaaaaaase !


  • New Participant
  • September 5, 2019

Have we heard anything on this feature? This is becoming a problem point for us.


  • New Participant
  • September 11, 2019

Yes, please add this ability. It is very easy to accidentally edit the wrong cell (especially when a view is set to automatically sort or group). Once it gets accidentally edited it becomes very difficult to find and correct the mistake.

It would be extremely helpful to be able to lock on a per field basis.


Forum|alt.badge.img+2
  • Inspiring
  • September 12, 2019

I would appreciate an additional permission level so that as administrator I can give people the ability to add and edit data, but to prevent people from deleting a record. That is the biggest risk with our use of Airtable - someone accidentally deleting an entire record.

The ability to lock fields the way I can in Excel would also be a huge security help.


Forum|alt.badge.img+4

Any updates on this?


  • New Participant
  • October 3, 2019

I would like to track starting pay, but not share that with all collaborators. Have a field “starting pay” that can only be turned on with a password or by certain collaborators.


  • New Participant
  • November 25, 2019

This issue is almost 3 years old and not solved yet.
It seems almost certain that this feature won’t be added in a near future?


  • New Participant
  • January 9, 2020

Thanks for the feedback! It’s clear to us that our users want more granularity when it comes to controlling the permission levels per field. Including a locked field function is something many of our users have suggested, and it might fit into a more general overhaul of permissioning.

Would you want the ability to lock changes to be just to prevent accidental deletion? Are there any other purposes for which you would lock a field?

When you describe the ability to “lock changes,” can you describe more clearly how you would like the mechanics of that to work? Would you want a button that you can just click in the header of the column? Some setting in the field configuration menu? Would you want it to be password-locked? Something else?


Hi there - just a point on this - I think it’s really useful when fields are to be used by API only - would be great to lock these just to keep things secure and make sure systems are robust.


Forum|alt.badge.img+7
  • Participating Frequently
  • March 12, 2020

Another vote for this! I want some – especially new! – base collaborators to have some table editing permissions but not total. And to prevent myself even from changing some fields without entering a password or confirming the change.


3 years now we have been asking and nothing? Locking Field option? Disable record delete? Something? :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray:


  • New Participant
  • April 8, 2020

3 years now we have been asking and nothing? Locking Field option? Disable record delete? Something? :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray:


Field permissions are in beta now…I am using PRO and am testing…clutch feature, opens collaborative use possibilities up drastically. THANKS!


Im using pro and don’t see anything on field permissions…


Dean_Arnold
Forum|alt.badge.img+11
  • Inspiring
  • April 29, 2020

+1…
In my case, I’m using Airtable as a database/CMS for an app. For certain tables, If I make a change in airtable it won’t sync with my actual firebase database. So I need to lock fields so Admins, don’t think it will.


Thanks for the feedback! It’s clear to us that our users want more granularity when it comes to controlling the permission levels per field. Including a locked field function is something many of our users have suggested, and it might fit into a more general overhaul of permissioning.

Would you want the ability to lock changes to be just to prevent accidental deletion? Are there any other purposes for which you would lock a field?

When you describe the ability to “lock changes,” can you describe more clearly how you would like the mechanics of that to work? Would you want a button that you can just click in the header of the column? Some setting in the field configuration menu? Would you want it to be password-locked? Something else?


Hello, is there any update in this lock field feature? Since we work with the API this would be very important to have data consitency


Forum|alt.badge.img+2
  • Inspiring
  • June 30, 2020

Thanks for the feedback! It’s clear to us that our users want more granularity when it comes to controlling the permission levels per field. Including a locked field function is something many of our users have suggested, and it might fit into a more general overhaul of permissioning.

Would you want the ability to lock changes to be just to prevent accidental deletion? Are there any other purposes for which you would lock a field?

When you describe the ability to “lock changes,” can you describe more clearly how you would like the mechanics of that to work? Would you want a button that you can just click in the header of the column? Some setting in the field configuration menu? Would you want it to be password-locked? Something else?


Use case : I am the only user of my base. I have multi-select fields which are very sensitive (linked to external APIs) and I want to lock myself from accidentally creating new options while creating/editing records (which happens way too often…).

Expected functionality : In the “Customize field type” section of the column header, I expect to see a switch ON/OFF called “Block creation of new options when editing records”. Not asking for granularity among users : I just want to make sure the available options can only be edited from the “Customize field type” section.

Actually, if that option is / becomes available, I would use it for most of my Single-select fields, since in my opinion such fields are often meant to be used in formulas and should not be messed with. I do consider that option should be a default, and the switch should be labelled “Allow the creation of new option while editing records”. But that is obviously just a personal opinion ! Whichever way, as long as the switch exists :slightly_smiling_face:

Thanks for any feedback (does this option already exist in a way ?) and listening to community requests !


Thanks for the feedback! It’s clear to us that our users want more granularity when it comes to controlling the permission levels per field. Including a locked field function is something many of our users have suggested, and it might fit into a more general overhaul of permissioning.

Would you want the ability to lock changes to be just to prevent accidental deletion? Are there any other purposes for which you would lock a field?

When you describe the ability to “lock changes,” can you describe more clearly how you would like the mechanics of that to work? Would you want a button that you can just click in the header of the column? Some setting in the field configuration menu? Would you want it to be password-locked? Something else?


I need a way to keep records from accidently being deleted. It’s frustrating that even with the pro plan I can only see deleted records for the last 7 days. I have had a few records disappear and there is no way to look for them if you don’t realize until after a week, and there is nothing to prevent this from happening. The ability to lock and unlock would add a layer of protection to keep things from being deleted accidently.


Forum|alt.badge.img+4
  • Inspiring
  • July 5, 2020

Hi, we released field & table editing permissions in April.

With field and table editing permissions, you can limit who can make certain changes to a field or table. For example, you can make sure that only some coworkers can mark a project as approved, or prevent anyone from inadvertently deleting records.

You can learn more here:

Thank you for all the feedback!