I am using Airtable for project management. I am trying to shift some of our proposal generation to Airtable and see some promise with the Page Designer Feature.
Just wondering – is it possible to generate multiple pages from a single record? Basically, for each job, I have several components that take up most of a sheet of paper. I need to have a summary table of work to be completed below that, along with terms and conditions.
Our current proposals are 6 pages long using Microsoft Word
Now granted, Formstack Documents is pretty expensive, although they’ve lowered their prices recently. It used to cost $100 per month for only 10 documents, but now it’s $32 per month for 30 documents.
So far as I can tell Formstack integration supports creating a document from a single record.
I think I’m going to have to .csv download my table and find an alternative for document generation that doesn’t create lots of whitespace or cut off the records.
I have been using Airtable on a free plan for work and personal projects, for about 18 months and it’s brilliant for creating and managing content.
I have been considering upgrading from the free plan to get access to Blocks, primarily Page Designer. I have delayed doing so because I can’t find enough info on how it actually works.
I would want to use it for multi-page documents (think of something like a recipe book), which would typically have one page per row. I would also want to create single page documents with extensive control over the layout.
From what I can see here, Page Designer doesn’t come close to being able to do either of these, so it doesn’t make sense for me to upgrade.
Maybe my expectations are too high, but my work is equal part creating and managing content, and presenting it visually, so while Airtable really ticks the box on the content part, I am struggling to find a solution for the presentation.
Disappointed in this limited functionality to say the least.
Come on @Airtable, we need multi-page paper space per entry in the Page Designer block.
+1000 for this. There are not that many documents/reports that fit on one page.
Just thought I would throw this workaround out there… Have you ever tried WebMerge? It allows you to upload a fillable PDF, then using Zapier you can choose which Airtable fields should be fed into which fields on the PDF. You can then email that pdf in another step to the zap, or even attach it to your record.
Downfalls:
Depending on the range of info from record to record, it might not work for you to always use the same static PDF. I do love the way Page Designer can dynamically resize the grids for linked records, and a PDF doesn’t have that functionality (at least not that I can wrap my head around… :slightly_smiling_face: )
WebMerge costs are a bit discouraging. However they do allow 5 merges per month with a free trial, and all the test versions you do are free as well :slightly_smiling_face:
All of that being said, if Page Designer could allow for multiple pages that would be wonderful. I also would love to see integrations worked in for Blocks - it would be great to automate the process of saving a pdf of the page designer record and attaching to a record or emailing it.
I’m a big fan of Airtable. The big convenience is to have EVERYTHING in one place. If we have te go back 'n forward with other apps and programs. It’s basicly the same as spreadsheets… I’m actually baffled this simple multiple page option isn’t a thing yet.
Hey AIRTABLE!!! How about a little community feedback to confirm this is on the radar and (hopefully) where it is in the pipeline?!?
Hey AIRTABLE!!! How about a little community feedback to confirm this is on the radar and (hopefully) where it is in the pipeline?!?
@David_Meyers, I think it’s a safe bet this is not on the plan for the very near future. Airtable has been focused on big improvements: Scripting Block, Custom Blocks, and Automations.
I think the real question is how long until someone builds an open-source custom block to outperform the current Page Designer.
Now granted, Formstack Documents is pretty expensive, although they’ve lowered their prices recently. It used to cost $100 per month for only 10 documents, but now it’s $32 per month for 30 documents.
$100/month to replicate notepad is not very impressive to me at all.
The greatest thing that could happen is that the SaaS craze dies out and people start to create actual value again.
For the amount of money they charge (per user) having half baked features like this is a bit of a let-down.
You can design business cards!! Ya know, like you never would ever do in Airtable
I have been using Airtable on a free plan for work and personal projects, for about 18 months and it’s brilliant for creating and managing content.
I have been considering upgrading from the free plan to get access to Blocks, primarily Page Designer. I have delayed doing so because I can’t find enough info on how it actually works.
I would want to use it for multi-page documents (think of something like a recipe book), which would typically have one page per row. I would also want to create single page documents with extensive control over the layout.
From what I can see here, Page Designer doesn’t come close to being able to do either of these, so it doesn’t make sense for me to upgrade.
Maybe my expectations are too high, but my work is equal part creating and managing content, and presenting it visually, so while Airtable really ticks the box on the content part, I am struggling to find a solution for the presentation.
It’s the single biggest shortcoming to the entire platform. Keeping huge amounts of data all linked together is amazing, but Airtable is virtually impossible to export outside of the native environment.
Replicating thousands of records that should just be printable is sort of a MVP thing in my mind, like what’s the point of using the program if I can’t generate output, we already had excel and I didn’t have to pay/month for that.
I have been using Airtable on a free plan for work and personal projects, for about 18 months and it’s brilliant for creating and managing content.
I have been considering upgrading from the free plan to get access to Blocks, primarily Page Designer. I have delayed doing so because I can’t find enough info on how it actually works.
I would want to use it for multi-page documents (think of something like a recipe book), which would typically have one page per row. I would also want to create single page documents with extensive control over the layout.
From what I can see here, Page Designer doesn’t come close to being able to do either of these, so it doesn’t make sense for me to upgrade.
Maybe my expectations are too high, but my work is equal part creating and managing content, and presenting it visually, so while Airtable really ticks the box on the content part, I am struggling to find a solution for the presentation.
@Lynnsey_Schneider,
If you are looking for a one page per row solution, then the page designer is probably perfect for you. You would design the page for an individual recipie. Then you can print all of the records in a specific view. One record per page.
The major failing of the page designer block is desiring multi-page PDFs for a single record.
In fact, my biggest issue is that the page designer block lacks the ability to change the page length based on the length of the record’s content. I have some short records and some very long ones.
@Lynnsey_Schneider,
If you are looking for a one page per row solution, then the page designer is probably perfect for you. You would design the page for an individual recipie. Then you can print all of the records in a specific view. One record per page.
The major failing of the page designer block is desiring multi-page PDFs for a single record.
In fact, my biggest issue is that the page designer block lacks the ability to change the page length based on the length of the record’s content. I have some short records and some very long ones.
Thanks @Paul_Warren. My main requirement is actually to be able to create single page documents, combining multiple rows of data. An example would be a project plan, a weekly meal planner, or a travel itinerary.
My hack at the moment is to export the table as a CSV, and dumping it into something like Miro or Sketch to do the visual design. Every time the data changes I have to do that again which is a giant nuisance.
Any suggestions for a better solution / workflow would be great.
Thanks @Paul_Warren. My main requirement is actually to be able to create single page documents, combining multiple rows of data. An example would be a project plan, a weekly meal planner, or a travel itinerary.
My hack at the moment is to export the table as a CSV, and dumping it into something like Miro or Sketch to do the visual design. Every time the data changes I have to do that again which is a giant nuisance.
Any suggestions for a better solution / workflow would be great.
Here are a couple of videos on the page designer block that I think will help you. I believe this could work for you, but it would depend on how nice it needs to look. Currently there is very limited control of the display of linked records:
Now granted, Formstack Documents is pretty expensive, although they’ve lowered their prices recently. It used to cost $100 per month for only 10 documents, but now it’s $32 per month for 30 documents.
Thanks Scott. I’ll look into Docupilot. I’d be converting from my weak local currency to USD so Formstack isn’t an option.
Thanks Scott. I’ll look into Docupilot. I’d be converting from my weak local currency to USD so Formstack isn’t an option.
@Lynnsey_Schneider You’re welcome! :slightly_smiling_face: DocuPilot also works with Integromat or Zapier for communication with Airtable, and Integromat would be my preference because it is cheaper and more powerful than Zapier.
+1 for this feature ASAP, please!
For a more advanced layout, you could always try to get something custom developed by talking to the API, or use the ‘Scripting’ block.
The Scripting block has a print button, but you can ‘print to pdf’ if a pdf is what you want. This works fine for reports, overviews,… you need to generate ad hoc.
I also needed to have reports sent by email every weekday/week. Did this by having an external script talk to the API, which is fairly well documented. If you have a bit of software dev knowledge, or now someone who does, then this is something you can do in days rather than weeks.
I have to admit I was rather underwhelmed by the Page Designer too.
I think Multiple Page is a must have for Page Designer and Airtable.
+1 for this - I came looking for what I was sure would be something very obvious that I’d missed…but it seems not!
I’ve got around it previously by creating an A3 sized report but currently WFH with access to A4 printer only.
+1 - This feature just make sense and it would be very helpful! I also think it should be possible to export separate PDFs at once. For example, if you wish to create certificates for participants. Right now you could only create one super big pdf
+1 - Need it. How could someone possibly make an invoice or organized list of items that is longer than what can fit on a single page? Should be a no-brainer.
+1. I’m quite surprised that this issue with Page Designer still hasn’t been addressed more than 2.5 years after this post. It seems like a real limitation with the App and something relatively easy for Airtable to fix.
@Jason, I tagged you as you appear to post in the announcement area. Is there anyone at Airtable that can address this thread? Page Designer is currently one of Airtable’s greatest strengths and weaknesses. Thank you!
Without this function, Page Designer is actually useless for inventory purposes. Please develop…
I have started to use Airtable 1 hour ago for the first time. I was excited until I came up here LOL.
