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Introducing Document Automator

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Scott_White
6 - Interface Innovator
6 - Interface Innovator

:wave: Hello! I’m Scott – a product manager at Airtable who worked on the development of document automator – the newest way to get Airtable data into formatted documents.

What is document automator?

Available to those on Pro and Enterprise plans, Document automator is a new integration with Google Docs and associated automation action that enables you to export formatted Airtable data directly into Google docs, where you can format and collaborate on that data to your heart’s content.

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Furthermore, because document automator is built into automations, you can use other automations like Slack or Email to automatically share the created document with others, fully automating the process of creating and distributing published reports or status updates.

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How can I use document automator?

Document automator is perfect for creating point-in-time reports or status updates that can be shared with people who don’t have access to Airtable, when you want to editorialize around the data, or when you want to facilitate feedback and discussion about the data. Common use-cases for document automator include:

  • OKR (objectives and key responsibilities) updates
  • Roadmap updates
  • Campaign performance reports
  • Publishing Retrospectives

What about Interface Designer or Page Designer?

While similar, Interface Designer and Page Designer are meant to accomplish different use cases:

  • Document automator: Point-in-time reports/status updates leveraging Airtable data across multiple records, meant to be communicated to audiences that may/may not live in Airtable (or be close to the work), allowing broad access (ie. Google docs) across the org. This helps with distribution and permissioning issues, as well as facilitating comments and discussions directly on the report.
  • Interface Designer: Live-refreshing dashboards or surfaces for collaboration on live data
  • Page Designer: Visual assets (physical printed page design, mock-ups) based on individual records (like a real estate brief, business card, etc.)

Where can I learn more?

To learn more about how to use document automator, check out the launch blog post, or help center article.

I’ll also be hosting a Community AMA to talk all things content automator on June 29, at 9 am PT where you’ll have the opportunity to see the feature in action and ask any questions you may have. You can register now here, and I can’t wait to see you online.

We can’t wait to see what you create with the document automator and would love to hear your thoughts below.

If you are on a pro or enterprise plan and not seeing these changes reflected in your workspace, try clearing your cache.

63 Comments
ScottWorld
18 - Pluto
18 - Pluto

The hidden feature here that I learned from @openside and @Kamille_Parks is that after a document is generated, you can automatically generate a PDF of that document and then insert it into an Airtable attachment field.

You just need to add /export?format=pdf after the URL.

Note: This feature requires that your document be generated in a publicly-accessible folder.

Here’s a screenshot that @Kamille_Parks provided for me:

image

Carter_McKay1
5 - Automation Enthusiast
5 - Automation Enthusiast

I really like that feature but the problem is that Airtable markdown is SO limited in it’s functionality that it’s pretty much useless in creating documents that require images (attachments) or formatting. If Airtable use Github’s extended markdown I would be fine using this as a replacement to Page Designer, and it being a little more complicated than it should be but it’s like why would you do this Airtable.

ScottWorld
18 - Pluto
18 - Pluto

Yep. Agreed. What we really need is a vastly improved Page Designer. It’s what all of us have been hoping for!

Carter_McKay1
5 - Automation Enthusiast
5 - Automation Enthusiast

Even if they kept Page Design how it is for now but allowed us to interface with it through either an automation action or even just a API would be better then the Document Automator.

Carter_McKay1
5 - Automation Enthusiast
5 - Automation Enthusiast

Exactly, I couldn’t agree more. There are countless post in the community about these 4 features. If a customer wants to create a document in docs automatically, use the docs API paired with scripting. Then focus all the developer energy into creating a better page designer.

Tristan-ARG
6 - Interface Innovator
6 - Interface Innovator

Totally agree, instead of making a new APP, just add this four features to the Page Deisgner. That was enough.

Instead of a fully working feature there are three incomplete corpses.

kuovonne
18 - Pluto
18 - Pluto

I believe that Airtable is working on both, just with different teams. At the Daretable conference a few months ago, Airtable staff mentioned that work was being done on Page Designer, but did not include a timeline or a feature list.

Andrew_Davies
7 - App Architect
7 - App Architect

I agree. Seems odd to have another document creating option. Will confuse new users.

Though I will find it useful, it’s no where near as powerful as Automated Documents for Airtable | On2Air or Documint.

Andrew_Davies
7 - App Architect
7 - App Architect

You can do exactly that. Just sort / filter your view the way you want it first

Joe_Hewes
7 - App Architect
7 - App Architect

I wonder why is this feature hidden?