Help

Launched: Preview email option in Automations

cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
Adam_Minich
Airtable Employee
Airtable Employee

Happy Friday community!

I wanted to let everyone know about a handy update to the 3 current email actions available in our Automations feature:

  1. Send an email
  2. Outlook email: Send email
  3. Gmail: Send email

You can now preview an email that you are crafting, before testing any of these actions! This means no more multiple email tests before getting the formatting of the email the way you want it to look. Here’s an example using the “Gmail: Send email” action:

gmailPreviewEmail_7_16_21

This feature also allows you to more easily see which test record is being used by our system so you can let a collaborator or client know to disregard any test emails that are sent while you finalize your automation’s setup.

Note that the “To”, “Subject”, and “Message” fields must be filled in for the “Preview email” button to become clickable.

My workmate, Rose, will have another update later today, so keep an eye out! 👀

11 Comments
Karlstens
11 - Venus
11 - Venus

This is super useful, thanks!

One important problem that needs fixing regarding “Find Records” based on “View” is that the order of fields set in the view is ignored, and the order of fields in the “Find Records” return is based on the field creation date - which is simply nonsensical and needs to be flagged for urgent review.

My view below, note the order of the fields is what I desire to be displayed in the email;
image

Unfortunately the “Get Records” doesn’t respect this, as per the Preview Email screenshot below;
image

Keep the improvements coming, I look forward to them. Thanks team AT. :slightly_smiling_face:

Chris_Ward
5 - Automation Enthusiast
5 - Automation Enthusiast

I used the Automations feature to send emails today for the first time, it’s amazing! :heart_eyes:

Rebecca_Elam
9 - Sun
9 - Sun

i think they might be in the order you turn them on with the switches?

Adam_Minich
Airtable Employee
Airtable Employee

Hello! Adam from Airtable here.

I was unable to reproduce the behavior you described concerning field ordering. In the GIF shared below you will notice that once I move the order of the fields around, one field created first and another second, the rendered output respects the change and results in a different email output.

Shared with CloudApp

If I happened to miss something, then please let me know and I will investigate further. :winking_face:

Chris_Ward
5 - Automation Enthusiast
5 - Automation Enthusiast

Hi Adam, even support have documented about the order of fields:

Adam_Minich
Airtable Employee
Airtable Employee

@Chris_Ward and @Karlstens

I created a short video of the issue as I understand it. I’m still unable to reproduce an issue with the way field order renders in the output.

Karlstens
11 - Venus
11 - Venus

Yo @Adam_Minich thanks for checking this. I’m taking timeout on my Friday morning out to test this and firstly I find this - newly added Monthly Day Triggers, including last day! I swear these were not here a week ago…

ttyEkizo3A

This is so wicked! I mentioned this missing option to support last week, and it’s so cool how team AT have added just as I started to need it. Best start to my Friday. :grinning_face_with_big_eyes:

And in checking the (un-grouped) Field Order problem that I encountered this time last month, this also looks to have now been addressed;

image

Heart Heart Heart

Importantly however, testing Grouped record views, they too now appear to be displaying the correct Field and Record order - some feedback below regarding Groups - there would be some users keen to have Group Record data also in their export grid.

image

And for extra points, if the Collapsed state of Groups in fields could also be respected within an email. This might be tricky, in that I don’t think there’s any way to automatically control the collapse of a group in a grouped view?

image

Regardless of these latter missing nice-to-have group features, Thank you so much for sorting this out, so very awesome!

Chris_Ward
5 - Automation Enthusiast
5 - Automation Enthusiast

Here you go @Adam_Minich, it looks like the order changes if fields are hidden:

Not ideal that other users can influence the management reports this way unknowingly.

It would be better if the “Choose property” > “Render with fields” picker…

image

Looked like the “Hidden fields” one where you can drag the order:

image

Adam_Minich
Airtable Employee
Airtable Employee

@Chris_Ward and @Karlstens

Thanks to you both for the feedback and suggestions. Glad that we have at least updated a few of the original concerns. I’ll look into the other items you mentioned and follow-up should I have more news or workarounds to report.

Cheers🍻

Karlstens
11 - Venus
11 - Venus

Thanks so much @Adam_Minich

With another end-of-month approaching, having an Automation with the ability to email a Views Grouped format would save me a-lot of messing about. Fingers crossed this enhancement is in the AT pipeline.