Help

Re: Anybody got REMOVE.BG and Zapier with AirTable working?

2923 0
cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

My table has a column with a single image which I need to process via remove.bg (to remove background). I want the processed image to be loaded to a new column NEXT to the column with the original image. And I have many records in the table so I need the process to be automatic.

airtablebg

AirTable automation doesn’t seem to offer way to deal with REMOVE.BG so I am trying to setup Zapier (haven’t tried Integromat yet, but that’s another option).

Zapier flow works but the issue is, the flow doesn’t allow me to add the processed image in a new column next to the original image.

I sent support request to Remove.BG but I don’t think this is an issue with Remove.BG. It’s a limitation with the AirTable ZAP in Zapier.

To get it working in Zapier, the Zap flow has 3 parts.

Part 1:
When this happens …

  1. New Record in Airtable
    This is a trigger and it will start when a new record is added in my table. Of course the new record will have the image I want to process. The image will be in Column B. Column A is Title.

Part 2:
Do this …
2. Remove Image Background in remove.bg
This will process the image. Works fine and output is created.

bg2

Do this …
3. Create Record in Airtable
This will add the processed image to AirTable.

bg3

This step offers 3 Events
A) Create Record
Creates a new record with auto-populating fields.
B) Update Record
Update the values of specific cells in an Airtable record.
C) Find Record
Use simple field search or Airtable’s powerful formula syntax to find a matching Airtable record. Learn more at https://support.airtable.com/hc/en-us/articles/218151657.

The issue is - NEITHER of these work as I expect it to work.

Option A - create new record
Option A works fine but it creates the record in a new table. So I end up with a separate new table containing the processed images. To get the processed images back to my main table (containing original image) requires linking both tables using e.g. the Title field and doing lookup for the processed image field. This is way too complicated and messy and requires manual work to select the linked record.

Option B update SPECIFIC CELL
Option B would be perfect but the issue is Zapier only updates (= overwrites) specific FIXED CELL in table. That means, this Zap Event doesn’t upload the processed image into the same line record (same record ID) from where the original picture came. With this Event Zapier is fixated on a specific CELL in the table, so if I have 50 lines in the table, then all processed images are updated in the same field and every time a new image is processed in Remove.BG, it will OVERWRITE the previous processed image. So all new images will always overwrite the same cell.

Option C is to find a record.
Option C Event is to find a record. I tried to experiment with this in hope it can solve the issue but I don’t see how it can resolve it, because if I use this event, I still have to add either Option A or Option B as s following step to get the data updated in AirTable.

I am going to try Integrator to see how it is able to handle the Remove.BV and AirTable integration because I don’t see how this can work with Zapier the way I need it.

Wondering if anybody got it working the way I describe. Remove.BG is a wonderful service to get pictures formatted for Amazon or other market places that required background free images.

UPDATE: I eddited the post to add clarity when referring to “CELL” instead saying "record"

10 Replies 10

If you have budget and don’t want to troubleshoot the Zapier integration, MiniExtension’s Bulk Remove Image Background might be a good fit for you.

Thank you, yes I have seen it but it’s a bit beyond my budget.

OK. I figured it out. Here are below screenshots of the Zapier flow. Note, it does require Zapier $20 Starter account at least (or the trial account). I’d prefer paying $20 for paid account for AirTable if I was able to use Remove.BG directly with its Automations.

Airt1

Airt2 Airt3 Airt4 Airt5 Airt6 Airt7

Glad that you were able to work it out.

Thank you for posting such detailed instructions for anyone else who might want to accomplish the same task!

UPDATE:

OK, I got it working in Integromat as well.

Here I put some additional notes about it:

Here are screenshots:

airint-final
AirtIntegra2
AirtIntegra3
airint-r1
airint-r2
AirtIntegra5
airint-r3

Another option to watch is company called https://automate.io/ . They are adding integrations quickly and are quite responsive to requests. They do have AirTable integration but no Remove.BG at this point.

UPDATE:
I removed my comments about number of credits this Integromat flow consumes. My assumption was wrong. It only costs 5 credits.

Anybody up to the challenge to integrate Automate.IO with Remove.BG ?? Please help. They offer a ton of credits with the accounts.

You can look at using webhooks

Or looking at their SDK.

You can work with them and their SDK to get it working. They are willing to help and work with you. Let me know and I’ll put them together with you.

I am not a programmer and I have no clue about either of these things.

Great instructions! One thing though - how can I get the full version of the file from Google Drive to Airtable rather than just the thumbnail? The thumbnail is too small for what I need it for.

Do you have the paid version of Remove.BG? If you have the paid version, their API should allow you to download the full version of the image. With the free version you only get the 500x500 size. High resolution is not free. Or maybe you get actually 1 high-res picture free with the free account, so you can try if it works. If it still does’t work, I would suggest contact integromat. However, keep in mind, integromat was just acquired by another company so the fate of their solution remains unclair (= most likely they will shut it down for non-enterprise users), so Zapier may be the best bet and you then contact Zapier (and you have the have paid Zapier account to use Zapier for the workflow).