Automation triggered without a new record?

[Zoltan_Paksy]

Hi,

I’ve been using Airtable to manage and automate registrations for events.
I set automation to confirm the registration. The trigger was a “When a record is created”, i.e. when someone completed the registration form.

After the event, I did not switch the automation off, and I inserted a new column into the same sheet to indicate who participated in the event (checkbox).

Problem: Registered people who could not participate at the event complained about receiving my automated message confirming his/her registration after the event a second time.

Previously, I assumed a record was when someone completed my form.

Please help me to understand what happened. If the inserted new column was a new record/trigger, why only just a part of registered people received the automated?

With thanks

[Adam_Minich · Accepted solution]

Hello @Zoltan_Paksy,

Adam from Airtable here.

The issue you are experiencing with your automations is stemming from how our UI treats the “When a record is created” trigger. This trigger fires the automation exactly when the record is created. This is great for form submissions or csv uploads, but the trigger fires a little too quickly when you are performing manual record creation from within the Airtable UI. One workaround would look something like this:

1. Create a new view called “Automation view”

2. Create a filter option where only records that have every field filled in enter the view

3. Create a new automation using the “When record enters view” trigger

4. Tie this trigger to the new view you just created

Using this method, the automation should only fire once all of the fields have the correct information. Alternatively, you could also use a checkbox field and create a view that only shows records with a checkmark and follow the rest of the above workaround. More information on troubleshooting Automations can be found here.

[Zoltan_Paksy]

Adam_Minich:

Adam from Airtable here.

The issue you are experiencing with your automations is stemming from how our UI treats the “When a record is created” trigger. This trigger fires the automation exactly when the record is created. This is great for form submissions or csv uploads, but the trigger fires a little too quickly when you are performing manual record creation from within the Airtable UI. One workaround would look something like this:

1. Create a new view called “Automation view”
2. Create a filter option where only records that have every field filled in enter the view
3. Create a new automation using the “When record enters view” trigger
4. Tie this trigger to the new view you just created

Using this method, the automation should only fire once all of the fields have the correct information. Alternatively, you could also use a checkbox field and create a view that only shows records with a checkmark and follow the rest of the above workaround. More information on troubleshooting Automations can be found here.

Thank you, Adam. Very useful.