Feature Requests: Automations—Named Script Actions, Re-order Actions, & Change Trigger Type

Avana_Vana · ‎Dec 18, 2020

Hello, Airtable—I would like to request the following simple features for the automations section:

A user should be able to name to scripts added as actions in automations, so that when users are looking at the overview in the “Steps” tab, they can easily see what each script is doing, without having to open up the code and read the code to figure it out.
A user should be able to re-order actions in the automations screen.
A user should be able to change the trigger to a different type after initial creation, not just update the previously selected trigger’s details. Currently a user has to create a completely new trigger, copy the contents and settings of the original trigger and each of its action steps, and then delete the original, all to just change the type.

Bill_French · ‎Dec 19, 2020

There’s only one explanation for these missing, but extremely obvious requirements.

The developers who created the automation features and the “product manager” who drove this addition have not used Airtable to build actual processes that require automation.

Avana_Vana · ‎Dec 21, 2020

Yeah.

For #1 I’ve just taken to documenting each script with JSdoc style header comments so I don’t have to “full screen” all my code blocks to remember which is which. But still… I have dozens of automations, some with 4+ steps in each, and it would be very nice to just glance at the titles and understand what the entire automation is doing, instead of just seeing “Run script…Run script…Run script…Run script”

Kai_Soremekun · ‎Mar 05, 2021

As somewhat of a newbie, but also because things can change. Having to recreate an automation with a lot of detail simply because I have no way of changing the trigger type is reeeeaaaaaaalllllllyyy frustrating. :slightly_smiling_face:
It almost defeats the purpose of automation. lol

Celeste_Bancos · ‎Mar 21, 2021

Agreed! It would also be great if we could re-use the same script for multiple triggers. I made a script to send a webhook when a record is created and I’d like to send the same webhook if a particular field is updated. I can copy and paste the actual code pretty easily but the annoying part is having to configure all the input variables a second time. Though if I could copy the automation and just change the trigger type, that would work too!

Lauma_Gailite1 · ‎Apr 16, 2021

Uuuu, thank you for initiating this thread, I’m voting with all arms and legs for this to be worked on :winking_face: I haven’t gotten to scripts yet (no skills, no scripts) but changing the Trigger would be super mega useful. I’ve created an email that sends people the answers they provided in a form (smth like 20 questions) and to use it for existing entries as well as new ones, I would love to change the initial trigger (which I now realise I have chosen poorly) :frowning: but I can’t… even…

Avana_Vana · ‎Jan 24, 2022

Update:

Well—Airtable added #1 in the form of a “Description” field on all actions, not just Script Actions, so that’s good!

But #2 and #3 are still very much missing, and to #3 I’d like to add: the ability to duplicate actions, especially now that there are conditional actions.

Joel_R_Putnam · ‎Jan 26, 2022

Wait, we still can’t reorder actions? We have to recreate them manually?