I’ve created a simple 3 question SMS flow in Twilio and by using Zapier I am easily seeing new records and their SMS responses in Airtable.
How do I get all 3 responses added to the same record?
I did my best to search for this and came up short, I apologize if this has already been answered. Thank you!
Best answer by TheTimeSavingCo
Hey Evan, it sounds like each SMS response is triggering the Zap to make a new record in Airtable, would that be correct?
If so, may I know whether there’s a unique identifier that would group these 3 SMS responses together? Perhaps the respondee’s phone number?
If there is, we could create a new table called Compiled Responses and create a link field to your original table. We then update your Zap to also update the link field with the unique identifier (e.g. the phone number).
That way, the three records for each SMS response will be linked together, and we can create lookup fields in the Compiled Responses table to view the responses as one record
+28Hey Evan, it sounds like each SMS response is triggering the Zap to make a new record in Airtable, would that be correct?
If so, may I know whether there’s a unique identifier that would group these 3 SMS responses together? Perhaps the respondee’s phone number?
If there is, we could create a new table called Compiled Responses and create a link field to your original table. We then update your Zap to also update the link field with the unique identifier (e.g. the phone number).
That way, the three records for each SMS response will be linked together, and we can create lookup fields in the Compiled Responses table to view the responses as one record
Hey Evan, it sounds like each SMS response is triggering the Zap to make a new record in Airtable, would that be correct?
If so, may I know whether there’s a unique identifier that would group these 3 SMS responses together? Perhaps the respondee’s phone number?
If there is, we could create a new table called Compiled Responses and create a link field to your original table. We then update your Zap to also update the link field with the unique identifier (e.g. the phone number).
That way, the three records for each SMS response will be linked together, and we can create lookup fields in the Compiled Responses table to view the responses as one record
Correct, each SMS responses is triggering the Zap. The unique identifier I’m using is the phone number, also correct.
I’ve got it working! Thank you so much.
Now I’m wondering if it is possible for each of those responses to have their own column?
+28Correct, each SMS responses is triggering the Zap. The unique identifier I’m using is the phone number, also correct.
I’ve got it working! Thank you so much.
Now I’m wondering if it is possible for each of those responses to have their own column?
Hi Evan, apologies I think we may be having a misunderstanding.
I’ve put something together for you here.
This should be what you’re looking for, yes?
Hi Evan, apologies I think we may be having a misunderstanding.
I’ve put something together for you here.
This should be what you’re looking for, yes?
Yes! This is exactly it. What I have currently, is all responses ending up in one column, separated by columns and it’s not what I want at all.
How do I achieve what you have shown?
Thanks again!
+28Yes! This is exactly it. What I have currently, is all responses ending up in one column, separated by columns and it’s not what I want at all.
How do I achieve what you have shown?
Thanks again!
Hi Evan, to view the setup, you can duplicate the base by clicking the title of the base at the top of the screen, then the three horizontal dots on the right, and then the “Duplicate Base” button.
We need to create a new table called Compiled Responses and create a link field to your original table where Zapier creates records. We then update your Zap to also update the link field with the unique identifier (the phone number).
With this, the three records for each SMS response will be linked together, and we can create lookup fields in the Compiled Responses table to view the responses as one record
Hi Evan, to view the setup, you can duplicate the base by clicking the title of the base at the top of the screen, then the three horizontal dots on the right, and then the “Duplicate Base” button.
We need to create a new table called Compiled Responses and create a link field to your original table where Zapier creates records. We then update your Zap to also update the link field with the unique identifier (the phone number).
With this, the three records for each SMS response will be linked together, and we can create lookup fields in the Compiled Responses table to view the responses as one record
I apologize for the back and forth on this, I am fairly new to this level of automation.
I’m getting closer, but I’m messing up something in the Zap I think.
Please advise, and thank you so much for your time/help.
+28I apologize for the back and forth on this, I am fairly new to this level of automation.
I’m getting closer, but I’m messing up something in the Zap I think.
Please advise, and thank you so much for your time/help.
No worries man. It looks like you’ve got everything set up properly based on my understanding of what we’re trying to do.
In the screenshot you’ve provided, all the records are linked to a single phone number. I was under the impression there would only be three records linked to each phone number, and each record would have one response field filled, is that not the case?
So my screenshot is a little confusing, all of those records are from a single SMS survey that I responded to. I don’t know why there are repeats being stored in airtable, that’s what’s pointing me to a zapier error in my setup.
You are correct in understanding each person will only receive this survey one time.
+28So my screenshot is a little confusing, all of those records are from a single SMS survey that I responded to. I don’t know why there are repeats being stored in airtable, that’s what’s pointing me to a zapier error in my setup.
You are correct in understanding each person will only receive this survey one time.
Woah okay. So 12 records were created when we really only expect 3 records to be created. Could I get a screenshot of the Zap setup?
Woah okay. So 12 records were created when we really only expect 3 records to be created. Could I get a screenshot of the Zap setup?
It’s probably something to do with having 3 zaps… save me!
+28It’s probably something to do with having 3 zaps… save me!
Ah, yeah man, with the way it’s set up now all 3 zaps are running every time you get an SMS, and putting the same response into all 3 fields.
Is there a way to distinguish the SMS responses we’re getting so we can identify whether it’s a response to question 1, 2, or 3? That way we could use a conditional in the Zap and put things in the right fields
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