Using Timed Triggers and Last Modified in script

[Zehava_Rubin]

Hi the following is what I would like to accomplish:

When a records specific column changes, wait 30 min and if it hasn't changed again, send out an email.

Is this something that is possible in airtables automation?

Thank you

[TheTimeSavingCo · Accepted solution]

This isn't a direct option via Airtable automations, no.  The workaround involves using a "Last Modified Time" field only checks that specific field, a formula field that checks whether it's been at least half an hour, and then an automation that triggers off that formula field

The automation will not trigger half an hour after, generally due to the value of `NOW()` (which you'll need to use in the formula field) only updating in intervals and not in real time, and so your automation might trigger anywhere from half an hour after the field's updated to a few hours after

[Zehava_Rubin]

Airtables doesn't save the metadata of a records field last modified time if I am accessing it by code?

I would have to create a separate column just for the purpose of creating an automation?

[Zehava_Rubin]

Also, would the following affect the performance of airtables:

set up an automation with a trigger for when the record is updated and meets a certain condition, and then run a js script that "sleeps" i.e. setTimeout() for 30 min?

[TheTimeSavingCo]

> Airtables doesn't save the metadata of a records field last modified time if I am accessing it by code?
Not that I'm aware of.  Maybe there's an endpoint or something that I'm not familiar with that could get this data? 

> I would have to create a separate column just for the purpose of creating an automation?
Yeap

> and then run a js script that "sleeps" i.e. setTimeout() for 30 min?
Scripts in automations can run for a max of 30 seconds I believe.  If you're running that setTimeout on a server somewhere you could queue a job I guess