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Multiple Bases vs Single bases

Topic Labels: Base design
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Jason_Jakarta
7 - App Architect
7 - App Architect

Hello everyone,

I have been working on building and designing systems using Airtable for a while now, and I have developed a preference for creating different connecting bases. For example, I typically build a CRM System Base and a Project Management Base that have synchronized tables but operate independently.

My main objective has been to keep the bases as user-friendly as possible by minimizing the number of tables and allowing independent access for contributors. This approach has worked well, although it does have some drawbacks.

Lately, I have been focusing more on building interfaces, and this has helped mitigate the issue of having too many tables. Users no longer see or care about the number of tables present, which allows me to design the base structure purely based on functionality, without having to prioritize usability as much.

I am curious to hear other perspectives and thoughts on this topic, as I am currently leaning towards using one larger base in most cases.

Thank you.

 

 

4 Replies 4
Shannon_Bradley
7 - App Architect
7 - App Architect

I just recently merged two of my bases to improve usability, and am starting to learn the interface system. The longer I use Airtable the more I learn, the more complex I can get......though sometimes learning a new thing totally simplifies what I have done previously!

Thanks for the reply Shannon. Interested to hear you merging bases. Did these bases have synced tables between them or where they independent of each other  

They were independent, but when I decided to set up a third thing that needed info from both it ended up being easier to merge them into one than it would have been to sync into a third. At the same time I learned new things that actually simplified my overall setup.  That is what is so cool about AirTable, the more I learn the more I can do, generally in a better way 🙂

Jason_Jakarta
7 - App Architect
7 - App Architect

Yeah, I'm leaning towards using one base in the future where possible. Just looking for reasons not to so I make sure I consider everything