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Mar 25, 2022 06:57 PM
Does anyone know if it’s possible to access a list of a bases Automations (and corresponding steps) via Airtable API?
If not now - does anyone know if it’s on their roadmap?
Desperate for it :pleading_face:
Mar 25, 2022 07:06 PM - edited Sep 08, 2024 06:25 AM
No, this is not part of the API, and it doesn’t seem like it is on their roadmap.
For advanced automations with full API access like what you’re requesting, I would highly recommend using Make’s advanced automations & integrations for Airtable.
— ScottWorld, Expert Airtable Consultant
Mar 25, 2022 07:32 PM
I want to better catalog and audit current automations within a workspace.
Automations created by a large team can get unruly and chaotic.
Accessing all automations across a workspace via API would be a game changer in terms of having better transparency and insight into the automations currently running.
Does that make sense?
Mar 25, 2022 07:49 PM - edited Sep 08, 2024 06:29 AM
I highly doubt that this will come anytime soon to Airtable, and there are also tons of other limitations with Airtable’s automations as well.
Just to name a few: Limit of 50 automations per base, limit of 25 action steps per automation, no ability to combine repeating actions and conditionals, no ability to go down multiple conditional paths in a single automation, no ability to control error notification emails, no ability to assign automations to certain users or groups, no ability to search through automations/runs/errors, no ability to copy/paste automations or action steps, no ability to export/import automations, no ability to backup/archive automations, no ability to hide sensitive information (such as API keys) in automations or automation scripts, and so many more limitations.
Airtable is not a professional automation tool, so I wouldn’t recommend using Airtable for documenting or auditing or cataloging automations.
If you want to take a truly professional approach to automations, I would highly recommend Make’s advanced automations for Airtable — and Make also has the blueprinting tools that you’re looking for as well.
Hope this helps!
— ScottWorld, Expert Airtable Consultant
Mar 25, 2022 07:59 PM
Thanks for all the help! I definitely already use both Make and Zapier (and a few others) but was hoping for a bit better control over native Airtable automations.
Sad to hear there are so many shortcomings!
Mar 27, 2022 09:13 AM
Catalog them manually is your only choice [today]. Since you can’t have more than 25 anyway, an API really doesn’t help much, but I agree, it would be nice. Airtable is not known for anticipating API needs that involve internal processes and resources, so this is likely not on their radar.
Sep 08, 2024 02:49 AM
@ScottWorld wrote:Limit of 25 automations per base, limit of 25 steps per automation, no ability to control error notification emails, no ability to prevent people from editing/deleting/changing/disabling/enabling automations, no ability to assign automations to certain users or groups, no ability to search through automations/runs/errors, no ability to copy/paste automations or automation steps, no ability to export/import automations, no ability to backup/archive automations, no ability to hide sensitive information (such as API keys) in automations or automation scripts, and so many more limitations.
Wow. Airtable might as well stick a "Beta" label next to it! Thanks for the heads up, Scott!