Access Automation via API

[Cycle_Cycle]

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:

[ScottWorld]

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

[Cycle_Cycle]

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?

[ScottWorld]

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

[Cycle_Cycle]

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!

[Bill_French]

Cycle_Cycle:

I want to better catalog and audit current automations within a workspace.

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.

[globers]

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@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.

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Wow. Airtable might as well stick a "Beta" label next to it! Thanks for the heads up, Scott!