Interface Page Limit

[JakeD]

Making this note incase anyone else runs into this issue.

As is listed on the Airtable website, there is a limit of 50 interfaces per base and 50 pages per interface. 

However, what is not made clear is what constitutes a "page". One might be mistaken to believe (understandably as I did) that "page" would be a "page" as is listed when you go to EDIT > "add page". (*sarcasm intended here)

However, when in one interface I had 22 pages, my "add page" option suddenly greyed out. (see attached screenshot for reference). 

I tried to work with Airtable support on why this was happening, but they didn't seem to understand the issue and kept giving advice about record limits (which I am only using 3% of my 50,000 record limit and repetively explained to them that was not the issue I was asking about). But I won't comment on the unhelpful support beyond that.

To help all of you who may be facing this same frustratingly bizarre problem, I'll explain what I discovered on my own. 

WHAT IS A "PAGE" Really: What counts as a page in the interface is not simply the list of pages when you go to "add page". Instead, any page that also uses multiple ways to view that page, counts as a page (see image).

Example: You have a Page for viewing contacts. Your default view might be "List View". Great that is one page. However, you may (inside that page) include different ways to view that same data. You perhaps select, Calendar view, and Grid as well.  

Well, now you are apparently using 3 pages according to Airtable. 

Be aware of this everyone, as it isn't explained anywhere and Airtable support, unfortunately, couldn't seem to understand when I explained it to them and I had to figure it out on my own through troubleshooting.

Peace 🙂 

[JakeD]

Much appreciated @ScottWorld. I'm just glad I was at least able to figure it out after hours of reverse engineering and troubleshooting. So at least now we know what the TRUE limitation is (and I hope it's helpful to others with this thread at least here).

I'm going to bookmark that TableForums page!

[Phil_Rose]

(I'm Phil and I work on the Product team at Airtable. 👋)

Thanks for highlighting this issue and sharing the thorough writeup of your investigation, @JakeD.

To clarify one point in some of the earlier posts, using different visualisations (e.g. a List and a Grid and a Calendar) on one page does not influence the page limit. No matter the number of visualisations used, that still only counts as one page.

As @kuovonne suggested and you confirmed, distinct layouts used for forms (that appear in centred modal dialogs, when you allow "Users to add records") and record detail pages (that appear as full pages or in sidesheets, when you allow users to "Click into record details") also count towards the page limit. That is a confusing experience - as you noted - because you're unable to manage these through the overall list of pages, and this doesn't line up with what's specified in our support documentation.

We're actively investigating improvements we can make here. I'll provide an update when we have something to share.

[JakeD]

Thanks a lot Phil, and yes that all sounds right from what I eventually narrowed down to as well. Which is ok, it makes sense now that I understand it.

I agree it could just use a bit more clarification on the website so other folks who run into the same issue will be able to understand why prior to a lengthy troubleshooting process haha!

Much appreciated Phil!

[Phil_Rose · Accepted solution]

Update: we've changed the logic so that layouts for forms that appear in modal dialogs and record detail pages no longer count towards the page limit for an Interface. The page limit now only applies to pages that you can see and manage in the list of all pages in that Interface.

Thanks again @JakeD for highlighting this issue and pushing us to make the Interfaces experience better!

[JakeD]

@Phil_Rose I'm really appreciative and impressed that you and your team have done that. 

And honestly, so quickly too since the issue was first noticed! Really, amazing stuff.

Please pass along my appreciation to the rest of the team.