Timer to automatically escalate field value

[Eric_Snyder]

Using a able as an issue tracking tool. A field has a severity value. Is there a way to change the field value to a higher severity after a certain period of time?

[Ilan_Ben_Yaakov]

Hi, I would use the DATETIME_DIFF formula to calculate how many days passed since the record was created. Let’s say that the severity value starts with 0 and afte 3 days it should be 1, it should look like this:

IF(DATETIME_DIFF(CREATED_TIME(),TODAY(),'days')=3,1,0)

[Eric_Snyder]

Use this where? Something is going to have to poll the records.

[W_Vann_Hall]

In Airtable, fields are recalculated whenever accessed. If you display a formula field containing that formula, its value will be calculated. If the day on which you display it is 3 days after the record was created, it will reflect the increased severity level.

(One quibble with the formula @Ilan_Ben_Yaakov proposed: I believe it should use '>=' (greater than or equal to) operator rather than '=' (equal to); otherwise, on Day 4 and later the severity value will drop back to zero.)

[Eric_Snyder]

OK. Thanks. That has the possibility of never escalating if someone does not access the record correct?

I am trying to make sure that old records will not be forgotten.

I suppose another way to accomplish this is a AWS lambda function (or the like) that checks records on an schedule?

Airtable does not have a timer then?

[W_Vann_Hall]

It’s the old tree-falling-in-the-woods problem: If no one is there to see the problem has been escalated, what’s the use in escalating it?

Keep in mind the change in severity rating is meaningless until the ticket is displayed, as Airtable, in and of itself, doesn’t actually ‘do’ anything. (That’s not exactly true, given the handful of Blocks that can initiate some sort of communication, but even they run only when the containing base is open and active in a browser.)

If you’re asking in regards to using such a SaaS integration service as Zapier or Integromat to automate your escalations, it’s a moot point: The service, in checking every 1 to 5 minutes for new records, will be triggering the updates — and, presumably, taking action based upon them.