Add a regex match function for data validation

[Andron_Ocean]

I would love it if Airtable had a formula to determine whether a string (or field reference containing a string) matched a given regular expression.

Google Sheets, for example, has the REGEXMATCH() function. It takes a string/cell reference and a regex, and returns TRUE or FALSE based on whether a match is found.

This would be immeasurably useful. A couple ideas:

• Validate email addresses, phone numbers, URLs, IP addresses, and other types of strictly formatted data.
• Enforce record naming conventions. (Field isn’t capitalized? Doesn’t start with a number? Contains spaces? Output a warning in another special formula field!)
• Build filters with very specific rules. E.g. match URLs where a subdomain contains the word “blue”. (include http://blue.example.com and http://bluegreen.example.com, but not http://www.blueexample.com or http://example.com/blue.trick/)

Some of these are possible now with complicated sequences of FIND, LEFT, MID, RIGHT, and LEN. It’s hard to debug formulas built this way, however. Regex is compact, easy to test, and comparatively easier to read.

[Moe]

We made this tool. It allows you to use Regex on Airtable.

[Adam_Minich]

Hello,

Adam from the Airtable support team here. We now have REGEX functions available for use in formula fields. You can find some more information about those functions in this support document.

Cheers!

[Justin_Barrett]

This announcement would have been welcome as a standalone post as well, and not just a comment on a thread that only some will see.

[QuantumStep]

Totally agree—having native regex support in Airtable would be a game-changer. Right now, you’d have to rely on complicated formulas or external tools to achieve what you’re describing. If you’re looking for a quick solution, the DataGuard extension might help. It supports regex validation on fields like emails, phone numbers, URLs, etc., and enforces those rules in real-time before any bad data gets saved.

Not exactly the same as built-in regex formulas, but might cover some of your validation needs!