Button Field - Run Automation

[dmitryk]

Currently, the button field allows you to run an extension script. I have to maintain separate automation and extension script that performs the same actions. Would be ideal to be able to run an automation like interface buttons do.

Support for multiple triggers would also be helpful. For example, I could have a trigger for when a record meets certain conditions and a button trigger whenever manual execution is desired.

An automation script where I think this would be useful is one that creates or updates a record/object in a third party system.

[ScottWorld]

I totally agree with your suggestions! It would be great if button fields could trigger automations. Be sure to send this in as a feature request to support@airtable.com.

Until Airtable resolves this issue, there are 2 great workarounds to this problem:

1. Use a single-select field to trigger an automation (instead of a button).

This is actually EVEN BETTER than using a button, because you can give the user "status updates" within the field itself while the automation is running, such as "Running" or "Error" or "Done". And because a single-select field requires 2 clicks instead of 1 click, it can help prevent accidental triggering of automations.

More information on the single-select approach in this thread.

2. You can use a button field to trigger an automation using Make's custom webhooks and custom webhook responses.

I demonstrate this technique in this Airtable podcast episode. I show off the technique from the context of an email, but it would be the same thing with a button field in Airtable.

p.s. If you have a budget for your project and you’d like to hire an expert Airtable consultant to help you with any of this, please feel free to contact me through my website: Airtable consultant — ScottWorld 

[daverad]

Plus 1! Also finding myself wishing the button field could trigger automation. 

[Angela_Ferrante]

This is super helpful, thanks @ScottWorld .

One note - using the single select won't work when you're sharing a view or the whole base with someone who doesn't have editor/creator permissions - as they won't be able to edit the table to change the single select. So in that instance, using the button option lets you track actions for someone who isn't an editor/creator.