On2Air Action Updates allows you to update, create, or delete single or multiple Airtable records. You can use updates in your Airtable Automations, Airtable Scripting, Zapier, or a Custom app.
You can push data into those fields from another app (either the On2Air app or any third-party app). An Update is used after the first step in your zap.
🔴 On2Air Actions has been shutdown to focus on our On2Air Backups Airtable app Learn more about automated Airtable backups - on2air.com
In this article
- Before Creating an Update
- How To Create an Update
- Update Types
- Update Configurations
- Advanced Options
- Enable Update
- Installation
- Create an API Key
- Connect your Action to Zapier
- Connect your Action using Scripts
- Connect your Action to Airtable Automations
- Connect your Action using Node.js
- History Log
- Configure Your Update in Zapier
Before Creating an Update
Before using Updates, we recommend you first:
Connect to Your Airtable Account
How To Create an Update
There are two ways to create an Update
From the All Actions page
- Click New Action in the top right-hand side of the screen
- Select an Updates Type
- Click Add Configuration
OR
- Click Updates in the side menu
- Click New Update
- Select Your Updates Type
- Click Add Configuration
Update Types
Update (Insert) Single Record - Performs an update to a single Airtable record or creates a new record, if desired
Create New Single Record - Creates a new single record (No Updates)
Delete Single Record - Automatically delete first matching record and return the record when criteria is met
Update (Insert) Multiple Records - Performs a bulk update to Airtable records or create new records, if desired
Delete Multiple Records - Automatically delete any matching records and return them in bulk when criteria is met
Create New Multiple Records - Creates multiple new records (No Updates)
Update Configurations
Airtable Connection
- Select your Airtable Connection - Choose your Airtable account
Configuration Details
- Select Your Base - Choose your desired base
- Select Your Table - Choose your table
Lookup Field (Displays in Update (Insert) Updates and Delete Updates) - Field used for the comparison match and lookup * (Advanced) You can leave blank if you plan to use the Record ID
Field Values (Displays for Update (Insert) Updates and Create New Updates) - Fields made available to update * Chose one or more fields
Default Create Value (Displays for Update (Insert) Updates and Create New Updates) - Enter a default name to be used when creating a new record in your field * Useful if you don’t want to have blank fields when creating new records
Last Runtime (Displays in Create New Updates and Update (Insert) Updates) - A date field in your table to display the most recent timestamp your update was processed * This will update with the new timestamp each instance your update is processed
Advanced Options
Matching Style (Displays in Delete Updates) - Determines how your Lookup Field matches updates Options * Exact Match - Must be an exact match to update and delete (Default) * Contains -. Contains any value from the field * Does Not Contain - Does not contain any value * Does Not Match - Does not match any value
Case Sensitive (Displays in Delete Updates and_** Update/Insert Updates) - Determines whether matches should be case sensitive (On by Default)
- Backfill Fields - Use any other Airtable field from your table in another step in your sequence workflow whether they contain a value or not - (Default and Recommended is On/Green)
- This setting is available due to the Airtable API not returning the field data
- Flatten Output - Remove extraneous data from certain Airtable fields - (Default and Recommended is On/Green)
- When returning data, the Airtable API attaches additional, unnecessary information to some fields, such as attachments and collaborator
- Retrieve Full Data - Retrieve all data from update and return for use in other fields or steps (On by Default)
- Create Unfound Records (Displays in Update (Insert) Updates) - If looking for a match to update and no match is found, insert data as a new record (On by Default)
- Lock Fields on Name - Uses the actual text Name of the field you chose in Mode Configuration instead of the Unique field ID to watch for changes to update on (Default and Recommended is Off - Default watches for the Unique field ID)
- Name is useful if you want to create a duplicate field and watch the name instead of the ID
Attachment Mode (Displays in Update (Insert) Updates and Create New Updates)
- Append - Add attachment as new with current attachments
- Overwrite - Overwrite current attachment with new attachment
- Click Save Update Details
Enable Update
Once all configurations are set
- Toggle Enable (green) to enable your Update
Delete Update
- Click Delete Trigger
- Click Yes, I want to delete this action
WARNING: This action cannot be undone
Installation
Installation allows you to quickly start using your On2Air Triggers, Updates, or Searches.
You can connect using Airtable Automations, Airtable Scripting, Zapier, or a Custom app.
Create an API Key
If you haven’t created an API Key to connect On2Air to other apps, create one now
- In the Installation tab, choose your Installation Source
Zapier - Use in Zapier Script - Use in the Scripting App in Airtable Automation - Use in Automations in Airtable Node.js - Use in your program or application
- Select the corresponding API Key
Connect your Action to Zapier
To connect to Zapier, you have 2 options
- Connect by creating a new Zap
- Connect by choosing a pre-made template
Connect by creating a new Zap
- Choose Zapier as your Installation Source
- Choose your API Key
- Begin the process of creating a new Zap in Zapier
- Choose On2Air as your app
- Enter the API Key when prompted
- Finish configuring your Zap
Connect by choosing a pre-made template
Choose one of the On2Air pre-made templates for Zapier
Connect your Action using Scripts
Once you create your Trigger, On2Air automatically generates a Script for you to add to the Scripting App in Airtable. The Script contains almost everything you need to use your action immediately.
- Once you’ve chosen Scripts as your Installation Source and your API Key, click Copy to Clipboard
- Paste the script into the Scripting App in Airtable or into On2Air: Scripts
In the generated script, you will see an output of what the data will look like. There are several areas in the script marked as ‘TODO Item(s)’. You will need to review each TODO, add your logic to the script, add values, or other relevant instructions.
When you update the TODOs, it’s automatically added in the Output to be available for future steps if needed
- Review and complete each TODO Item
Number of TODO Items in each On2Air Action Type
TRIGGERS Single Record Update - 1 TODO Item Multiple Records Updated - 1 TODO Item Single Record to Be Deleted - 1 TODO Item Multiple Records to Be Deleted - 1 TODO Item
UPDATES Update(Insert) Multiple Records - 3 TODO Items Create New Single Record - 3 TODO Items Delete Single Record - 2 TODO Items Update (Insert) Multiple Records - 3 TODO Items Delete Multiple Records - 2 TODO Items Create New Multiple Records - 3 TODO Items
SEARCHES
Search Multiple Records - 2 TODO Items Search Single Record - 2 TODO Items
Connect your Action to Airtable Automations
You can use Actions directly inside of Automations in your base. Using On2Air: Actions in parallel with Automations is essential to perform a variety of functions not available within Airtable.
With Actions, you can update to other bases.
You can also search records. With Actions, you can search via formula without having to loop through all the records.
With our Update type, you have the ability to update a record, then create a record if one does not exist.
- Once you’ve selected your Installation Source and API Key, click Copy to Clipboard
- Open your base in Airtable and open the Automations tab
- Create a Trigger in Airtable
- Next, add an Action (Airtable version)
- Click Run script
- Paste the code into the text editor
In the generated script, you will see an output of what the data will look like. There are several areas in the script marked as ‘TODO Item(s)’. You will need to review each TODO, add your logic to the script, add values, or other relevant instructions.
When you update the TODOs, it’s automatically added in the Output to be available for future steps if needed
- Review and complete the TODO Item(s) in the script
Number of TODO Items in each On2Air Action Type
TRIGGERS Single Record Update - 1 TODO Item Multiple Records Updated - 1 TODO Item Single Record to Be Deleted - 1 TODO Item Multiple Records to Be Deleted - 1 TODO Item
UPDATES Update(Insert) Multiple Records - 3 TODO Items Create New Single Record - 3 TODO Items Delete Single Record - 2 TODO Items Update (Insert) Multiple Records - 3 TODO Items Delete Multiple Records - 2 TODO Items Create New Multiple Records - 3 TODO Items
SEARCHES
Search Multiple Records - 2 TODO Items Search Single Record - 2 TODO Items
Connect your Action using Node.js
You can use Actions in your program or application
- Once you’ve selected your Installation Source and API Key, click Copy to Clipboard
- Paste into your program
History Log
History Log Coming Soon!
Configure Your Update in Zapier
Accept App Invitation
Once you sign up for On2Air: Actions, you will receive a link from the Openside team to add the On2Air app to your Zapier account
- Click the link
- An invitation screen will be displayed
- Select Accept Invite and Build a Zap
Create A Zap
Before using Updates, you must have a previous step in your Zap. In this example, we have a Trigger from On2Air as the first step.
- Click the + icon below the first step in your Zap
Choose App & Event
Choose App
- Search for the On2Air app
- (In our example, it’s already chosen due to our first step)
- Select the On2Air app
Choose Action Event
- Select Perform On2Air Update
- Click Continue
Choose Account (Not Connected to On2Air)
If you have not connected your On2Air account to Zapier, follow the next steps. If you have already connected to On2Air, skip to the Customize Update step.
- Click Sign in to On2Air
- Another window will open displaying Allow Zapier to access your On2Air Account
- You will need to enter the Zapier API Key you created earlier in the field
- To view your API Key or to create a Zapier API Key, click Create/Select an API Key to your On2Air account here
- Copy your API Key
- Paste your API Key in the field
- Click Yes, continue
- Your On2Air account is now connected to Zapier
- Click Continue
Choose Account (Already Connected to On2Air)
- Choose your On2Air account
- Click Continue
Customize Update
App
- Choose Actions
- Actions Update - Displays a list of the Updates you have Enabled in On2Air: Actions
- Select the Action you want to use * You can also click Configure to configure your Update in On2Air
Lookups
- Lookup Record by Field - Choose the field you want to use as the lookup field for the update
Fields
- Update Fields - Add the data you want sent back to your records and updated in Airtable
- You configured these fields as options in the Field Values section in On2Air
Advanced Settings
- Response As JSON String - Set to Yes if you want the response as a JSON string instead of an object
- Click Continue
Send Data
- Click Test & Continue
- Click the Send Data dropdown to ensure it’s set up correctly
- Click Done Editing
Here’s the final result in Airtable
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