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Airtable

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Airtable is a cloud-based platform that combines the simplicity of a spreadsheet with the functionality of a database, allowing users to organize, collaborate on, and manage information visually. It supports features like custom fields, linked records, views, and automations, making it useful for project tracking, content planning, CRM, and more.

Refer to Airtable's official documentation to see all available endpoints from the Airtable API.

Authentication Methods

Airtable supports more than one way to connect. Pick one when you create the authorizer in Dataddo:

  • Airtable Custom - use your own app credentials (for advanced setups).
  • Airtable

Authorize Connection to Airtable

In Airtable

Depending on the Airtable authorizer type, you will a different type of credentials:

Connector Necessary Credentials
Airtable A personal access token (= API token)
Airtable Custom Client ID and client secret

To get your personal access token:

  1. In Airtable, go to the Builder Hub (also accessible through Account > API > Developer hub).
  2. On the Personal access tokens page, click on Create token.
  3. Label your token (e.g. Dataddo), and:
    1. Configure the Scopes for the token. To extract data, read permissions for your endpoints must be added. To see what permission scopes you need, refer to Airtable's official documentation.
    2. Select what data the token has access to. You can Add all data or select specific bases Dataddo can extract data from.
  4. Click on Create and copy the value. Make sure to store this value safely as you can display it only once.

To get your client ID and client secret:

  1. In Airtable, go to the Builder Hub (also accessible through Account > API > Developer hub).
  2. On the OAuth Integrations page, click on Register new OAuth integration.
  3. Label the integration (e.g. Dataddo) and provide the following OAuth redirect URL: https://app.dataddo.com/settings/service/airtableCustom.
  4. Click Register integration to confirm.
  5. In the Developer details section:
    1. Copy the Client ID to provide to Dataddo.
    2. Generate a new Client Secret. Copy the value and make sure to store this value safely as you can display it only once.
  6. Configure the Scopes for the integration. To extract data, read permissions for your endpoints must be added. To see what permission scopes you need, refer to Airtable's official documentation.
  7. Finish by clicking on Save changes.

In Dataddo

Then create an Airtable authorizer, use one of the following two connectors:

  • Airtable
  • Airtable Custom

Airtable

  1. On the Authorizers page, click on Authorize New Service and select Airtable.
  2. Provide your Airtable API Key/Token.
  3. Rename your authorizer for easier identification and click on Save.

Airtable Custom

  1. On the Authorizers page, click on Authorize New Service and select Airtable Custom.
  2. Provide your Airtable client ID and client secret.
  3. Select which Scopes will be granted to Dataddo. To extract data, read permissions for your endpoints must be added. To see what permission scopes you need, refer to Airtable's official documentation.
  4. Rename your authorizer for easier identification and click on Save.

Data Coverage

Airtable uses a single flexible dataset. You choose the fields to extract when you create the source; Airtable may also expose custom fields from your account.

The available fields depend on your account and the selected dataset.

How Data Extraction Works

None of this connector's datasets use a date range. Every run pulls all currently available data.

Metadata Columns

When you create a source, you can add these Dataddo metadata columns to the extracted data:

  • dataddo_hash - a fingerprint built from each record's key fields. It works as a natural key, so it is ideal for upserts (updating existing rows in your destination instead of creating duplicates).
  • dataddo_extraction_timestamp - the date and time the row was extracted. Use it to track how records change over time, for example to build slowly changing dimensions.

How to Create an Airtable Data Source

Creating a data source takes you through five steps, shown in the progress bar at the top of the wizard. Each step is explained below.

1. Pick the connector

On the Sources page, click Create Source, then select the connector from the catalog. Use the search bar or the category tabs if you do not see it right away. You can rename the source at any time using the pencil icon next to its name.

2. Choose the account

This step selects what Dataddo reads from.

  • Authorizer: Select an account you have already authorized from the drop-down. If you have none yet, choose Add new account and follow the prompts. If no authorizer is selected, Dataddo asks you to authorize before you continue.
  • What to extract from: Select the exact entity you want to pull data from. Depending on the service this may be labelled an account, property, profile, workspace, or similar, sometimes with a sub-level to choose as well.
  • Multiple accounts: To pull the same data from every entity you can access, turn on Automatically collect data from all .... This is multi-account extraction. Leave it off to choose them by hand.

3. Build the data model

Choose exactly what to extract. What you can pick depends on the connector, and the wizard may group the fields differently for each one.

  • Values: the measures you want, often called metrics, such as sessions, clicks, or revenue.
  • Breakdowns: the fields you group or split those values by, often called dimensions or attributes, such as date, country, or campaign.
  • Context metadata (when available): identifier fields that Dataddo derives from your selection, such as the account or property ID. They let you tell rows apart when you combine several sources.

Some connectors limit which fields can be queried together; the wizard flags this where it applies. Click Test on Sample Data at any point to preview the result before you continue.

4. Add metadata columns (optional)

Two optional columns help your destination handle the data.

  • Dataddo Hash (Include Row Hash): a fingerprint built from the columns you pick. It works as a natural key, so your destination can deduplicate rows and run upserts instead of creating duplicates. Turn it on, then select the columns that uniquely identify a row.
  • Dataddo Extraction Timestamp: the time each row was extracted. Use it to watermark the data, for example to build slowly changing dimensions or to track when a value last changed.

5. Set the schedule

Decide how often Dataddo runs the extraction.

  • Frequency: how often the pipeline runs, for example daily. Click Show advanced settings to also set the exact hour and minute (UTC).
  • Date range: the relative window each run extracts, for example "Yesterday". The window moves forward on every run.
  • Historical data: a new source starts from the current window. To load older data, run a full data re-sync after the source is created.
  • Allow Empty Data Extractions: when on, a run that returns no data records zero rows instead of failing. Turn it on if the source can legitimately have periods with no data.

Click Save. Your data source is ready.

Troubleshooting

Data Preview Unavailable

No data preview when you click on Test Data might be caused by an issue with your source configuration. The most common causes are:

  • Date range: Try a smaller date range. You can load the rest of your data afterward using manual data load.
  • Insufficient permissions: Please make sure your authorized account has at least admin-level permissions.
  • Invalid metrics, attributes, or breakdowns: You may not have any data for the selected metrics, attributes, or breakdowns.
  • Incompatible combination of metrics, attributes, or breakdowns: Your selected combination cannot be queried together. Please refer to the service's documentation to view a full list of metrics that can be included in the same data source.

Related Articles

Now that you have successfully created a data source, see how you can connect your data to a dashboarding app or a data storage.

Sending Data to Dashboarding Apps

Sending Data to Data Storages

Other Resources