Airtable Essentials Cheatsheet

Basic Navigation & Editing

General Shortcuts

`Ctrl + C / Cmd + C`	Copy selected cell(s)
`Ctrl + V / Cmd + V`	Paste into selected cell(s)
`Ctrl + X / Cmd + X`	Cut selected cell(s)
`Ctrl + Z / Cmd + Z`	Undo last action
`Ctrl + Y / Cmd + Shift + Z`	Redo action
`Ctrl + F / Cmd + F`	Find in current view
`Ctrl + A / Cmd + A`	Select all records in view
`Esc`	Exit cell/record/dialog

Record Interaction Shortcuts

`Enter`	Open selected record/cell for editing
`Shift + Enter`	Add new line within a long text cell
`Space`	Open selected record in expanded view
`Ctrl + D / Cmd + D`	Duplicate selected record(s)
`Delete`	Delete selected record(s)
`↑ ↓ → ←`	Navigate between cells
`Shift + ↑ ↓`	Select multiple rows
`Shift + ← →`	Select multiple columns (cells across rows)
`Page Up / Page Down`	Scroll up/down a page

Basic Field Types

Single line text	Short text strings.
Long text	Multiple lines of text. Supports rich text formatting.
Number	Numeric values. Can set precision.
Checkbox	Simple boolean (Yes/No) field.
Single select	Select one option from a predefined list.
Multiple select	Select multiple options from a predefined list.
Date	A calendar date. Can include time.
Attachment	Upload files (images, documents, etc.).
Formula	Calculates a value based on other fields.

Basic Filtering & Sorting

Filtering:
Click the “Filter” button (funnel icon) in the view bar.
Add conditions to show only records that match criteria.
Combine conditions with AND/OR logic.

Common Filter Conditions:
is, is not, is empty, is not empty, contains, does not contain.
For numbers: >, <, =, is greater than, etc.
For dates: is today, is before, is after, is within the last...

Sorting:
Click the “Sort” button in the view bar.
Choose a field to sort by.
Select Ascending (A-Z, 1-9) or Descending (Z-A, 9-1).
Add multiple sort levels.

Grouping:
Click the “Group” button in the view bar.
Choose a field to group records by.
Records will be organized under headings for each unique value in the chosen field.
Useful for summaries and aggregation.

Hidden Fields:
Click the “Hide fields” button (eye icon) in the view bar.
Toggle visibility for fields in the current view.
Does not delete field data.

Data Entry & Formulas

Data Entry & Filling

Fill Handle	Click and drag the square at the bottom-right corner of a selected cell/range to copy content or extend series.
Paste Options	When pasting, `Ctrl+V / Cmd+V` pastes value. Right-click or use menu for other options (paste values, paste formatting, etc.).
Pasting from Spreadsheet	You can paste entire tables or ranges from Excel/Google Sheets directly into an Airtable view.
Bulk Editing	Select multiple cells in the same field (or records). Type a value or select an option. It will apply to all selected cells.
Rich Text	Long Text fields support bold, italics, lists, links. Use the editor or markdown syntax.
@mentions	In Long Text or comments, type `@` followed by a collaborator’s name to notify them.
Adding Attachments	Drag and drop files directly into an Attachment cell or the expanded record view.

Common Formula Functions (Date/Time)

`NOW()`	Current date and time (updates frequently).
`TODAY()`	Current date (updates daily).
`DATETIME_DIFF(date1, date2, unit)`	Difference between two dates in specified unit (`'days'`, `'hours'`, `'minutes'`, etc.).
`DATEADD(date, amount, unit)`	Add a specified amount of time to a date.
`DATESTR(date)`	Formats a date into a string.
`WEEKDAY(date)`	Returns the day of the week as a number (0=Sunday, 6=Saturday).
`MONTH(date)`	Returns the month as a number (1-12).
`YEAR(date)`	Returns the year.

Common Formula Functions (Text)

`CONCATENATE(text1, text2, ...)`	Joins multiple text strings together. Example: `CONCATENATE("Hello", " ", "World")` -> “Hello World”
`&` (Concatenation Operator)	Shorthand for concatenating text. Example: `"Hello" & " " & "World"` -> “Hello World”
`LEFT(text, num)`	Extracts characters from the beginning of a string.
`RIGHT(text, num)`	Extracts characters from the end of a string.
`MID(text, start, num_chars)`	Extracts characters from the middle of a string.
`LEN(text)`	Returns the length of a text string.
`LOWER(text)`	Converts text to lowercase.
`UPPER(text)`	Converts text to uppercase.
`TRIM(text)`	Removes leading and trailing spaces.

Common Formula Functions (Logic & Numbers)

`IF(condition, value_if_true, value_if_false)`	Returns one value if a condition is true, another if false.
`AND(condition1, condition2, ...)`	Returns true if all conditions are true.
`OR(condition1, condition2, ...)`	Returns true if any condition is true.
`NOT(condition)`	Returns the opposite of a condition.
`BLANK()`	Returns an empty value.
`ISBLANK(field)`	Returns true if a field is empty.
`VALUE(text)`	Converts a text string to a number.
`SUM(number1, number2, ...)`	Adds numbers. Also works on arrays/rollup values.
`AVERAGE(number1, number2, ...)`	Calculates the average of numbers. Also works on arrays/rollup values.

View Management & Collaboration

Managing Views

Create New Views: Click the + Add a view button in the sidebar.
Choose view type (Grid, Form, Calendar, Gallery, Kanban, Gantt, Timeline).

Duplicate View: Hover over a view name in the sidebar, click the arrow, select Duplicate view.

Rename/Delete View: Hover over a view name, click the arrow, select Rename view or Delete view.

Personal vs. Collaborative Views:
Personal views (Private view) are only visible to you.
Collaborative views (Shared view) are visible to anyone with base access.

Lock View: Click the lock icon next to the view name to prevent others from modifying its configuration (filters, sorts, grouping, hidden fields).

Sharing Views: Click the Share view button. You can create a public or private shareable link to a specific view.

View Configuration: Each view can have its own independent filters, sorts, grouping, hidden fields, row height, and field order.

Collaboration Features

Comments: Open a record in expanded view (Space or Enter), click the Comments tab to add notes and discuss records. Use @ to mention collaborators.

Collaborator Field: Add a Collaborator field type to assign records to specific users with base access. Users receive notifications.

Base Sharing: Click the Share button in the top right to invite collaborators via email. Set permissions (Read-only, Commenter, Editor, Creator).

Permissions: Control what collaborators can do. Creators can build/modify bases, Editors can add/edit records, Commenters can only add comments, Read-only can only view.

Activity Feed: Click the clock icon in the top right or inside an expanded record view to see a history of changes made to the base or record.

Snapshots: Airtable automatically saves base snapshots, allowing you to restore previous versions (feature availability depends on plan).

Linking Records & Rollups

Linked Record Field	Connects a record in one table to one or more records in another table. Creates a two-way link.
Lookup Field	Pulls values from a specific field in the linked record(s) into the current table. Read-only.
Count Field	Counts the number of linked records for each record.
Rollup Field	Aggregates values from a specific field in the linked record(s). Requires selecting an aggregation function (SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, MAX, MIN, ARRAYJOIN, ARRAYUNIQUE, etc.).
Creating Links	Add a ‘Link to another record’ field. Choose the target table. Can allow linking to multiple records.
Dependency:	Lookup, Count, and Rollup fields depend on a Linked Record field.

Automation Basics

What are Automations?
Trigger-based actions performed automatically within your base or connected apps.
Accessible via the Automations button in the top right.

Structure:
Trigger: An event that starts the automation (e.g., record created, record updated, time based, form submitted).
Actions: What happens after the trigger (e.g., send email, update record, create record, run script, send Slack message).

Common Triggers:
When record matches conditions
When a form is submitted
At a scheduled time
When a record is created
When a record is updated

Common Actions:
Send an email
Update record
Create record
Find records
Send a Slack message
Run a script

Testing: Always test your automations thoroughly before turning them on.

History: View a run history for each automation to troubleshoot failures.

Advanced Features & Tips

Interface Designer Basics

Purpose: Create custom interfaces on top of your base data for specific workflows or user groups (e.g., dashboards, project trackers, data entry forms).

Access: Click the Interfaces button in the top left.

Layouts: Build interfaces using pre-built layouts or start from scratch.

Elements: Drag and drop elements onto your interface, such as text, data fields, grids, lists, charts, buttons, and forms.

Data Connection: Connect elements to your base tables and records.

Buttons: Configure buttons to trigger actions (e.g., open URL, run automation, update record, create record).

Sharing: Share interfaces with base collaborators, controlling their access and permissions within the interface.

Extensions (Apps) Overview

Purpose: Add extra functionality to your base.
Access via the Extensions button in the top right.

Types:

Data manipulation (e.g., Geocode, Batch Update)
Visualization (e.g., Chart, Map)
Utility (e.g., Send Email, PDF Generator)
Integration (e.g., Google Calendar, Jira)

Adding Extensions: Browse the Extensions Marketplace and add them to your base.

Custom Extensions: Developers can build their own extensions using the Airtable Extensions SDK.

Running Scripts: Use the Scripting extension to write and run JavaScript code directly in your base to automate tasks or manipulate data.

Syncing Bases

Purpose: Share data between different Airtable bases.
Keep data consistent across projects or teams without manual copying.

Sync Source: The base containing the original data to be shared.

Sync Destination: The base receiving the data. The synced table appears read-only in the destination base.

Configuration: Set up sync by choosing the source base, table, and view.
Specify which fields to sync.

Updates: Changes in the source base are automatically (or manually, depending on settings) reflected in the destination base.

Use Cases: Centralized master lists (Products, Clients), sharing project data, data warehousing.

Performance & Optimization Tips

Limit Views: Create only necessary views. Excessive views can slow down loading.

Optimize Formulas: Complex formulas or lookups/rollups over very large linked tables can impact performance. Simplify where possible.

Reduce Fields: Only include essential fields in your tables. More fields mean more data to load.

Archive Old Data: Move inactive records to a separate table or base to keep active tables smaller.

Use Filters & Hidden Fields: Use view configurations to show only the data you need at any given time.

Check Attachment Sizes: Very large attachments can consume storage and potentially affect loading times.

Browse / Airtable Essentials Cheatsheet

Airtable Essentials Cheatsheet

Airtable Essentials Cheatsheet

Basic Navigation & Editing

General Shortcuts

Record Interaction Shortcuts

Basic Field Types

Basic Filtering & Sorting

Data Entry & Formulas

Data Entry & Filling

Common Formula Functions (Date/Time)

Common Formula Functions (Text)

Common Formula Functions (Logic & Numbers)

View Management & Collaboration

Managing Views

Collaboration Features

Linking Records & Rollups

Automation Basics

Advanced Features & Tips

Interface Designer Basics

Extensions (Apps) Overview

Syncing Bases

Performance & Optimization Tips