Introducing scripting block

Note: at the time that this blog post was written, “Airtable Apps” were called “Airtable Blocks.” Since then, we’ve renamed Blocks to Apps, and introduced a whole new Apps Marketplace! Learn more about it here.

Our new scripting block reduces the time you spend on repetitive tasks and uncovers deeper insights about your data with powerful queries and custom reporting. Take your workflows to the next level by writing and running JavaScript directly inside Airtable.

Code, you say?!

The scripting block is a powerful new tool, but it’s made for everyone. If you’ve ever used a macro in another application, you’ll feel right at home. The scripting block makes it simple to grab a pre-made script, modify one of our many examples, or write something from scratch. No matter how much experience you have writing code, the scripting block is here to help. With documentation and autocomplete personalized to your base, it’s easy to see exactly how to work with your data.

And because everything is done inside Airtable, there’s no need to worry about where to put your scripts or how to keep everyone up to date. Running your latest creation is as simple as clicking a button.

So what can it do?

In addition to standard JavaScript functionality, the scripting block gives easy access to all the data in your base, across all your tables. It can also create and update records. There’s so much you can do with the scripting block, but we think there are a few particularly great use cases. Streamlining repetitive, multi-step workflows. You use Airtable to plan concerts and other live events. Every time you start planning a new project, you have to manually create the same 20 tasks from a template, assign the right collaborators, and set the right due dates. Now you can write a script that does it all at the click of a button! Data validation and formatting. You use Airtable to track Tweets for your team’s social media accounts. Anyone can submit an idea, but you need to make sure certain words and phrases aren’t used. On top of that, you want to automatically format dates and add emoji for specific words. You’ve got to read and update every single submission. Or do you? Scripting block makes it easier than ever to work with your data. Cross-table search and reporting. You track your shop’s inventory and finances through Airtable. You have a table for expenses and payments, another for unsold stock, and a third for all the assets you own. Now you can generate all your business metrics, like net worth, revenue versus fixed costs, and more in no time flat. Pulling in external data. You use Airtable to track and categorize images for use in presentations and brainstorming exercises. Every morning you use a service like Unsplash to search for new images, but the workflow requires lots of switching between Airtable and Unsplash. Now you can pull images directly into Airtable for review with a script! Bonus: Someone on the community forum has already written the script.

How do I get started?

Install the scripting block just like you would a new chart or page designer. Just head on over to the blocks gallery and search for ‘Scripting’. If you’re currently on a free or plus plan, you can get a free two week trial of Pro here to try the new scripting block!

Once you’ve installed the block, you’ll be able to start editing right away. There’s documentation customized to your base right in the block, and lots of examples to get your creativity flowing. We’ve also got an amazing community forum with Airtable creators excited to lend a helping hand. Finally, we’ve written a few scripts that we thought would be useful right out of the box. Not to mention a host of amazing scripts made and shared by the community:

• Automatically add default values for every field type

• Forecast sales by month for the next three years

• Detect scheduling conflicts

• Track where you’ve published social media content

This is just the beginning of an exciting new journey. We have all sorts of goodies planned for the future, and we can’t wait to see all the amazing things you build. If you make something you’re particularly proud of, share it on the forums. Happy scripting!