Master Airtable Data Retrieval and Dynamic Field Mapping with Make.com

Hi there! Today, we're going to tackle a common challenge that many Make.com users face: how to retrieve data from one Airtable base and use the values as field names in a second search module. This is particularly useful if you want to create custom reports or tables. So, let's dive in!

The Problem

Let's say you have an Airtable base (let's call it the 'Main' base) with a record containing fields called COLUMN A, COLUMN B, and COLUMN C. The values of these fields indicate which columns to retrieve from a second Airtable base. You want to create an HTML table with only these three columns, and you want to set in the 'Main' base which three fields are to be retrieved.

The Solution

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to achieve this:

  1. Use the 'Search Records' module in Make.com to retrieve the data from your 'Main' Airtable base. This module will provide you with a list of records, each containing field names and their corresponding values.
  2. Add an 'Array Iterator' module after the 'Search Records' module to iterate through each record in the list.
  3. Inside the array iteration, use dynamic field mapping to extract field names from the current record. Map the field names to a variable using the 'Set Variable' module.
  4. Add a 'Search Records' module for your second Airtable base. In the field mapping, use the variable that contains the dynamic field name as the field name to search for.
  5. The array iteration will repeat these steps for each record, dynamically using the field names to search for corresponding values in the second Airtable base.
  6. Once you have the records from the second Airtable base, you can map the retrieved data to create custom reports or tables.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you're having trouble with this process, here are a few things to check:

  • Make sure you're using the correct field names from your 'Main' Airtable base.
  • Ensure that the 'Array Iterator' module is correctly set up to iterate through each record in the list.
  • Check that the 'Set Variable' module is correctly mapping the field names to a variable.
  • Ensure that the 'Search Records' module for your second Airtable base is correctly using the variable that contains the dynamic field name as the field name to search for.

Conclusion

And there you have it! With these steps, you should be able to retrieve data from one Airtable base and use the values as field names in a second search module. This can be a powerful tool for creating custom reports or tables, and we hope this guide has been helpful in achieving that. Happy automating!

You do have further questions?

Ask your question via E-Mail: Richard@make-app.de
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