You can instantly trigger Make.com from Airtable by using webhooks. It’s a bit easier than it might sound. These can be triggered either by buttons in Airtable (available in the free version of Airtable) or via a simple Airtable automation script (requires the paid version of Airtable). I explain both approaches below.
This makes your automations a lot quicker and reduces the need for constant polling and it conserves operations in Make.com. It’s particularly useful for those looking to optimize their workflow efficiency.
I go through the entire process in the video below.
Setting Up Button Triggers in Airtable (Free Version)
To begin, we’ll create buttons in Airtable that trigger actions in Make.com. This method works with the free version of Airtable, making it accessible to all users.
Creating the Button
First, create a new button in Airtable and set up a URL formula. Name it something descriptive like “Analyze Images Button”. Instead of using an Airtable watch records module in Make.com, we’ll create a webhook.
Setting Up the Webhook
In Make.com, add a webhook module and save it. Copy the webhook URL and paste it into the URL formula in Airtable. Add parameters to the URL, including the record ID, to pass necessary information to Make.com -here is an example formula below:
“ADD_WEBHOOK_URL?id=”&RECORD_ID()
Configuring the Make.com Scenario
Once the button is set up, configure your Make.com scenario to process the incoming webhook data. Add an Airtable “Get Record” module to retrieve the full record information based on the ID passed through the webhook.
Adding Actions
After retrieving the record, you can add any desired actions. For example, you might update a field in the Airtable record with an analysis result or trigger other processes in your workflow.
Multiple Button Setup
You can create multiple buttons to trigger different actions within the same Make.com scenario. Use a router module in Make.com to direct the flow based on which button was clicked in Airtable.
You can add additional parameters to your formula which can be picked up in Make, such as this:
Instant Triggering with Status Updates (in the Paid Airtable Version)
For users with a paid Airtable account, you can set up instant triggering based on status changes without using buttons.
Setting Up the Automation
In Airtable, create an automation that runs a script when a status is updated. The script will call your Make.com webhook, passing the necessary information. See the video above for an example of this script.
Configuring the Make.com Scenario
Set up your Make.com scenario similarly to the button method, but add a filter to check the status and determine which actions to take.
