Add a request trigger

Request triggers automatically run your Data Fetcher requests whenever specific changes occur in your Airtable base. Your requests will execute automatically when records are created, updated, or deleted - even when you're not logged into Airtable or don't have Data Fetcher open.

Unlike scheduled requests that run at fixed intervals, triggers respond to events in near real-time, making them ideal for workflows that need immediate data synchronization or notifications.

Set up a request trigger

Authorize Data Fetcher

Before creating triggers, you need to authorize Data Fetcher to access your Airtable account using OAuth. You only need to complete this authorization once.

For detailed authorization instructions, see our guide to authorization.

Configure the trigger

  1. On the custom request screen, click the Trigger tab.

  2. Select your trigger type from the available options:

    • Record created - Runs when new records are added

    • Record updated - Runs when existing records are modified

    • Record deleted - Runs when records are removed

    You can select multiple trigger types if needed.

  3. Choose the Table you want to monitor for changes.

  4. Optionally, select a specific View to limit the trigger scope. If no view is selected, all record changes in the table will trigger the request.

  5. If you selected Record updated, choose which specific fields to monitor for changes.

  6. Click Save to activate your trigger.

Once your trigger is active, you can verify it's working by making a test change to your table and checking the Run History to see if the request executed automatically.

Trigger limitations

You can add a maximum of two triggers per base (across all Data Fetcher installations in that base and workspace) due to Airtable's webhook API limitations.

Advanced trigger options

Run when a record enters a view

You can trigger requests when records enter a specific view by using the Record created trigger type and selecting both a Table and View. This is useful for workflows where records moving into a view indicates they're ready for processing.

Include Airtable API changes

By default, triggers ignore changes made through the Airtable REST API to prevent conflicts. You can enable the Run when the base is changed via the Airtable API setting to include these changes.

Warning: Enabling API change detection can cause infinite loops. This happens when a trigger-created or trigger-updated record causes the same trigger to run again, potentially consuming your entire monthly usage limit. Only enable this setting if you're certain your workflow won't create feedback loops.

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