n8n Airtable Batch Update/Insert Workflow

This n8n workflow demonstrates an efficient way to perform batch updates or inserts into Airtable, significantly reducing API call requests compared to processing items individually. It's designed to handle a list of records, determine if each record should be updated or inserted, and then process them in optimized batches.

Description

The workflow streamlines the process of synchronizing data with Airtable by intelligently grouping records for batch operations. It takes a collection of items, identifies whether each item requires an update (based on a unique ID) or a new insert, and then executes these operations in batches to conserve API request limits and improve performance.

What it does

1. Receives Data: Starts by receiving a collection of data items, typically from a preceding node or a manual trigger.
2. Splits into Batches: Divides the incoming data into smaller, manageable batches for processing.
3. Processes Each Item: For each item in a batch:
   • Determines Action: Uses a "Switch" node to check if the item has a unique airtableId.
   • Routes for Update or Insert:
     • If airtableId exists, the item is routed for an "Update" operation.
     • If airtableId does not exist, the item is routed for an "Insert" operation.
4. Aggregates for Batch Operations:
   • Items marked for "Update" are collected into a single batch for a bulk update API call.
   • Items marked for "Insert" are collected into a single batch for a bulk insert API call.
5. Executes Sub-workflows:
   • Triggers an "Execute Workflow" node for the "Update" batch, likely calling a sub-workflow specifically designed for batch updates in Airtable.
   • Triggers another "Execute Workflow" node for the "Insert" batch, likely calling a sub-workflow specifically designed for batch inserts in Airtable.
6. Waits for Completion: After executing the sub-workflows, the main workflow waits for a short period.
7. Aggregates Results: Combines the results from both the update and insert operations.
8. Final Output: Provides a final consolidated output of the processed records.

Prerequisites/Requirements

• n8n Instance: A running n8n instance.
• Airtable Account: An Airtable account with a base and table configured where data will be updated or inserted.
• Airtable Credentials: Configured Airtable credentials in your n8n instance.
• Sub-workflows for Airtable Update/Insert: This workflow relies on two sub-workflows (not included in this JSON) that handle the actual batch update and batch insert operations for Airtable. These sub-workflows would typically accept an array of records and use the Airtable node to perform the respective batch operations.

Setup/Usage

1. Import the workflow: Import the provided JSON into your n8n instance.
2. Configure Sub-workflows: Ensure you have two sub-workflows named "Airtable Update" and "Airtable Insert" (or similar, matching the names in the "Execute Workflow" nodes) that are designed to handle batch operations for Airtable. These sub-workflows should:
   • Have an "Execute Workflow Trigger" node as their starting point.
   • Accept an array of records as input.
   • Use the Airtable node to perform batch updates or inserts.
3. Connect Data Source: Connect a node to the "Loop Over Items" node that provides the data you wish to process. This could be a database query, a webhook, a CSV reader, etc.
4. Define airtableId: Ensure your incoming data items have a property (e.g., airtableId) that uniquely identifies existing Airtable records for update operations. If this property is missing or null, the item will be treated as a new record for insertion.
5. Activate the workflow: Once configured, activate the workflow to start processing data. You can manually trigger it or set up a trigger node (e.g., a Cron node, Webhook node) to run it automatically.