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ActionAirtableUpdated June 2026

How do I search Airtable records with a formula?

Short answer: You can search records in Airtable by hand from its own interface, but it won’t repeat itself. On TinyCommand, add the Airtable Search Records action to a workflow, map its 4 inputs from any upstream app, and it runs automatically every time the trigger fires. No code, and a free tier to start.

Use this actionAll 9 Airtable actions
Inputs

The fields this action accepts.

Every field can be mapped from an upstream trigger, AI step, table row, or hard-coded literal.

FieldTypeRequiredDescription
Base ID
base_id
stringRequiredAirtable base ID (starts with 'app')
Table ID or Name
table_id
stringRequiredTable ID (starts with 'tbl') or table name
Filter Formula
query
stringOptionalAirtable formula to filter records
Limit
limit
numberOptionalMaximum results (max 50)
Sample request
{
  "base_id": "e.g. appABC123",
  "table_id": "e.g. tblXXXXXXXXXXXXXX",
  "query": "e.g. {Status} = 'Active'",
  "limit": "{{trigger.limit}}"
}
Returns
{
  "records": [
    {
      "id": "recABC123",
      "fields": {
        "Name": "John",
        "Email": "john@example.com"
      },
      "createdTime": "2026-01-15T10:00:00Z"
    }
  ]
}

Use these fields in downstream nodes for routing, logging, or error handling.

Triggered by

Apps that pair well as the trigger for Search Records.

Any of these apps can fire this action as part of a workflow.

Gmail → Airtable
1 Gmail triggers
Slack → Airtable
13 Slack triggers
Google Sheets → Airtable
2 Google Sheets triggers
HubSpot → Airtable
18 HubSpot triggers
FAQ

Questions about Search Records.

What does the Search Records action do in Airtable?
Searches records in an Airtable table using a filterByFormula expression. The right tool for upsert lookups by email or for cohort queries.
What inputs does Search Records require?
Required: Base ID, Table ID or Name. Every input accepts a static value or a variable from any upstream node in your workflow.
Can I use dynamic inputs from earlier workflow nodes?
Yes. Any field on this action can pull values from upstream nodes, whether that's a form response, a trigger payload, an AI output, or a lookup result.
What happens if Airtable returns an error?
The workflow pauses on the failed node, the error message is captured in the run log, and you can retry the run with one click. Auto-retry policies are configurable per workflow with exponential backoff up to 5 attempts.
Does Search Records support batch operations?
Yes. Run Search Records inside a Loop node to process arrays. TinyCommand handles Airtable's rate limits automatically so you don't have to throttle manually.
More actions

Other Airtable actions.

Action
Create Record
Creates a new record (row) in an Airtable table with the supplied field values. Field names must match the table's schema exactly (case-sensitive).
Action
Delete Record
Permanently deletes a record from an Airtable table by ID. Irreversible; consider toggling a Status field instead.
Action
Get Base Schema
Retrieves the table and field schema for an Airtable base, including field types and options. Used to dynamically populate column pickers and to validate field names before writes.
Action
Get Record
Retrieves a single record by its ID from an Airtable table, returning all of its field values. The standard read after a trigger fires.
Action
List Bases
Lists all bases accessible to the authenticated user with name and permission level. Used to populate a base picker before drilling into tables.
Action
List Records
Retrieves records from an Airtable table with optional filterByFormula, sort, fields, and view scoping. The workhorse read action for batch ops and exports.