Workspace-level data sources + Airtable OAuth
Austin Yang • Aug 31, 2023 • 4 min read
Hi everyone, we've just rolled out some major updates to Softr, especially when it comes to how data sources work.
We put together this blog post to break it down for you. Make sure you read it closely so you can take the right steps to keep your apps running smoothly. For a more detailed overview, check out our tutorial:
Data sources have been moved to the workspace level
Before today, any data source you add in Softr is only added to a specific app, which means:
- You had to re-connect the same Airtable/Google account when you wanted to use them in a new app.
- If you wanted to remove/re-authenticate an Airtable/Google account used across different apps, you had to do it one app at a time.
Good news: that's all behind us now.
Starting today, we've shifted all data source management to the workspace level. So, within a single workspace:
- You no longer have to re-connect the same data source every time you want to use it in a new app.
- Any collaborator can use data sources that others have added.
- If you remove or re-authenticate a data source, the change is applied across all apps. (NOTE: Guest collaborators can’t remove/re-authenticate data sources.)
What do I have to do?
Nothing. We’ve already consolidated all of your existing data sources for you. You can find them by going to your Dashboard > Data sources.
The new way to connect your Airtable: OAuth
Airtable will officially retire API keys in January 2024. Earlier this year, they introduced Airtable OAuth as the new authentication method, and we now support it in Softr as well!
Why OAuth?
Every software product eventually moves to OAuth because:
- It’s more secure.
- You get to control what to share with 3rd-party tools (in this case, Softr).
- More user-friendly flow (e.g. think how you grant your Google account access).
What happens to my Airtable connections made through API keys?
They’ll still work until Airtable retires API keys in January 2024.
But from now on, you can't use API keys to connect new Airtable accounts in Softr.
As 2024 is approaching, we recommend that you replace existing API keys with OAuth ASAP — like, literally after reading this 🏃 🏃♂️ (see how below).
How to replace existing Airtable conections with OAuth?
- Go to your Dashboard > Data sources
- Select the Airtable source(s) you want to replace > Re-authenticate
- Now you’ll be taken to the OAuth screen > Select which bases you’ll grant Softr access > Done!
We strongly recommend that you give Softr access to "All current and future bases in all current and future workspaces.”
This will save you a bunch of headaches in the future wondering:
- “Why can’t I see a base I have?”
- “I just got invited to a workspace, why can’t I see its bases?”
- “Why can’t I use a Softr template after copying its base?”
But of course, the point of OAuth is that you get to choose. You can always edit which bases Softr can access at any time, but there are a few important caveats 👇
How to edit Softr’s access to my Airtable account?
You can do this by re-authenticating your data source. It can be done in two ways:
Option 1: Go to Dashboard > Data source > Select the Airtable source you want to edit > Re-authenticate
Option 2: In a dynamic block’s settings panel > Source tab > Open base selection dropdown, scroll to the bottom and click Edit bases Softr can access
Both paths will take you to the OAuth screen to re-select bases.
How about Personal Access Tokens (PAT)?
Existing Airtable accounts connected through PAT will still work in Softr.
But we're not letting you set up new ones for the time being — because PAT is not really meant to be used this way. If you have strong reasons to choose PAT over OAuth, please let us know. We’ll definitely consider bringing it back!
Like always, if you have any additional questions or feedback, please feel free to contact us through support chat or post on the community forum.
Happy building!
