Airtable

NSLS Airtable Landscape

Airtable is the operational backbone across every NSLS department — HR tracks people, Marketing tracks campaigns, Product tracks roadmaps, Operations tracks processes, Leadership tracks decisions. The bases below are the starting points, not an exhaustive list — new bases get created regularly.

NSLS Base Directory

NSLS has 24+ Airtable bases across every department. Here's the current inventory:

Product

People (HR)

Leadership (SLT)

Marketing

Operations

Research & Analysis

Cross-functional

Finding What You Need

1. Start broad: mcp__airtable__list_bases → scan names for your topic
2. Get table names (fast): mcp__airtable__list_tables with detailLevel: "tableIdentifiersOnly" — returns just table names and IDs, minimal context usage
3. Drill into a table: mcp__airtable__describe_table with detailLevel: "full" on the specific table you need

Efficiency tip: Always start with tableIdentifiersOnly — requesting full detail on a large base can be overwhelming and burn through context.

Querying Records

• mcp__airtable__list_records — list records with optional filters
• mcp__airtable__search_records — text search across records

filterByFormula Examples

# Exact match
{Status} = "Active"

# Contains text
FIND("keyword", {Description}) > 0

# Date range
IS_AFTER({Created}, "2026-01-01")

# Multiple conditions
AND({Status} = "Active", {Department} = "Product")

Sorting and Limiting

• sort parameter: [{"field": "Created", "direction": "desc"}]
• maxRecords to limit results

Writing Data

• mcp__airtable__create_record — create a single record
• mcp__airtable__update_records — update one or more records (pass an array)
• mcp__airtable__delete_records — delete by record ID

Always confirm before deleting. Airtable API deletes are not easily reversible.

The Automation Tracker (Special)

The Automation Tracker base (appd5oK1wLVPYZeia) tracks all NSLS automations and the builder pipeline. Most builders won't have direct Airtable access to this base.

Use the Railway proxy instead: https://web-production-6281e.up.railway.app

• For registration: use the register-automation skill
• For queries: GET /automations, POST /find
• The proxy is unauthenticated — works for anyone with the URL

Schema Management

• mcp__airtable__create_table — create a new table
• mcp__airtable__create_field / update_field — add or modify columns
• mcp__airtable__list_comments / create_comment — comments on records
• mcp__airtable__upload_attachment — attach files to records

Caution: Schema changes affect everyone using the base. Always confirm before creating or modifying tables and fields.

Diagnostic Loop (When Queries Return Wrong Results)

1. Wrong base? list_bases → scan names. NSLS has 24+ bases — the one you need might be named differently than you expect.
2. Table not found? list_tables with tableIdentifiersOnly → scan all table names. Tables get renamed.
3. Records look empty? Check the filterByFormula syntax — it's Airtable-specific, not SQL. Common mistake: using = with a field that has spaces (wrap in {Field Name}).
4. Linked records show IDs not values? Linked record fields return record IDs. You need a second query on the linked table to resolve display values.
5. Wrong base ID? The base directory above may be stale. Run list_bases to get the current list and compare.
6. Too much data? Use maxRecords to limit results. Use tableIdentifiersOnly before full detail.

Output Guidelines

• For someone looking for data: Lead with where it is: "That data is in the Operations base (appwbKaXw2K0xoJk6), table 'Project Tracker', field 'Status'."
• For cross-department queries: Note which bases you pulled from and whether they're connected or separate.
• For record results: Format as a readable table, not raw JSON.

Gotchas & Trapdoors

• delete_records is permanent — no recycle bin in the API (the Airtable web UI has one, but the API does not).
• list_tables with detailLevel: "full" on a large base can blow up context — start with tableIdentifiersOnly.
• filterByFormula syntax is Airtable-specific, not SQL — different operators, different quoting rules.
• Schema changes (create_field, update_field, create_table) affect ALL users of the base instantly.
• Linked record fields return record IDs, not display values — you need a second query to resolve them.
• The Automation Tracker base (appd5oK1wLVPYZeia) is not accessible to most builders — always use the Railway proxy for tracker operations.