This is a paid bot, and its usage will be counted toward your plan's credit limit. For more information about credit usage, refer to this article.
General
The Pre-fill dropdowns from Airtable bot automatically fills dropdown fields in a document using data from an Airtable base. When signers open the document, dropdowns are pre-filled and ready for selection. This streamlines the workflow by dynamically populating data in real time.
Use case: Imagine an offer document requiring product selections. By connecting to an Airtable base containing product details, this bot pre-fills dropdown fields with available product options. When sales representatives or clients open the document, they are presented with relevant options from Airtable, simplifying the selection process and reducing manual input.
How to set up
To add the bot:
1. In the step settings, select Add bot or click the plus icon after a specific action.
2. Choose the Pre-fill dropdowns from Airtable bot in the Airtable bot category or use the search bar to locate the one.
3. Click on the bot to install it.
Trigger
A trigger is an event that causes the bot to start working. The moment of the bot's activation depends on its placement in the flow:
If the bot is added after a step or any other element, it will run once that element finishes its job.
If within the step, the bot will run based on the trigger you specify. Choose the trigger type most relevant to your case:
According to this, select the bot's trigger type that will be most relevant to your case:
Trigger type | Description |
Step started | The bot activates when you start the workflow |
Document opened | The bot activates when signers start filling out the documents or switch between them. |
Field changed | Use for cases where a response or action is needed immediately after a user enters or updates information in the specific field. Select the document and the field that the bot should pay attention to complete the setup. |
Document completed | The bot activates once the signer completes a document you specify in the trigger settings. |
Connection settings
To connect the bot to your Airtable account, select Connect in the Source section.
In the new window, grant access to your Airtable workspace and its bases.
Once done, you will see a successful connection via Airtable Auth.
Select the Airtable base, table, view you would like to work with and click Continue.
Mapping
In the Data mapping section, connect your record fields to the document dropdown field by clicking Map fields.
Drag and drop the record field onto the document field. Names of the mapped fields are written on the canvas to indicate where the data will go. Use the search bar to quickly find the field you need.
The mapped record fields will be marked with an icon on the side panel.
To add new table fields, select the Edit document to open the editor.
To cancel mapping, hover over the connected column name and select Unmap, or click the corresponding icon next to the mapped field in the document.
Lookup
In Find record, specify how the bot will find the destination record data by matching the Airtable column to document field values, custom values, or signer details.
Value based on | Explanation |
Document field value | This option allows the bot to find records by matching the value in the specified object field with a corresponding value in a document field.
For example, if your document has a field that captures a record ID or name, the bot will search for records where the object field contains this value.
|
Signer data | This matching type uses the details the signer provides, such as their email, first name, or last name, to find a corresponding record in the object.
It’s useful for workflows where the signer’s identity must be cross-referenced with your system's records. |
Enter your text | This option allows you to manually enter a custom text value, which the bot will use to find a matching record in the object.
This is particularly useful when the value to be matched isn't defined by the document or the signer but is a specific input the workflow creator provides.
|
Input parameter | This option uses the predifined workflow parameters to find a corresponding record in the object. |
Testing
To test the bot, go to the Test section and click Test to simulate its performance. Input data matching search criteria for pre-filling—in our example, the department name. A success message confirms proper configuration. Any errors will be displayed as an error message.
Conditions
Set conditions to control when the bot activates, tailoring it to your specific needs for more efficient automation. For detailed guidance, refer to this article.
Without defined conditions, the bot will default to activating whenever recipients complete the documents or the previous element (for example, another bot) finishes its job.
Advanced settings
This section allows you to choose how the process proceeds in case the bot fails:
Select Proceed to allow the workflow to move to the next signer and automation if the bot isn't crucial.
Select Stop if the bot is critical; this prevents the next signer from receiving documents if data wasn't pre-filled from the source of your choice.