Keeping Airtable Sync Active Without Manual Logins

Imagine you run an online craft supply store with operations split between two separate Airtable bases.

The Sales & Inventory Base records every transaction and automatically updates the inventory for various craft supplies. The Supply Chain Management Base syncs with the Sales & Inventory Base to monitor stock levels and generate restock alerts when supplies fall below a set threshold.

This separation allows different teams to focus on their specific tasks—the operations team handles daily sales and inventory updates in one base, while the procurement team manages restocking through alerts in the other.

However, you’ve noticed that Airtable’s sync doesn’t always update properly, when changes are made in the Sales & Inventory Base. This causes restock alerts to become outdated, leading to potential shortages or delays.

You might be wondering why this happens. Let me explain.

According to Airtable’s documentation, automatic syncs can stop if there’s no recent activity in the destination base.

To prevent this, set up an automation that makes a minor update every hour in the destination base where the sync occurs. A simple way to do this is by toggling a checkbox on and off in a dedicated field. This small change counts as an update, keeping the base active and ensuring that the sync continues uninterrupted.

By implementing this fix, you prevent Airtable from going idle and ensure that the sync works as intended.