Inconsistent results from Airtable queries

Other Questions Airtable
1

Hey folks, I’m having a weird problem with Airtable and Node.js. I’m using the official Airtable library, but my filterByFormula queries are acting up. Sometimes they find records, sometimes they don’t, even when I’m sure the data is there.

Here’s what I’m doing:

async function findReservation(externalID) {
  const results = await reservationsTable.select({
    view: 'Main',
    filterByFormula: `{ExternalID} = "${externalID}"`,
    maxRecords: 1,
  }).all();
  
  return results.length ? results[0] : null;
}

// Usage
const existingReservation = await findReservation(booking.id);
if (existingReservation) {
  modifyBooking(booking);
} else {
  addNewBooking(booking);
}

The issue is that sometimes findReservation returns null for existing records. This causes me to create duplicates with the same external ID. Am I doing something wrong here? Or is there a known Airtable quirk I should know about?

I’m pretty stumped. Any ideas on how to make this more reliable? Thanks!

2

I’ve encountered similar issues with Airtable queries before, and it can be frustrating. In my experience, the inconsistency often stems from Airtable’s eventual consistency model. There’s a slight delay between when data is written and when it’s available for querying across all servers.

To mitigate this, I’ve had success implementing a retry mechanism with exponential backoff. Essentially, if the query doesn’t return the expected result, waiting a short time and trying again, while gradually increasing the wait time, can help.

Another approach that worked for me was to use the SEARCH() function in the filterByFormula instead of a direct equality check. This method seems more tolerant of slight discrepancies in data formatting.

Lastly, I recommend verifying that your ExternalID field is set to ‘Single line text’ in Airtable. Mismatches in field types can sometimes lead to unexpected query behavior.

Hope this helps troubleshoot the issue!

3

yo, i’ve seen this before. airtable can be a real pain sometimes. try using the SEARCH() function in ur filterByFormula. it’s less picky about exact matches. like this:

filterByFormula: SEARCH("${externalID}", {ExternalID})

also, maybe add a small delay before querying. airtable’s servers can be slow to update sometimes. good luck!

4

I’ve dealt with similar Airtable quirks in my projects. One workaround I found effective is to use the ‘FIND()’ function in your filterByFormula instead of direct equality. It’s more forgiving with data discrepancies. Try this:

filterByFormula: `FIND(\"${externalID}\", {ExternalID}) > 0`

Also, double-check your Airtable base’s sync settings. Sometimes, enabling ‘Sync fields to other tables’ can cause delays in data availability across views. If that’s on, consider turning it off or adding a small delay before querying.

Lastly, if you’re dealing with high-volume operations, Airtable’s rate limits might be at play. Implementing a queue system for your queries could help manage this more effectively.