I have been exploring the AirTable API and noticed that it doesn’t appear to support the direct programmatic import of a CSV file to create a new table within a base. Is there a workaround or a method to accomplish this?
Yes, you can achieve this by combining the use of the Airtable API with a scripting language like Python. While Airtable doesn’t support direct CSV imports through its API, you can write a script that reads the CSV file and uses Airtable API’s create record endpoint to insert data row by row into an existing table. Libraries like pandas can be quite handy for managing CSV data, and requests can help with interacting with Airtable’s API. Although it’s a bit more involved, it works effectively for automating data imports.
Another option to consider is using middleware services like Zapier or Integromat. These platforms let you create workflows that can automate the task of importing CSV data into Airtable. You can set up a scenario where the middleware service periodically checks for new CSV files in a specific location, such as a cloud storage service, and then processes the data into your Airtable base. While this might require some initial setup, it can simplify the process significantly without the need to dive into scripting extensively.
If I am not mistaken, Make.com (formerly Integromat) does not allow you to run scenarios with CSV import in Air Table precisely because it is Air Table that does not allow you to import CSV via API.