Hey everyone,
I’ve got a bit of a problem with my Airtable and Postgres setup. I’m trying to figure out how to automatically remove a record from my Postgres database when I delete it in Airtable. I’m using Zapier to connect the two, but I can’t seem to find a way to make this work.
Right now, Zapier lets me create new records or update existing ones, but I can’t find an option for deletions. Has anyone found a workaround for this? Maybe there’s a different automation tool that could help?
I’d really appreciate any tips or suggestions. Thanks in advance!
As someone who’s dealt with similar syncing issues, I can tell you that handling deletions between Airtable and Postgres can be tricky. One approach that worked for me was using Airtable’s API directly in combination with a custom script. I set up a scheduled task that compares the records in Airtable with those in Postgres. When it detects a record in Postgres that’s no longer in Airtable, it deletes it from Postgres.
This method requires some coding, but it gives you full control over the sync process. You’ll need to use Airtable’s API to fetch all records periodically, then compare them against your Postgres database. It’s not real-time, but running it every few minutes usually suffices for most use cases.
If you’re comfortable with a bit of scripting, this approach can be more reliable and customizable than relying solely on third-party tools. Just make sure to handle API rate limits and error cases properly.
I’ve faced this challenge before, and I found that using Integromat (now Make) offered more flexibility for handling deletions between Airtable and Postgres. It allows you to set up a scenario that checks for deleted records in Airtable and then executes the corresponding delete operation in Postgres. The key is to use Airtable’s ‘Watch Records’ module and configure it to detect deletions. Then, you can use SQL queries in Make to remove the matching records from your Postgres database. It requires a bit more setup than Zapier, but it’s quite powerful for these kinds of synchronization tasks.
hey emma, have you tried using webhooks? i had a similar issue and set up a webhook in airtable that triggers when a record is deleted. then in zapier, i created a zap that listens for that webhook and deletes the corresponding record in postgres. its not perfect but it works for me. good luck!