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Connect

Establishes a connection to Airtable by storing the API key token for use in subsequent Airtable operations.

Common Properties​

  • Name - The custom name of the node.
  • Color - The custom color of the node.
  • Delay Before (sec) - Waits in seconds before executing the node.
  • Delay After (sec) - Waits in seconds after executing node.
  • Continue On Error - Automation will continue regardless of any error. The default value is false.
info

If the ContinueOnError property is true, no error is caught when the project is executed, even if a Catch node is used.

Options​

  • Api Key - The Airtable API key credential used to authenticate with the Airtable API.

Output​

  • Key Id - A unique identifier for the stored API key that must be used in subsequent Airtable operations.

How It Works​

The Connect node is the first step in any Airtable automation flow. It securely stores your Airtable API key and returns a key ID that is used by all other Airtable nodes in the flow.

When executed, the node:

  1. Retrieves the API key from the provided credentials
  2. Stores the API key in a thread-safe token manager
  3. Returns a unique key ID that references the stored API key
  4. This key ID is then used by other Airtable nodes to access the API

Requirements​

  • A valid Airtable account
  • An Airtable API key (can be generated in your Airtable account settings)
  • The API key must be stored as a credential in Robomotion

Error Handling​

The node will return specific errors in the following cases:

  • Invalid or missing API key credential
  • Empty API key value in the credential

Usage Notes​

  • The Connect node should be executed before any other Airtable operations
  • The returned Key Id must be passed to subsequent Airtable nodes
  • Each Connect node creates a new token entry that should be cleaned up with a Disconnect node
  • For security, always use the Disconnect node to remove the stored API key when it's no longer needed
  • The API key is stored in memory only and is automatically removed when the flow stops

Best Practices​

  • Store your Airtable API key as a credential rather than hardcoding it
  • Use a single Connect node at the beginning of your flow
  • Always pair Connect with Disconnect nodes to properly clean up resources
  • Handle errors appropriately to prevent credential leaks