6.1 Creating a simple base with a table, fields, and records

Create your database

Building in Airtable starts with capturing your data—and that’s because it’s the key to unlocking your workflow.

Data is more than just numbers and dates. It can be tags, images, relationships, rich text…in fact, just about anything! For you, the data that matters most might be a list of company goals, a pipeline of marketing campaigns, a roadmap of product features, or a rolodex of customers.

Whatever data your team is focused on should form the foundation of your workflow. That’s why the first step to building in Airtable is creating a database. In this stage, we’ll walk through how to create a home for your team’s data that’s customized to your specific needs.

Dive into the six steps below to learn how to create a database in Airtable:

1. Create a base

An Airtable base (short for "database") is the home for all the information you need for your workflow. In this step, we’ll walk you through what a base is, and how to create one for the very first time.

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Explore step 1

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2. Create a table

Bases are made up of tables, each of which contains a list of items of the same type—like people, ideas, or projects. In this step, learn how to create your first table.

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Explore step 2

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3. Add data with records

Records are the individual items in a table. Create as many records as you need, whether that’s dozens of creative assets, or hundreds of customer feedback submissions. In this step, we’ll go through how to add or import new records into a table.

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Explore step 3

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4. Organize data in fields

Fields allow you to track custom details related to each record. Choose from 20+ rich field types, like dates, checkboxes, custom tags, and attachment uploads. In this step, learn what fields are and how to set up the right ones for your work.

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Explore step 4

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5. Create custom views of your data

Views are different ways of looking at your information that you can customize and save. Explore the data in your base in different visual ways, and drill down to give everyone on your team exactly the information they need. In this step, you’ll learn how to use different view configurations and view types.

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Explore step 5

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6. Connect your data with linked records

Map the relationship between important data you’re tracking across – between tasks and projects, company and contact, or clients and their projects with linked records. Learn how to start mapping the relationship in your data in just a few steps.

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