Before You Start

This guide assumes advanced knowledge of Airtable and an automation platform (Zapier/Make). You’ll also need a clear chart of accounts in your accounting software.

Overview

40 min
Setup Time
Advanced
Difficulty
Monthly
Maintenance

What You’ll Learn

  • How to prepare your Airtable base for seamless data export
  • Selecting the right automation platform for your needs
  • Mapping Airtable fields to General Ledger accounts
  • Setting up multi-step automation flows for reliable data transfer

1. Preparation Steps

Before connecting anything, ensure these components are ready:

Required Components

  • Airtable Base and Table(s) with clean data
  • QuickBooks Online or Xero Account with admin access
  • Automation Platform (Zapier/Make) Account
  • Defined General Ledger accounts for mapping

Optional (but recommended)

  • Test accounting environment (sandbox)
  • Error notification system for automation failures
  • Airtable field for automation status/audit log

2. Choosing Your Automation Platform

You have several powerful options, each with distinct advantages.

Method A: Zapier

A popular no-code automation platform known for its ease of use.

Pros:
  • User-friendly interface.
  • Extensive app integrations.
  • Quick setup for simple flows.
Cons:
  • Can be more expensive for high volumes.
  • Less visual for complex multi-path flows.
  • Limited data transformation features.

Method B: Make (formerly Integromat)

A powerful visual automation platform offering deep customization.

Expert Tip: For complex data transformations or multi-step logic, we strongly recommend using Make. Its visual builder makes intricate workflows easier to design, debug, and maintain.

3. Step-by-Step: Building Your Automation

Here is the high-level workflow for automating your GL entries. Data flows from Airtable, is processed by your chosen automation platform, and then sent to your accounting system (QuickBooks, Xero, etc.).

Here is a sample code block representing a GL entry that might be generated:

{
  "date": "2025-10-25",
  "memo": "Airtable Project Tracker #12345",
  "line_items": [
    {
      "account_id": "income-sales",
      "amount": 1500.00,
      "description": "Project Revenue"
    },
    {
      "account_id": "asset-accounts-receivable",
      "amount": -1500.00,
      "description": "Decrease AR for payment"
    }
  ]
}

4. Setting Up Your Automation Flow

  1. 1

    Set Up Your Trigger

    In your automation platform, configure Airtable as the trigger. This could be a new record, a record updated to a specific status (e.g., “Ready for GL”), or a scheduled search.

  2. 2

    Map and Transform Data

    Create modules to pull relevant fields from Airtable. Use functions to transform data types, format dates, and concatenate strings to match your accounting system’s requirements. This is where you define which Airtable field goes to which GL account.

  3. 3

    Create Accounting Entry

    Connect to your accounting software (QuickBooks/Xero) and map the transformed data to create journal entries, invoices, or other financial transactions. Ensure debits and credits balance.

Common Error: Data Type Mismatches

Ensure that currency fields from Airtable are sent as numbers to your accounting system, and date formats are consistent. Mismatches are a frequent cause of automation failures.

5. Testing and Monitoring

Automation Test Checklist

  • Trigger a test record manually in Airtable
  • Verify the new entry appears correctly in accounting software
  • Confirm all amounts, dates, and GL accounts are accurate
  • Test error handling by creating a record with missing data

Need Help?

Get Support

Having trouble with your setup? Our team specializes in custom automation solutions and can help troubleshoot your specific workflow.

Contact Us