Airtable to Postgres ETL Automation

What It Does

This ETL system automates the entire process of migrating data from Airtable to Postgres with just one click.

It intelligently maps your Airtable schema into a format compatible with Postgres, automatically creates the necessary tables, and transfers all your data seamlessly.

Why it was built:
We developed this in-house after our Airtable bases hit usage limits and we needed to transition to a more scalable tech stack.

💡 Bonus: You can also list all the newly created tables or delete them when needed.

How It Works

1. Connect your Airtable Base
   Add your Airtable access token and base ID. The system uses these to understand your schema and data structure.
2. Provide Postgres Credentials
   Enter your database details (host, username, password, etc.). You can test the credentials before proceeding.
3. Automatic Mapping and Migration
   Once connected, the system pulls all data from Airtable, maps it to a clean Postgres schema, and inserts it into new tables.
4. Get a Clean Result Summary
   After migration, you'll receive a clear response confirming the migration details and outcomes.

Getting Started

To use this template, simply import the workflow into your n8n account and follow these steps:

1. Airtable Setup

• Go to Airtable's Developer Hub and generate an access token.
• Ensure the token has access to the base you want to migrate.
• Copy the Base ID or URL and include both in your request body.

2. Postgres Setup

• Gather your Postgres credentials:
  • Host
  • Database name
  • Username
  • Password

3. Launch the Workflow

• Set up a simple HTTP request workflow (e.g. using curl).
• Start the migration with one of the available endpoints.

Available API Endpoints

You can trigger any of these actions via curl or your preferred HTTP tool:

1. Test Credentials
   Validates your Airtable and Postgres connection settings.
2. Sync Data
   Starts the full migration process from Airtable to Postgres.
3. List Tables
   Returns a list of all the tables created during the migration.
4. Delete Tables
   Removes the tables and data that were previously created.

Who It's For

Whether you're a beginner or a pro working with n8n, Airtable, or Postgres, this setup is designed to be:

• Easy to configure
• Fast to run
• Flexible for various use cases

All you need is to populate the correct credentials and the rest is taken care of automatically.

Testing & Validation

1. Test Your Connections

Send a test request to ensure your Airtable and Postgres credentials are working. You should receive a 200 OK response on success.

Once confirmed, you can proceed to run the full migration.

Need Help?

Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or send an email if you’d like help customizing this template or learning more about the setup.

Happy productivity!