How to Add Data to a Synced Destination Table in Airtable

When you sync a table in Airtable, all records flow from the source to the destination. The destination table is read-only. You cannot add or edit records in it directly. Any new records must be added to the source table, where they then appear in the destination through the sync.

This creates a challenge when different teams need to contribute their own records while still receiving shared data from a central source.

Setting up views to separate team data

Before deciding how teams add records, set up the source table correctly so teams only see their own data.

Create a custom view in the source table for each team, filtered by a Team or Department field. When each team's base syncs from that specific view, they only receive records tagged to them.

With that in place, any record a team adds to the source gets tagged with their identifier and appears only in their synced view.

Option 1: Forms pointed at the source table

On any plan, forms are the most straightforward way for teams to contribute records to a synced setup.

Create a form that submits directly to the source table. Pre-fill the Team field with a hidden default value matching the team using the form. Team members never see the team selector; they just fill in the relevant fields and submit.

The record lands in the source table with the correct tag, appears in that team's filtered view, and syncs down to their destination table automatically.

Airtable's native forms support prefilled fields via URL parameters at no cost, so this setup works on the Free plan without any third-party tools. If you need more control, including update forms, conditional logic, or a more polished submission experience, Fillout connects directly to Airtable and handles all of that.

Option 2: Two-way sync for editing existing records (Business and Enterprise plans)

On Business and Enterprise plans, two-way sync allows teams to edit existing synced records directly in the destination table. Edits made in the destination are written back to the source and then propagated to any other synced targets.

This does not allow new records to be created in the destination. New records still need to originate in the source table, which is why the forms approach above remains relevant even on higher plans. Two-way sync covers the editing half of the problem; forms cover the creation half.

For a related pattern where you want an editable destination without using sync at all, see how to do one-way sync in Airtable while keeping the destination table editable.