Automations that support recurring habitual tasks, not replace humans and thinking
As a Project Manager and an AI tools enthusiast, I look at every task I do and ask myself: Have I done this thing more than a few times? If so, how can I automate this so I don’t have to manually do it again?
You don’t have to over-complicate automation and make it something big and scary. If there is a task that you keep doing, then look for a way to automate that one single task. Don’t try to create advanced robots to replace a human. Create simple automations to replace your boring tasks so you can do more fun things.
Airtable has an Automation option which makes all of this quite simple without any tech work or coding. In the top-right corner, click Automations, and click Create automation.
I will make one more recommendation here which will probably leave me with less friends… Don’t try to auto-generate your weekly status summaries using task uploads, AI generated meeting notes and LLM chatGPT summaries, don’t try to auto-update tasks statuses, auto close risks and dependencies. These will almost always be incorrect and reflect very poorly on you as a Project Manager. Use your own brain and intelligence for these things, trust me, it’ll be so much better. At least until these tools start doing a better job of them.
Automations should make problems visible, not make decisions for you.
Automation 1: Flag missing weekly updates
This automation will help you stop having to manually check which projects were not updated this week.
You already created the Weekly update overdue formula. This automation simply surfaces it. When a project becomes “Overdue”, you get a reminder or notification, via email, or via Slack message, or by creating a task in your task management tool.
This is a very simple and useful automation at an early stage.
Step 1: Create the trigger
- Click Add trigger
- Select When record matches conditions
- Choose Projects table
- Set the conditions:
Weekly update overdue→ is →OverdueProject status→ is →Active- Save the trigger
Step 2: Choose the action
Send yourself an email (you can set up Slack message or any other notification too)
- Click Add action
- Select Send email
- To: your email address
- Subject:
Weekly status update overdue - Message body (example):
The project {{Project name}} is overdue for a weekly status update. Please add a new update in Airtable. - Insert the Project name using the + field picker.
- Save the action.
Step 3: Turn the automation on
- Click Turn on
- Airtable will test it automatically
- This automation is now live.
Automation 2: Nudge yourself at the end of the week
This automation is time-based and reminds you to write weekly status updates every week on the same day. It sends a reminder on a fixed weekday (for example Friday afternoon) by email or Slack message:“Time to add weekly status updates in Airtable”
Step 1: Create the trigger
- Create new automation
- Add trigger → At a scheduled time
- Set:
- Frequency: Weekly
- Day: choose your reporting day (e.g. Friday)
- Time: e.g. 3:00 PM
- Time zone: confirm it’s correct
- Save the trigger.
Step 2: Add the reminder action
- Add action → Send email
- To: your email
- Subject:
Weekly status updates reminder - Message:
Time to add weekly status updates in Airtable. Please create one update per active project. - Save the action.
Step 3: Turn it on
Automation 3: Highlight Red status immediately
This automation ensures that Red RAG statuses don’t quietly sit unnoticed. It notifies you when a weekly status is marked Red by email or Slack message or add a comment to the Project record. This encourages immediate action on Red statuses. You can also choose this automation to send the notification to another person.
Step 1: Create the trigger
- Create new automation
- Add trigger → When record matches conditions
- Table: Weekly Status Updates
- Set condition:
Reported health (RAG)→ is →Red- Save the trigger.
Step 2: Choose the action
- Add action → Send email
- Subject:
Red weekly status reported - Message:
A Red weekly status was reported for {{Project}}. Please review risks, decisions, and next actions. - Insert Project via field picker.
Add a comment to the Project record:
- Add action → Add comment
- Table: Projects
- Record ID: use the linked Project record
- Comment text:
Red weekly status reported. Please review and agree next actions.
Step 3: Turn it on
- Now every Red update triggers immediate visibility.
Automation 4: Guardrail for Red status
This automation warns you if a Red update is missing actions. It can send you or someone else a reminder saying “Red status logged without actions. Please complete ‘Decisions or support needed’.”
Step 1: Create the trigger
- Create new automation
- Add trigger → When record matches conditions
- Table: Weekly Status Updates
- Set conditions:
Reported health (RAG)→ is →RedDecisions or support needed→ is empty- Save the trigger.
Step 2: Add the warning action
- Add action → Send email
- Subject:
Red status logged without actions - Message:
A Red weekly status was logged for {{Project}}, but no actions were recorded. Please complete the “Decisions or support needed” field. - Save the action.
Step 3: Turn it on