When authoritative datasets are maintained across multiple systems, a common synchronization challenge emerges: how do you ensure everyone is working from the most up-to-date, trusted version of the data without duplicating effort or introducing inconsistencies?
This was the exact challenge facing Re:Wild when we began working together.Â
Re:Wild relies on Airtable to manage grants, track project status, and organize critical program information. At the same time, they use ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Pro to visualize and analyze their work spatially.Â
While each platform serves an important purpose, they operate in fundamentally different ways. Airtable is not inherently spatial, and ArcGIS environments are not designed to act as the primary system of record for tabular project data. The result? Two systems, both considered authoritative, but with no built-in mechanism to stay aligned, leading to potential data drift and inefficiencies.Â
Creating a Reliable Source of Truth
To solve this, Blue Raster designed a streamlined, automated synchronization workflow that ensures consistency between systems while preserving each platform’s strengths.
Using a Hosted Notebook and the Airtable API, we developed a script that:
- Compares records between Airtable and ArcGIS Online
- Identifies differences between datasets
- Pushes updates from Airtable into ArcGIS Online
This process runs on a scheduled basis via a task scheduler, ensuring data stays continuously aligned without manual intervention. Additionally, we exposed the workflow as an on-demand web tool, allowing users to trigger syncs directly within a web map or through a widget in ArcGIS Experience Builder.
The result is a dependable, one-way sync that keeps ArcGIS Online in lockstep with Airtable, establishing Airtable as the primary system of record for core project data.
Closing the Loop: Bringing Spatial Insights Back
However, the workflow didn’t stop there.
Re:Wild also performs spatial analysis in ArcGIS Pro, specifically calculating geographic areas that are critical to their conservation work. Previously, these results had to be manually entered back into Airtable, creating additional effort and risk of error.
To address this, we extended the synchronization process to support a targeted, reverse flow of data.
Using the Airtable API, we enhanced the notebook to:
- Detect updates to specific fields (in this case, area calculations) within ArcGIS
- Push only those updates back into Airtable
- Prevent unintended edits to other fields
This selective, field-level sync ensures that Airtable remains the authoritative source, while still benefiting from the unique analytical capabilities of ArcGIS.
The Outcome
By implementing a controlled, bidirectional synchronization strategy, Re:Wild now has:
- A single, trusted source of truth for project data
- Automated workflows that eliminate manual data entry
- Seamless integration between spatial and non-spatial systems
- Confidence that their data is accurate, consistent, and actionable
This approach highlights a broader lesson: when systems are designed to complement, not compete with, each other, organizations can unlock far greater value from their data.
Ready to Unify Your Data Systems?
Whether your team relies on Airtable, ArcGIS, or a combination of platforms, we can help you design a reliable, automated workflow that keeps your data consistent and your team focused on what matters.