In Airtable a database is called a base. Open your home screen, click Create, pick a workspace, then choose Build an app on your own. Add tables inside the base, or import a CSV or Google Sheet so you start with your data already in place rather than a blank grid.
Base, table, record, field: the words you'll see
The naming trips people up, so let's sort it first. The help pages describe a base as short for database: a place to store your data and the workflows that depend on it. A base can hold several tables. Each table holds records, and each record holds its data in fields.
If you think in spreadsheets, a base is the whole file, a table is one tab, a record is a row and a field is a column. The difference is that fields have types. The supported list includes Attachment, Autonumber, Checkbox, Count and Created time, so each column can be shaped to what it stores instead of being plain text.
Building your first base
1. Start from the home screen
Open your home screen and click Create. Every new base starts here.
2. Choose the workspace
Select the workspace the base should live in. That choice decides who can see it and work on it with you, so put client bases in the right workspace from day one.
3. Pick how to begin
You'll see options such as Build an app with Omni, Start with a managed app and Build an app on your own. Choose Build an app on your own for an empty base. Don't panic if some options are missing: your collaborator permission level decides which ones appear, and some users can't access the AI and managed app routes.
4. Add your first table
Inside the base, click Add or import, name the table and save. Give each table one type of item, such as products, projects or tasks. Mixing clients and invoices in one table is how a tidy base turns messy.
5. Add fields and records, or import
Add a field for each piece of information you want to keep, then enter your records. If the data already lives somewhere else, choose Add or import and bring in a CSV or a Google Sheet instead of retyping it.
6. Rename the record type
Set the record type name if you'd like the buttons to say Task or Client instead of Record. It changes labels such as Add record to Add task without touching any data, and you can edit it later.
Import limits and what doesn't sync back
| Import | Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CSV file | 100MB | Native import |
| Excel file | 5MB | Native import |
| Google Sheet | Imported as a new table in a new base | Later edits don't flow back to the sheet |
Two more conditions. Import isn't available in the mobile app, so do it on a computer. And you'll need Owner or Creator permission to import into an existing base.
Copying, reusing and deleting a base
Any collaborator can duplicate a base, and the duplicate dialog lets you choose record and comment settings. That's the quickest way to reuse a structure for a new client. One quirk: if the base contains a synced table, the copy keeps the records but loses its connection to the original sync source.
Duplicating a single table copies its fields and views, and the records if you switch that on. Record comments and shared view links don't come across, and linked record fields start empty in the copy.
Only Owner or Creator permission can delete a base. The route is the arrow next to the base name, then the three-dot icon, then Delete base.
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A hidden table still isn't private
This one matters if you share bases with freelancers or clients. The Airtable Help Center is clear that hiding a table isn't a permission control. Anyone with access to the base can show it again, and its data stays readable through search, linked records and the API. If someone mustn't see certain data, keep it in a separate base, use a share link, or make them an interface-only collaborator. The Interface Designer is the tidy way to give people a view without the whole base.
Other tools that build databases
Notion starts a database from a new page, either from scratch or from an existing data source, and shows it in Table view by default with as many views as you like. My walkthrough on creating a database in Notion covers that route.
Baserow creates a table from scratch, by duplicating one, or by importing CSV, Excel, JSON or XML, and it has a route to import an existing base from Airtable.
My take: plan the tables before you click Create
Spend ten minutes on paper first. List the things you track, one table each, and the details you need about each one. Then build the empty base, import what you already have, and link the tables together. It's far easier than untangling a single giant table later. If you're comparing options for client data, see my guide to customer database software.
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Frequently asked questions
What's a database called in Airtable?
A base. It's short for database and can contain several tables of records and fields.
Can I import a spreadsheet when I create a base?
Yes. Use Add or import to bring in a CSV, an Excel file or a Google Sheet. The native limit is 100MB for CSV and 5MB for Excel.
Why can't I see Build an app with AI?
Your collaborator permission level decides which creation options appear, so some users don't see it.
Can I copy a base to reuse its structure?
Yes. Any base collaborator can duplicate a base and choose record and comment settings in the duplicate dialog.
Who can delete a base?
Owner or Creator permission is needed.
