XML is a structured data format commonly used by legacy systems, exports, and data feeds. Airtable supports importing XML data, making it possible to work with XML files and feeds inside your base.
There are two main ways to import XML into Airtable. You can use Airtable’s XML Import extension to import an XML file as a one-time upload, or connect directly to an XML URL or feed and import the data automatically. This guide walks through both approaches and explains when each one makes sense.
Ways to import XML into Airtable
There are a couple of different ways to import XML data into Airtable, depending on whether the XML file is static or needs to be kept up to date over time.
Option 1: Import an XML file as a one-time upload
If you only need to import XML data into Airtable once, Airtable’s XML Import extension is usually the simplest option. It works well for static XML files, one-off exports, or feeds that don’t need to stay in sync.
After adding the extension, you upload or drag in an XML file, choose the target table, and map elements using XPath. The import is manual, so if the XML file changes, you’ll need to run it again.
Option 2: Import XML from a URL or feed
If your XML data lives at a URL or updates over time, manually re-importing files can become impractical. In these cases, it’s better to connect directly to the XML source and import the data automatically.
This approach lets Airtable import XML data from a remote URL and keep your base up to date on a schedule. Tools like Data Fetcher automatically parse the XML and suggest field mappings, so you don’t need to define XPath expressions yourself.
How to import XML into Airtable using Data Fetcher
In this example, we’ll import a real-world XML file hosted at a public URL into Airtable. This could be an XML feed, export, or API response. The same steps apply to any XML file that’s accessible via a URL.
1. Add the Data Fetcher extension
Open the Airtable base where you want the XML data to live and add the Data Fetcher extension from the Airtable extension marketplace. Once installed, sign in or create a free Data Fetcher account to continue.
2. Create a new XML import request
On the Data Fetcher home screen, click Create your first request.
For the application type, select Custom, which is used for importing data from arbitrary URLs.
Give your request a name, such as “Import XML feed”.
In
the URL field, enter the URL of the XML file you want to import. For
this example, we’ll use a publicly available XML file from the UK
government:
http://ratings.food.gov.uk/OpenDataFiles/FHRS111en-GB.xmlSelect the Airtable table and view where the XML data should be imported.
Click Save & Run.
3. Review and map the XML data
After the request runs, the Response Field Mapping screen will open. This shows the available fields detected in the XML file and how they can be mapped into Airtable.
For each field, you can choose whether to import it, map it to an existing field, or create a new field. Data Fetcher automatically parses the XML structure and suggests field names,
so you don’t need to manually define XPath expressions.
Once you’re happy with the field mapping, click Save & Run again to import the XML data into your table.
4. (Optional) Update existing records instead of creating duplicates
If the XML file includes a unique identifier for each record, you can configure the import to update existing records instead of creating duplicates.
To do this, open Advanced settings and select the unique field as the Update Based on Field. This ensures changes in the XML file are reflected correctly in Airtable when the import runs again.
5. (Optional) Automate the XML import
If the XML file updates over time, you can automate the import by enabling scheduling.
Scheduling allows the XML data to be re-imported automatically at regular intervals, such as every hour or once per day. This is useful for XML feeds or recurring exports that need to stay up to date.
If you only need to import the XML once, you can leave scheduling turned off.
Airtable XML import examples
Below are common examples of XML data being imported into Airtable, and how these scenarios are typically handled.
Importing XML feeds (including RSS and Atom)
Many feeds are published in XML format, including RSS and Atom feeds. These can be imported into Airtable to track items such as blog posts, news updates, or content updates over time.
Importing data from legacy systems
Older systems and services often expose data as XML files or feeds. These XML exports can be imported into Airtable to make the data easier to explore, filter, and share.
Importing XML data from public APIs
Some APIs return responses in XML rather than JSON. These XML responses can
be imported into Airtable in the same way as XML files hosted at a URL.
Importing one-off XML exports
Static XML files generated as exports can be imported into Airtable for analysis, reporting, or reference. This works well when the data only needs to be imported once.
Keeping XML data in sync over time
For XML feeds or files that update regularly, imports can be scheduled to run automatically so Airtable stays up to date as the source data changes.
