User Guide
Route Planner for Airtable

Complete guide to planning optimized routes from your Airtable data. Learn how to use every feature and get the most out of your route planning.

Getting Started

1

Install the Extension

Search for "Route Planner" in the Airtable marketplace and install it to your base.

2

Open the Extension

Click on the "Route Planner" block in your base to open the extension interface.

3

Acknowledge Services

Read and accept the external services notice to enable geocoding and routing features.

💡 Tip: The extension works with any table that contains address information. Make sure your addresses are in a single field for best results.

Setting Up Your Route

Step 1: Select Your Location Field

Choose Address Field

Use the field picker to select the column containing your addresses. This could be named "Address", "Location", "Delivery Address", etc.

💡 Pro Tip: The extension will remember your field selection for each table, so you won't need to select it again next time.

Step 2: Select Addresses

Choose Your Destinations

Click on the records you want to include in your route. You can select any number of addresses, but you need at least 2 for routing.

Use Filters (Optional)

Apply Airtable filters to your table to show only the records you want to route between. The extension respects your table filters.

🎯 Smart Selection Features

  • • Click individual records to select/deselect them
  • • Use "Select All" to include all visible addresses
  • • Selected addresses show with numbers indicating route order
  • • Green checkmarks indicate successful geocoding

Calculating Your Route

🚀 Best Route

Automatically optimizes the order of stops to minimize total travel time and distance. Perfect for delivery routes and sales visits.

📍 Exact Route

Maintains the exact order you selected your addresses. Ideal when you need to visit locations in a specific sequence.

Calculate Route

Click either "Best Route" or "Exact Route" to calculate your journey. The extension will geocode your addresses and find the optimal path.

⚠️ Important: Make sure all your addresses can be geocoded successfully. Addresses with errors will be highlighted and won't be included in the route.

Viewing and Using Your Route

Interactive Map

Explore Your Route

View your calculated route on the interactive map. The map shows all stops, the route path, and provides distance and time estimates.

📊 Route Information

  • • Total distance in kilometers
  • • Estimated travel time in minutes
  • • Number of stops
  • • Route type used (Best/Exact)

Export Options

🗺️ Google Maps

Open your route directly in Google Maps for turn-by-turn navigation and real-time traffic updates.

💾 Save to Airtable

Save the route URL back to your Airtable records for future reference and sharing with team members.

Advanced Features

⭐ Free vs Pro

Free Plan:

3 routes per day with basic features

Pro Plan:

Unlimited routes, priority support, and advanced features

Tips for Best Results

📍 Address Quality:

Use complete, accurate addresses for better geocoding results. Include city, state, and postal code when possible.

🔍 Filtering:

Use Airtable filters to narrow down your address list before selecting. This makes route planning more efficient.

💾 Saving Routes:

Save your calculated routes to Airtable fields so you can reference them later or share with your team.

🔄 Recalculating:

If you change your address selection, you can recalculate the route to get updated directions and timing.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

❌ Geocoding Errors

If an address can't be geocoded, check that it's complete and accurate. Try adding more details like city and postal code.

🚫 Permission Issues

Make sure you have edit permissions on the base to save field selections and route URLs.

🌐 Network Issues

If the extension seems slow, check your internet connection. Geocoding and routing require internet access.

📱 Mobile Usage

The extension works best on desktop browsers. Some features may be limited on mobile devices.

Need Support?

If you're experiencing issues, check the extension settings or contact support through the Airtable marketplace.

Contact Support

Use Cases

🚚 Delivery Companies

Plan daily delivery routes for multiple stops, optimize for time and fuel efficiency.

💼 Sales Teams

Organize customer visits and prospect meetings in the most efficient order.

🏠 Real Estate

Schedule property showings and open houses with optimized travel routes.

🔧 Field Service

Coordinate service appointments and maintenance visits across multiple locations.

✈️ Travel Planning

Create multi-stop itineraries for business trips or vacation planning.

📦 Logistics

Optimize warehouse pick routes and distribution center deliveries.

Ready to Start Planning Routes?

Transform your Airtable workflow with intelligent route planning.

Get Started Today