Mar 20, 2023

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Hi everyone, today we’re introducing the long-waited Action Buttons in Softr!

This new feature will take your apps to the next level, and it is only the first of many big launches that are coming to Softr this year.

Now, without further ado, let’s get into the details.

What are actions buttons?

Buttons have long existed in Softr, but previously you were only able to set up navigation actions, such as open URL, page, or modal. With the new action buttons, you can now perform CRUD (create, read, update, delete) operations with the underlying data.

This enables you to unlock many new use cases with your Softr apps!

What actions are available?

1. Add record

This allows your users to add a new record to a list through a popup form.

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2. Update record

This action allows your users to edit an existing record through a popup form. It’s essentially the same as the Edit function that we previously had, but better!

You get to define...

• Which fields and inputs to show
• How they should be called
• In what order to display them in
• Whether they’re required or not

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📝 To use both actions, please update your block to a newer version.

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How to set up action buttons?

Action buttons are currently available in List, Table, Kanban, Calendar, Inbox, and List Details blocks. To set it up, open your block's settings panel > head to the new “Actions” tab.

You will see two main sections to place your buttons in:

1. Topbar buttons

These are buttons placed above a list to perform table-level actions, such as Add Record, Open (static) URL/Page/Modal, Download List, and bulk actions (coming in the future).

2. Item buttons

These are buttons placed on each specific item to perform record-level actions, such as Update Record, Open (dynamic) URL/Page/Modal, and Update Fields (coming very soon).

Can I control who can see which button?

Previously, we asked you to define global edit permissions before any editing could be performed. However, we have found that approach to be quite confusing and inflexible, so we have moved the permission settings to the action level.

Now, you get to set visibility rules for each of your buttons based on:

• User state (most CRUD actions are only available to logged-in users with the exception of Add Record)
• User group
• Record’s fields (for item buttons only)

And don’t worry, if someone can’t see the button, they also won’t be able to “cheat” via direct API calls. Your data is fully protected.



The same settings are also available for special actions, such as drag-and-drop on Kanban blocks.

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📝 What this means is we’ve also retired (Global) Edit Permissions.

If you had edit permissions set up, don’t worry. We’ve automatically translated your previous settings to the action level, which means everything still works exactly the same. You’ll just have to adjust the settings for each individual button from now on.

Can I customize the look and feel of a button?

Yes! We let you customize the buttons while ensuring they always look great.

Here are some aspects you can customize:

• Positioning
• Font
• Color
• Roundness
• Copywriting on popup modal

You can add as many buttons as you’d like, but note that only two will be visible in each section, and the rest will be placed within the dropdown menu. We do this to ensure your app offers the best user experience. 😉

Which plan can use action buttons?

EVERYONE!

We believe that basic CRUD actions are essential to every web app, so we made this feature available to every Softr user, including those on the Free plan.

However, only customers on the Professional plan and above can assign button visibility based on custom user groups.

What’s next?

This is only the first action button release. In the next phase, we’ll introduce:

• Delete record
• Update fields (replace value)
• Set icons
• Webhook, Make, Zapier

Future:

• Advanced button visibility settings (based on page URL, URL params, logged-in users’ attribute, and details page’s record attributes.)
• Update fields (append, calculate)
• Bulk actions
• Multi-steps workflow automation

Have fun building and let us know what you think!