A Step-by-Step Guide to Transferring Ownership of Your Airtable Base

Ownership transfers happen when teammates leave, teams reorganize, or agencies deliver completed work. Airtable makes the mechanics simple, but you still need a checklist so automations, interfaces, and billing keep working the moment control changes hands. Here is a reliable process.

1. Confirm prerequisites

• The current owner must sit in the destination workspace and hold the Owner role.
• The new owner needs a paid seat (if the workspace is on a paid tier) and should already have Creator permissions on the base.
• Gather context: base URL, workspace name, associated integrations, and any enterprise policies about data residency.

2. Audit the base before transfer

1. Visit Share → Manage collaborators and export the collaborator list for records.
2. Rename ambiguous tables/fields so the new owner inherits a clear schema.
3. Note all Automations, Interfaces, Extensions, and Syncs tied to the base. Capture screenshots so the new owner can verify them post-transfer.

3. Reassign external dependencies

• Automations: Update the “Run as” setting to a service account so they do not pause if the prior owner’s SSO session expires.
• API tokens / personal access tokens: Rotate any keys issued under the departing owner. Create new PATs under a shared admin account when possible.
• Third-party tools: Check Zapier, Make, Retool, or custom scripts for Airtable credentials that reference the old owner’s account and swap them out.

4. Execute the ownership transfer

1. Open the base, click Share, and expand Workspace collaborators.
2. Find the incoming owner, click the dropdown, and select Make owner.
3. Airtable prompts for confirmation; accept it, then refresh to ensure the role shows “Owner.”
4. Notify the new owner immediately—they will receive an email but a DM helps ensure the next step happens fast.

5. Validate after transfer

• Ask the new owner to reload the base and confirm they can edit workspace settings, billing, and automations.
• Have them run through critical workflows (creating a record, triggering interfaces, exporting data) while you observe for permission warnings.
• Update your asset tracker or CMDB with the new owner’s name and timestamp.

6. Close the loop

• Remove the prior owner if they no longer need access, or downgrade them to Editor.
• Store transfer evidence (screenshots, confirmation emails) alongside the ticket or in a compliance folder.
• Schedule a 30-day follow-up to make sure nothing regressed—especially if the base powers customer-facing features.

A thoughtful transfer protects uptime and demonstrates good governance, which is exactly what stakeholders expect from a mature Airtable practice.