How to Manage User Access to Softr in Baserow Database

Many applications depend heavily on data storage as a function. Without it, you are unable to create a user profile, track your progress, or perform other crucial tasks. In this guide, we will break down how to securely store confidential information in Baserow.

Baserow offers multiple ways to ensure that your information and files stay safe. We deliver enterprise-grade security at every layer, adhering to multiple compliance certifications. Baserow offers security features, like password protection, token permissions, role based permissions, etc. Role-based access control (RBAC) restricts data access based on a user’s role within a group, database or table. This allows access to information required while protecting sensitive data.

You can also integrate your own security tools and extensions with Baserow to further protect your data. We also offer the ability to deploy Baserow on-premise, which means that you can run a database independently on your own server and you will be the only owner of all data stored there.

What we will do

In this tutorial, we will cover how to keep your Softr app secure and manageable and how to control user access.

• Set up a Baserow database to add users
• Generate credentials to access your Softr app
• Sync access to users who can sign into the app using the credentials
• Sync a Softr App with Baserow using Zapier

Let’s get into using Baserow as a backend database for Softr apps.

1. Build a Baserow Database

If you haven’t already, log in to Baserow.io. Set up a group and add a database.

The first step is to create a group. To create a new group, select ‘+ Create group’ from the dashboard page and click the ‘Add group’ button. Then, add a database to the group.

A default table will be created when you create a new database from scratch. Add Name, Email and Created on fields to store user data.

2. Create a Zap

Zapier is an automation tool that helps you automate repetitive tasks between two or more apps— without a single line of code. With Zapier, you can do more than just connect your apps - you can automate entire processes from beginning to end.

A Zap is an automated workflow that connects your apps and services together. A Zap tells your apps to follow this simple command: “When this happens, do that.” Each Zap consists of a trigger and one or more actions. A trigger is an event that starts a Zap. An action is an event a Zap performs after it is triggered.

Create a new zap

With Zapier, Baserow users can automate the transferring of their data into other apps. Start your Zapier integration by clicking ‘+ Create Zap’ from your Zapier dashboard.

Add a Baserow trigger

Set the trigger for each new row creation in our Baserow database. Here is the list of possible Zapier triggers with Baserow:

• Trigger when a new row is created.
• Trigger when a new row is created or an existing one is updated.
• Trigger when an existing row is updated.

For this tutorial, we will create a Zap trigger for when a new row is created in your table.

1. Select Baserow as the app and Row created as the Event

2. Click Continue and proceed to sign in to your Baserow account to connect to the User database.

3. Authenticate the Baserow API on Zapier by providing your database token in the Baserow API token field. A database token is similar to a password and allows Zapier to authenticate to Baserow to perform specific actions.

   To create a database token, select the ‘API Tokens’ tab within your ‘Settings’ page then click on the ‘Create token +’ button. Input the name and select an existing group. Click on the ‘Create token’ button and copy the token generated.

4. Find your Baserow table ID by clicking on the three dots next to the table. It’s the number between brackets. Enter the Baserow table ID on Zapier.

Test the trigger and configure the Action to define what happens when the initial event is triggered. Zapier will find a recent row in your Baserow API authentication account to confirm that the right account is connected and your trigger is set up correctly.

If no rows are found, create a new row in your Baserow table and test your trigger again.

Click Continue. Click the plus icon to add an Action step to your Zap.

Action A - Create a User

To add users to your Softr app, users either register for an account themselves or are assigned an account by an administrator.

In the Zap editor, click the Action step or the plus + icon to add an action.

1. Select Softr as the app.
2. Select Create User as the app & event. This action creates a user inside the specified Softr app in your account.
3. Link your Softr account by entering the API key
4. Input your custom domain or Softr subdomain in the field provided.
5. Map the user’s Email and Full Name from your Baserow database**.**
6. Set the Magic link to True to generate a magic link instead of a temporary password.

Magic links allow users to authenticate without entering a password. Use Magic Link to generate a unique token that your users can use to log into your app without entering a password. This is useful as the user will sign in for the first time. They can later set up the account information in their User Profile and sign in normally.

Then, click Continue. Test the action.

That’s all. As soon as you activate your Zap, all new users added to your table will also be added to your Softr app. After setting up this action, you can select all users added to your Softr app and resend invite.

When you invite them to your application, they will receive invitation emails with their login credentials (either passwords or magic links based on your selection).

When a user clicks on the magic link or enters it into the browser address bar, he or she will be logged in to your site. That’s all there is to it.

Key takeaways

You can extend this workflow to trigger an action when a user is deleted, it deletes a user from the specified Softr app. With the Delete User action, you can restrict users to protect your app.

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• Automate Employee Onboarding for Remote and Hybrid Teams with Zapier
• Automate Custom Notifications from Baserow Form Submissions with Zapier Webhook

In case you’ve run into an issue while following the tutorial, feel free to reach out to ask for help in the Baserow community.

What’s your use case? Tell us how you use Baserow