How to trigger a custom activity via Zapier
Overview
You can trigger custom activities using website JavaScript, an API, or a middleware tool like Zapier. This article will guide you through triggering a custom activity with Zapier.
Connect Ortto to Zapier
Before you begin, ensure that you've connected Ortto to Zapier. If you haven't done this yet, follow our steps to integrate Ortto with Zapier. Once you're set up, you can proceed to the next step.
Triggering a custom activity via Zapier
You can easily trigger a custom activity in Ortto through Zapier, allowing you to automatically log actions from other tools (like your CRM or project management software) without any coding.
In this example, we’ll show you how to log webinar attendees into Ortto when they’re added to a Google Sheet. Follow these steps:
- Create the custom activity: First, set up your custom activity in Ortto, for this example we're naming it Attended Webinar.
- Set Up Zapier: Go to Zapier and create a new Zap. Select:
- App: Google Sheets.
- Trigger Event: New or Updated Spreadsheet Row.
- Account: Your Google Sheets account.
Follow the prompts to complete the trigger setup.
- Learn more about creating a custom activity.
3. Next, add a new action in Zapier. Choose the following:
- App: Ortto.
- Action event: Create Custom Activity.
- Account: Your Ortto account (it should appear in the dropdown. If not, click Connect a new account).
4. Choose the custom activity you created in step 1. Then, select the relevant options for:
- Search By.
- Create if Not Found.
- Merge Strategy.
5. Map your fields
- Click the + symbol to map the fields from your spreadsheet to the relevant activity attributes. Then, click Continue to proceed.
TIP: If you forgot to create some attributes for your custom activity, you can edit it in Ortto to add them. After adding the new attributes, click Refresh Fields at the top of the screen to automatically update them in Zapier.
NOTE: When mapping a date field, ensure the date format matches what you've set in your general settings.
6. Click Test Step to confirm that Zapier can successfully trigger the custom activity in your Ortto account.
7. If the test is successful, Zapier will show a confirmation message. You’ll also see a new entry in your custom activity in Ortto.
You're all set! Make sure the Zap is ON so it triggers automatically from now on.
NOTE: We recommend testing your Zap with sample details to ensure everything works correctly before going live. Here are key things to confirm:
- The activity is recorded in Ortto.
- All attributes are mapped correctly.
- Contacts are created or updated as intended based on your settings.
IMPORTANT: If the Email permission field is mapped in any of your Zapier actions, Zapier will always overwrite the contact's permission in Ortto. This means that if a contact is currently unsubscribed (e.g., unsubscribed via Pipedrive) and Zapier sends that contact to Ortto with the Email permission field set to True, the contact will be resubscribed.
Zapier common options
Zapier offers several options that are typically available for most Ortto actions. Below is a list of these options and their descriptions.
Option | Description |
|---|---|
Search by | The field Zapier uses to find existing records in your Ortto account. Most of the time, you'll want to select the email address, but you can choose any field that is unique, like a unique ID or a phone number. |
Create if not found |
|
Merge strategy |
|