> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.hiveku.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Connect Hiveku to Zapier

> Integrate with 6,000+ apps using Zapier webhooks

Zapier's directory covers almost every SaaS tool out there. Hiveku connects in either direction via webhooks — so you can trigger Hiveku workflows from Zapier events, or fire Zapier Zaps from Hiveku workflows.

<Info>
  Before you start: have a Zapier account and a Hiveku workflow you want to connect. Free Zapier tier works for low-volume flows.
</Info>

## Two Directions

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Zapier → Hiveku" icon="arrow-right">
    External event triggers a Hiveku workflow
  </Card>

  <Card title="Hiveku → Zapier" icon="arrow-left">
    Hiveku event triggers a Zap (then fans out to other apps)
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Hiveku → Zapier">
    Use this when something happens in Hiveku (new lead, database change, scheduled task) and you want to push to a non-native tool via Zapier.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Create a Zap in Zapier">
        In Zapier, **Create Zap**. For the trigger, pick **Webhooks by Zapier > Catch Hook**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Copy the webhook URL">
        Zapier generates a unique URL like `https://hooks.zapier.com/hooks/catch/12345/abcdef/`. Copy it.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Build your Hiveku workflow">
        In Hiveku, **Workflows > New Workflow**. Add a trigger appropriate for your use case — database change, form submission, schedule, webhook.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Add an HTTP Request action">
        Click **+ Add Action > HTTP Request**:

        * **Method:** POST
        * **URL:** paste the Zapier webhook URL
        * **Headers:** `Content-Type: application/json`
        * **Body:**

        ```json theme={null}
        {
          "event": "new_lead",
          "name": "{{trigger.name}}",
          "email": "{{trigger.email}}",
          "source": "{{trigger.source}}"
        }
        ```
      </Step>

      <Step title="Test the workflow">
        Run the workflow (manually or via real event). Zapier captures the sample payload and shows the fields.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Finish your Zap">
        In Zapier, add the action steps — send to Slack, append to Google Sheet, create HubSpot deal, whatever your destination is. Map fields from the webhook payload to the action inputs.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Turn on the Zap">
        Zapier won't process events until the Zap is toggled on.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Zapier → Hiveku">
    Use this when an event in another app (new Gmail, new Stripe charge, new Calendly booking) should trigger a Hiveku workflow.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Create a Hiveku workflow with a Webhook trigger">
        **Workflows > New Workflow**. Add **Webhook trigger**. Copy the generated URL.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Add the downstream actions">
        Whatever should happen in Hiveku when this event fires — send email, create DB row, post to Slack, run AI generation.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Save and enable">
        Toggle the workflow **Enabled**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Create the Zap">
        In Zapier, **Create Zap**. Pick your source app as the trigger (Gmail, Stripe, Calendly, etc.).
      </Step>

      <Step title="Add a Webhooks by Zapier action">
        After the trigger, add **Webhooks by Zapier > POST** as the action:

        * **URL:** paste your Hiveku webhook URL
        * **Payload Type:** JSON
        * **Data:** map Zapier trigger fields to JSON keys (e.g., `email: <email from Gmail>`)
      </Step>

      <Step title="Test and turn on">
        Test the Zap — Zapier sends a sample payload to Hiveku. Check the workflow's **Runs** tab to confirm it fired. Turn on the Zap.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Zapier Filters and Formatters

Zapier ships a few utility steps that are worth knowing about:

* **Filter by Zapier** — only process events matching criteria. Example: only forward Gmail emails from VIP senders to Hiveku. Avoids flooding workflows with noise.
* **Formatter by Zapier** — transform data before it reaches Hiveku. Format dates, split names into first/last, uppercase, trim whitespace.

Both run inside the Zap between trigger and action steps.

<Tip>
  Keep transformations in Zapier when the data cleanup is generic. Keep business logic in Hiveku workflows where it's version-controlled and visible to your team.
</Tip>

## When to Use Zapier vs Native Hiveku

Zapier is fastest when:

* The source app is in Zapier's directory but not in Hiveku's native integrations
* The flow is low-volume (under 1,000 events/day)
* You don't want to maintain the integration code

Native Hiveku workflows are better when:

* High volume (Zapier bills per task — costs add up)
* Complex logic with branching, AI steps, or long-running operations
* You want full visibility into retries and failures
* Security/compliance requires fewer external services in the path

<Warning>
  For high-volume automations (>1,000 events/day), check Zapier's pricing against running workflows natively in Hiveku. Zapier's per-task billing often makes native workflows dramatically cheaper at scale.
</Warning>

## Security Notes

* Treat Hiveku webhook URLs like API keys. If they leak, regenerate by deleting the trigger and creating a new one.
* Zapier supports Basic Auth and custom headers on outgoing webhooks — use an `Authorization` header to limit who can POST to your Hiveku endpoints.
* For sensitive flows (finance, PII), consider native integrations instead — fewer third parties in the chain means fewer places for data to leak.

## Verify It Worked

Trigger the Zap manually (or via real source event). Confirm:

1. The Zapier run log shows success for both trigger and webhook action
2. The Hiveku workflow's **Runs** tab shows a new run with the expected payload
3. The downstream actions completed as intended

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Zapier webhook isn't firing">
    Two common causes: (1) the Zap is still toggled off — flip it on in the Zap list; (2) a filter step is excluding the event. Check the Zap's history log — if the trigger fired but no downstream steps ran, a filter stopped it.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Data doesn't reach Hiveku">
    Check the Zapier task history for errors on the webhook action. Usually 4xx responses with Hiveku error messages explain the issue — malformed JSON, workflow disabled, wrong URL. Re-test with Zapier's built-in test payload to isolate.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Hiveku workflow runs but fields are empty">
    The Zapier-to-Hiveku data mapping has a typo or is pointing at the wrong trigger field. Open the Hiveku workflow run, inspect the trigger payload, and cross-reference against your Zapier action's Data configuration.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Intermittent delivery — sometimes events land, sometimes not">
    Zapier retries on 5xx responses, so your Hiveku endpoint should be idempotent (handling duplicates gracefully). Check the Zap task history for retries. If Hiveku is returning 5xx occasionally, check the workflow's error logs for transient failures like timeouts on a downstream API call.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Per-task billing is getting expensive">
    Rebuild the most frequent Zaps as native Hiveku workflows. Typical savings: 80-95% at volumes over 5,000 events/month. The migration is usually a one-time afternoon of work.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## What's Next?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Workflows Basics" icon="diagram-project" href="/how-tos/workflows">
    Understand triggers, actions, and runs in depth
  </Card>

  <Card title="Webhook Patterns" icon="plug" href="/how-tos/webhook-patterns">
    Generic patterns for connecting any service with webhooks
  </Card>
</CardGroup>