Zapier moves info between your web apps automatically and connects to hundreds of other web apps including Quickbooks, Google Docs, Mailchimp, Slack, Facebook, and more. Zapier provides a framework to connect APIs that don't otherwise connect, which makes it an ideal candidate for our first integration and a great place to get started with third-party integrations. Zapier includes their own version of a query builder (similar to our notification Query Builder) to get pinpoint information from GivingFire and pass it along to other apps.


We've built a powerful integration with Zapier, leveraging all of their platform's great features. Once you've signed up for a Zapier account, you can add the GivingFire app and get right to automating. 


Understanding how Zapier works

Your first step to using Zapier is to sign up for an account. Basic accounts are free, and advanced accounts start at $20 per month. As you're getting started, you can browse through their extensive catalog of apps. Chances are good that you'll see a lot of familiar apps in the crowd. You'll need to authorize GivingFire, and any other apps you want to use, by logging in with your account credentials. From there, you can start building Zaps that can move and sync your data across your favorite apps.


Each Zap is built using a combination of the following elements:

  • Triggers — changes or updates within an app that you can specify as the beginning of a Zap workflow. In GivingFire, our instant notifications can send information for new/updated donors/donations/transactions/pledges to serve as Zapier triggers.
  • Actions — specific tasks within an app that Zapier will perform, whenever a Zap's trigger occurs. For example, if the trigger is "Salesforce receives new donor information" then the resulting action might be for GivingFire to update that user's record in its database.
  • Searches — an optional workflow step that tells Zapier to look up information in an app, which it can then use in an action.
  • Filters — a way to specify additional criteria that narrows down the conditions for when a Zap should run.


Using these four elements, you can build Zaps that span a huge range of complexity. Once you've signed up and are ready for your first Zap, let's add GivingFire to your Zapier account.


Adding GivingFire to your Zapier account

First, we'll need to add GivingFire to your list of available Zapier apps. To get started with your Zapier integration, go to Settings > Data Services > 3rd Party Integrations. Find Zapier on the list and press "How do I activate Zapier?"


You'll see a pop-up window with some instructions on it. Click "Make a Zap" to be forwarded to Zapier. On Zapier you'll see an invite page - click the "Accept Invite and Make a Zap" button to continue. Congratulations - you can now connect GivingFire to other Zapier apps!



Using the GivingFire app in Zapier

Although there's virtually no end to the kinds of Zaps you can build, configuring the GivingFire app will always follow the same basic steps. Below we'll go through an example of how to set up a GivingFire trigger for a new Zap.


  1. Log into your Zapier account at https://zapier.com.
  2. At the top of the page, click Make a Zap!
  3. The first step is to choose the app you want to use to define your trigger. Search for and select the GivingFire app.
  4. You have a variety of choices for the type of GivingFire update to use as a trigger. For this example, though, let's keep it simple. Select 'New Transaction' and click Continue.
  5. If this is your first time using GivingFire in a Zap, you'll need to click Connect a New Account. Enter your organization's sub-domain and an Access Token. You can generate access tokens in Settings > Data Services > Access Tokens - see Creating an Access Token on our KnowledgeBase. Once connected, click Test to make sure Zapier can reach your GivingFire account. You'll only need to do this once.
  6. Finally, if you're using GivingFire as the trigger (as opposed to an action) you'll receive a webhook URL. Copy this URL.
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  7. Create a webhook inside GivingFire for the same action you selected in Zapier, and paste the URL into the HTTP POST field. You can use customizations inside GivingFire notifications to further customize your trigger - for example, only send new transactions if they're $1000 or over. For more on customizing triggers, see Setting Up Instant Notifications/Webhooks in our KnowledgeBase.
  8. Congratulations - you've now set up GivingFire in your Zap! Your next step is to select an app for your action. From here, you can go in a million different directions. Search for and select the app you want Zapier to perform an action in, and configure your action options. For example, the GivingFire team uses Slack for inter-office messaging, and we've set up our Zap to post a message to a specific channel on new donations. There are a ton of options, so take a look at Zapier's action list and continue from there!
    NOTE: If you need help with other apps, Zapier's Help & Support pages have lots of app-specific documentation.
  9. Once you're all done, click the toggle button to enable your Zap. Once it turns green and reads 'Your Zap is on', you're all set!


Congratulations on creating your first Zap with the GivingFire app! There's so much more you can do with our Zapier integration. Feel free to play around, or send your Account Manager a message and we'd be glad to help you further customize your Zapier actions.