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Connecting Zapier to NationBuilder
Connecting Zapier to NationBuilder

Your guide to getting started setting up Zapier with NationBuilder.

Updated over a week ago

Getting Started

What is Zapier?

Zapier is an online automation tool that connects your apps and services, enabling you to automate repetitive tasks without coding or relying on developers to build the integration. By linking over 7,000 applications, Zapier allows you to create "Zaps" — automated workflows that move data between apps (ex. NationBuilder) based on specified triggers and actions. For example, you can set up a Zap to capture RSVPs from an event in Eventbrite and send them into NationBuilder as RSVPs to your event in NationBuilder (and vice versa) – keeping the two systems in sync. This eliminates the need for repetitive manual tasks, allowing you to focus on the more important things!

Zapier Pricing

Zapier offers a variety of pricing plans to support different automation needs. The Free Plan allows up to 100 tasks per month at no cost. Paid options include the Professional Plan (starting at $19.99/month billed annually) for people who need advanced features like multi-step Zaps, and the Team Plan (from $69/month) for collaborative environments with unlimited users and shared workspaces. For large organizations, the Enterprise Plan offers customizable features and dedicated support. All plans provide access to Zapier’s no-code editor and many different app integrations (including our new NationBuilder Zapier Integration). For more information, check out Zapier’s pricing page!

Setting up NationBuilder as the Trigger

  1. Log in to your Zapier account and create a new Zap.
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    A picture of an empty folder that says "NationBuilder" and a blue "Create Zap" button.

  2. Once you create your Zap, type “NationBuilder” in the search box and select the NationBuilder integration.
    ​

    A picture of the app search box where the user typed in "NationBuilder" to search for the NationBuilder Zapier app.

  3. Select NationBuilder as the trigger in the first step and select the event you would like to trigger this workflow.

    1. The first step to your Zap is called the “Trigger”. This is what will start the workflow and execute the proceeding actions.
      ​

      A picture of the available Trigger events.

  4. Next, select the account you would like to connect to the Zap.
    ​

    A picture of the Zap with a red arrow pointing to the Account selection field.

  5. If you don’t have your NationBuilder account attached yet, go ahead and click “Connect a new account.” This will connect your nation to Zapier through an authentication flow. This flow will ask for your nation slug so we can connect your nation to Zapier.
    ​

    A picture of the Connected Accounts listing in the Zap with a red arrow pointing to the "Connect a new account" button.

  6. After you input your nation slug, you will be taken into your nation where you will authorize the Zapier app.
    ​

    A picture of the NationBuilder Authorization screen with a red arrow pointing to the "Authorize" button.

  7. After you authenticate your nation and connect it to the Zap, click Continue and progress to the Configuration setup.
    ​

  8. Fill out the requested fields in the Configuration step based on your preferences.

    1. In this Trigger, we can specify the page where the “New Signups” are coming from. This will allow the Trigger to focus on a specific page in your nation and ignore all other “New Signup” activities. If you don’t know the ID for the page, feel free to search for it in the dropdown. If it’s not there, you may need to log in to your nation to find it. For example, if I only care about “New Signups” on my new Member signup page, I would visit that page in the control panel and refer to the URL to find the page ID. In this case, the URL is “https://sallyforcongress.nationbuilder.com/admin/sites/1/pages/922/activities” and the page ID is “922”.
      ​

      A picture of the Configure tab in the Zap.

  9. Once ready, continue to the final “Test” step where you can make sure your Zap is working properly.
    ​

    A picture of the Test tab in the Zap.

Using NationBuilder as an Action

  1. Once you create your Zap and set your Trigger, add a new action and type “NationBuilder” into the search box. Select the NationBuilder integration.

  2. In the newly added action, select the event you would like to use (for example, “Enroll in Automation”).
    ​

    A picture of the available Action events.

  3. Next, select the account you would like to connect to the Zap.

    1. This account will be used to connect your nation to Zapier through an authentication flow. This flow will ask for your nation slug so we can connect your nation to your Zap.
      ​

      A picture of the Connected accounts listing.

  4. After you authenticate your nation and connect the Zap, click Continue and progress onto the Configuration setup.

    1. For some of the fields in an Action, you have the option to “Add search step” which is an additional action to assist in looking up the ID you need for that action. For example, with the “Enroll in Automation” Action, you can “Add search step” to look up the Signup ID for the person you would like to add to the Automation in your nation.
      ​

      A picture of the Configure tab in the Zap.

  5. Fill out the requested fields in the Configuration step based on your preferences.

  6. Once ready, continue to the final “Test” step to make sure your Zap is working properly.
    ​

    A picture of the Test tab in the Zap.

Old Zapier Integration (v1) vs. New Zapier Integration (v2)

Actions

v1

v2

Add Membership to Person

✅

✅

Update Membership

✅

✅

Add Person to List

✅

✅

Award Social Capital

✅

✅

Create Donation

✅

✅

Create Person

✅

✅

Update Person

✅

✅

Create Logged Contact

✅

✅

Create Private Note

✅

✅

Create Petition Signature

✅

✅

Delete Tag from Person

✅

✅

Search for a Person

✅

✅

Enroll Person in an Automation

❌

✅

Add Person to Path

❌

✅

Update Path Journey

❌

✅

Search Path Journey Participants

❌

✅

Triggers

v1

v2

New Person

✅

✅

New Donation

✅

✅

Updated Person

✅

✅

Updated Donation

✅

✅

New Event RSVP

✅

✅

Updated Path Journey

❌

✅

New Tag Added to Person

❌

✅

Capabilities

v1

v2

Page-Scoped Triggers

❌

✅

Site-Scoped Triggers

❌

✅

Sideloading

❌

✅

Dynamic Dropdowns

❌

✅

Search Features for Dynamic Dropdowns

❌

✅

New capability descriptions

  • Page-Scoped Triggers: Triggers can now be scoped to a specific page (e.g., trigger your Zap from donations made using a specific donation page).

  • Sideloading: Ability to sideload related objects in searches (e.g., author, recruiter, tags) to save money on the number of tasks used.

  • Dynamic Dropdowns: Dropdown fields populate options based on selections made in prior fields, supporting easier data mapping.

    • Pagination: If needed, users can load additional sets of results.

  • Search Features (for Dynamic Dropdowns): Search Donation Custom Fields, Donation Tracking Codes, Pages, Broadcasters, Sites, Petitions, Paths, Path Steps, Signup Custom Fields, Automations, List Path Journeys, Lists, Membership Types, and Tags.

Migrating from v1 to v2

All of the triggers and actions that are available on v1 (v1.8.8 and earlier) are available on our new v2 (v2.0.1+) integration. Moving forward, we are no longer adding new features to v1 and will be prioritizing the new v2 integration in support of the release of our API v2 endpoints.
​
When crafting new Zaps, you will still have access to the v1.8.8 integration (designated by the version number next to "NationBuilder" when searching for the NationBuilder integration in Zapier). The new NationBuilder Integration v2 will show in Zapier without a version number (just "NationBuilder") as shown below.

Screenshot showing the two NationBuilder apps -- one with version number 1.8.8 and one with no version number.

Migrating your Zaps from version 1.8.8 to the newest version, v2+:

Migrating Triggers

  1. Open your Zap that is using the old version of the NationBuilder Integration and begin editing the Zap to create the new draft (this will ensure that the old version of your Zap is retained -- you can read more about drafts here.)
    ​

  2. Click on the trigger that uses the NationBuilder Integration. For example, the "New Signup" trigger.
    ​

  3. Click on the "App" selection input field.
    ​

  4. A modal will pop up where you can search the Zapier catalog for over 7000 apps. Enter "NationBuilder"

    ​

  5. Click on the new NationBuilder Integration (this will be the one without a version number next to it).
    ​

  6. Next, select your "Trigger event". In this example, we were using the old "New Signup" trigger so let's use the new "New Person" trigger.

    1. This trigger acts just the same as the old one, but the outputs are very different, so we need to continue forward and remap our fields throughout the Zap.
      ​

  7. Select the "Account" connected to your nation.

    1. This is the authenticated account that is connected to your nation. If you haven't connected yet, click on "+ Connect a new account" and follow the steps in the popup modal window.
      ​

  8. Once you have connected the trigger to your nation, continue to the next step and test the trigger to ensure that you are properly connected and receiving data from your nation.
    ​

  9. Continue with mapping each of your fields in your Zap as you had using the old Trigger. In this case, you may need to validate that each action in your Zap is properly mapped to the trigger outputs.

Migrating actions

  1. Open your Zap that is using the old version of the NationBuilder Integration and begin editing the Zap to create the new draft (this will ensure that the old version of your Zap is retained -- you can read more about drafts here).
    ​

  2. Click on the Action that uses the NationBuilder Integration. For example, the Action that uses the "Create Logged Contact" Action.
    ​

  3. Click on the "App" selection input field.
    ​

  4. A modal will pop up where you can search the Zapier catalog for over 7000 apps. In this case, enter "NationBuilder."
    ​

  5. Click on the new NationBuilder Integration (this will be the one without a version number next to it).
    ​

  6. Next, select your "Action event". In this example, we were using the old "Create Logged Contact" trigger so let's use the new "Create Logged Contact" action.

    1. This action has a similar name, but the inputs are very different and much easier to map.
      ​

  7. Select your "Account" connected to your nation.

    1. This is the authenticated account that is connected to your nation. If you haven't connected yet, click on "+ Connect a new account" and follow the steps in the popup modal window.
      ​

  8. Once you have connected the action to your nation, continue to the next step and test the action to ensure that you are properly connected and you can write data into your nation using your new action.

Glossary

  • Signup – A person or organization who has been created in your People database.

  • Zap – An automated workflow that connects different apps together.

  • Trigger – An event that starts your Zap.

  • Action – An event that occurs after your Zap is triggered.

  • Task – Each action that occurs counts as a task for Zapier’s billing purposes.

  • Search – An event that looks up information to help gather data for your actions.

  • Polling – The frequency at which data is delivered to your Zap.

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