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Basecamp 3 Make integrationAutomate Basecamp 3 with Make.

Your Basecamp 3 projects can feed the rest of your stack without anyone copying things by hand. The Basecamp 3 Make integration gives you 43 modules: 10 triggers, 30 actions and 3 searches. This guide shows how to connect your account, build a first scenario and pick the right module.

Try the Basecamp 3 integration on MakeSee the 43 modules

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What you can automate

What can the Basecamp 3 Make integration do for you?

The Basecamp 3 Make integration links your Basecamp account to Make so that projects, to-dos, messages, files and schedule entries move on their own. You build a scenario (the automation itself, a chain of modules), and each module is one brick: a trigger that watches Basecamp, an action that writes to it, or a search that reads it.

Project kickoff without the checklist. Watch Projects notices a new project, then Create a To-Do List and Create a To-Do lay down the first tasks, so every project starts with the same structure.

A team chat that hears about new work. Watch Created To-Dos picks up each new to-do and Post to a Campfire announces it, which helps teams who live in the chat more than in the lists.

Files that reach the right place. Watch Uploads sees a document added to a project and passes it on to your storage or review tool, while Upload a File does the reverse and drops a file from another app into Basecamp.

What Make will not do here: none of the 10 triggers is instant, so every one of them runs on the scenario's schedule, and the doc gives no description for these modules, which means testing each one before relying on it. When a gap remains, the Make troubleshooting guide helps you read the error. If you are weighing Make against n8n for this job, n8n vs Make lays out the criteria, and the Make training covers the editor from the ground up.

Connect

How do you connect Basecamp 3 to Make?

  1. 01

    Add a module and open the connection

    In your scenario, add any Basecamp 3 module and click Create a connection. A connection is your Basecamp account linked to Make once, then reused by every Basecamp 3 module you add later.

  2. 02

    Name it, then save

    The Connection name field is optional, but a clear name helps when a colleague uses a second account. Only open Show advanced settings if you run your own Basecamp app with client credentials. Then click Save.

  3. 03

    Confirm access in Basecamp

    When Basecamp asks for it, sign in and confirm that Make may access your account. Back in the editor, the module now lists the projects and objects it can read, so you pick them instead of typing IDs.

First scenario

Your first scenario: announce each new to-do in Campfire

GoalWhen someone creates a to-do in Basecamp 3, Make posts a short note about it in the project's Campfire.

  1. 01

    Create the scenario

    Open the Scenarios page, create a new scenario and click the big + to add the first module. This first module decides when everything else starts.

  2. 02

    Add Watch Created To-Dos

    Search for Basecamp 3, pick Watch Created To-Dos and click Create a connection to link your account. Make then lists the projects it can read, so choose the one you want to follow.

  3. 03

    Add Post to a Campfire

    Click the + on the right of the trigger and add Post to a Campfire. Pick the project whose Campfire should receive the note, then map the to-do data received from the first module into the text.

  4. 04

    Test with Run once

    Create a test to-do in Basecamp, then click Run once. Each module shows the bundles it received, a bundle being one item passed along, here one to-do. Check the Campfire to see the post.

  5. 05

    Schedule and switch it on

    Open the clock on the first module. The default schedule is every 15 minutes, and the Free plan cannot go below that. Save, then switch the scenario on so it runs without you.

Triggers

Which Basecamp 3 triggers can start a scenario?

10 modules start a scenario when something happens in Basecamp 3. A scheduled trigger is checked by Make on the scenario's schedule; an instant one is called by Basecamp 3 as soon as it happens.

Basecamp 31Watch Comments

Watch Comments

triggerIn the docs only

New comments on your Basecamp 3 projects reach the scenario one by one, so a reply left on a to-do or a message can set off work in another tool.

How it fires
scheduled, which means Make checks the app on the scenario's schedule, every 15 minutes by default. A comment shows up at the next check, not the second it is posted.
When to use it
a client leaves feedback on a deliverable and the account manager needs to see it where the team already works.
Watch out
each comment is its own bundle, and every module after the trigger spends one operation per bundle, so a lively thread costs more than a quiet one.
Basecamp 32Watch Uploads

Watch Uploads

triggerIn the docs only

Files added to a Basecamp 3 project become the starting point of a scenario, handed over as one bundle per upload so each document can be routed on its own.

How it fires
scheduled. Make checks the app on the scenario's schedule and collects the uploads it finds since the previous check.
When to use it
signed contracts or design proofs land in Basecamp and a copy has to reach your storage app or start a review step.
Watch out
the doc lists this module without a description, so run it once on a project that holds a recent upload and read the bundle before you map anything.
Basecamp 33Watch People

Watch People

triggerIn the docs only

Someone new showing up in your Basecamp 3 account can open a scenario, which is handy when access to other tools depends on who is in Basecamp.

How it fires
scheduled. Make checks the app on the scenario's schedule, so a new person is picked up at the following check.
When to use it
onboarding. A colleague is added to Basecamp and the scenario creates their first tasks or alerts the office manager in another app.
Watch out
the doc does not say which people this trigger returns or from when, so check its output with Run once before you connect anything sensitive, such as account creation.
Basecamp 34Watch Projects

Watch Projects

triggerIn the docs only

Every project that appears in Basecamp 3 can kick off the setup work that usually follows it, from a folder in your drive to a record in your CRM.

How it fires
scheduled. Make checks the app on the scenario's schedule and passes along each project it has not seen yet.
When to use it
an agency opens one Basecamp project per signed client and wants the kickoff message and the first to-do list ready without anyone thinking about it.
Watch out
if another scenario uses Create a Project, the projects it creates will be picked up here too. Plan for that before chaining the two.
Basecamp 35Watch Messages

Watch Messages

triggerIn the docs only

Messages published in a Basecamp 3 project flow into Make as bundles, so an announcement can be copied to email, a chat tool or an archive sheet.

How it fires
scheduled. Make checks the app on the scenario's schedule, which means a message arrives in the scenario at the next check.
When to use it
management posts updates in Basecamp and some people, freelancers for instance, never open it.
Watch out
the doc also lists Watch Post Messages and does not explain how the two differ. Test both on the same project with Run once and keep the one whose bundles fit your need.
Basecamp 36Watch Post Messages

Watch Post Messages

triggerIn the docs only

This second message trigger sits in the same Messages group and also brings Basecamp 3 posts into a scenario, one bundle per message it returns.

How it fires
scheduled. Make checks the app on the scenario's schedule, the same way as every other Basecamp 3 trigger.
When to use it
when Watch Messages does not return the messages you expected in a test, this is the other module worth trying before reaching for Make an API Call.
Watch out
nothing in the doc spells out what it covers, so compare its bundles with those of Watch Messages on a project you know well before you build on it.
Basecamp 37Watch To-Dos

Watch To-Dos

triggerIn the docs only

To-dos from your Basecamp 3 projects come into the scenario as bundles, giving you a way to mirror tasks in a reporting sheet or another task tool.

How it fires
scheduled. Make checks the app on the scenario's schedule and hands over what it finds at each check.
When to use it
a project lead wants a running view of Basecamp tasks in a spreadsheet the finance team can read.
Watch out
a separate trigger, Watch Created To-Dos, exists for new to-dos, and the doc does not say whether this one also reacts to changes. Run it once after editing a to-do to find out.
Basecamp 38Watch Created To-Dos

Watch Created To-Dos

triggerIn the docs only

As its name says, this trigger follows newly created to-dos, which makes it the natural choice for anything that should happen once per new task.

How it fires
scheduled. Make checks the app on the scenario's schedule, so a to-do created right after a check waits for the next one.
When to use it
announcing new work in Campfire, as in the scenario above, or copying each new task to a time tracker.
Watch out
if your scenario later creates to-dos with Create a To-Do in the same project, those will come back through this trigger. Point the two at different projects or keep them in separate scenarios.
Basecamp 39Watch To-Do Lists

Watch To-Do Lists

triggerIn the docs only

To-do lists, rather than single tasks, are what this trigger follows, so a whole new phase of a project can start a scenario of its own.

How it fires
scheduled. Make checks the app on the scenario's schedule and returns the lists as bundles.
When to use it
a studio creates one list per deliverable and wants a matching card or folder created elsewhere without anyone setting it up by hand.
Watch out
the doc gives no description, so check with Run once whether you receive new lists only or every list of the project, and set your later modules accordingly.
Basecamp 310Watch Documents

Watch Documents

triggerIn the docs only

Documents written inside Basecamp 3 can travel out of it through this trigger, so a brief or meeting note does not stay locked in one project.

How it fires
scheduled. Make checks the app on the scenario's schedule and delivers the documents it finds as bundles.
When to use it
a consultancy drafts proposals in Basecamp and wants each one archived in its document storage or shared with a sales tool.
Watch out
the doc files this module under Other and gives it no description. Read one bundle with Run once before deciding which parts of the document to map further on.
Modules

What else can Make do in Basecamp 3?

Basecamp 3 gives you 33 modules in 11 groups. For each one: what it does for you, when to reach for it, and what to watch out for.

Comments

1 module
Basecamp 31

Post a Comment

ActionIn the docs only

Adds a comment to something in Basecamp 3, so updates from other tools land right next to the task or message people are already discussing.

When to use it
a payment is received in your billing app and the scenario leaves a note on the matching project item for the team.

Files

1 module
Basecamp 32

Upload a File

ActionIn the docs only

Sends a file from an earlier module into Basecamp 3, which saves the download and re-upload routine between your tools and your projects.

When to use it
an e-signature tool returns a signed contract and it belongs in the client's project.
Watch out
on the Free plan Make handles files up to 5 MB.

Groups

4 modules
Basecamp 33

List To-Do List Groups

SearchIn the docs only

Returns the groups found inside a to-do list, useful when you need their IDs or want to act on each group in turn.

When to use it
before adding to-dos under a given group, to find it by name.
Watch out
a search can return zero, one or several bundles, and each following module runs once per bundle.
Basecamp 34

Get a To-do List Group

ActionIn the docs only

Fetches one to-do list group when you already know which one you need, so later modules can use its details without a broader search.

When to use it
you stored a group reference earlier, in a sheet for instance, and need its current state before updating anything around it.
Basecamp 35

Create a To-Do List Group

ActionIn the docs only

Adds a group inside a to-do list, which lets a scenario sort tasks into sections instead of leaving one long flat list.

When to use it
a new sprint or campaign phase starts and your template calls for a fresh section in an existing list.
Watch out
run List To-Do List Groups first if the scenario may be re-run, or you risk two sections with the same name.
Basecamp 36

Reposition a To-Do List Group

ActionIn the docs only

Moves a group to another place in its to-do list, so the section people should look at first sits at the top.

When to use it
right after Create a To-Do List Group, when the new section must appear first rather than at the end.
Watch out
you need the group's ID, usually from a previous module.

Templates

6 modules
Basecamp 37

Get a Template

ActionIn the docs only

Reads one Basecamp 3 template, which tells your scenario what a template contains before it builds a project or edits it.

When to use it
a scenario creates projects from a template picked in a form, and you want to check the choice matches a real template before going further.
Basecamp 38

List Templates

SearchIn the docs only

Returns the templates of your Basecamp 3 account as separate bundles, a quick way to see which ones exist without clicking through Basecamp.

When to use it
to sync the template names into a sheet or a form dropdown that feeds another scenario.
Watch out
each template becomes a bundle, so the next module runs once per template.
Basecamp 39

Create a Template

ActionIn the docs only

Creates a new template in Basecamp 3, so a standard way of running a type of project can be set up from another tool instead of by hand.

When to use it
your operations team defines a new service offer and wants the matching Basecamp template ready for account managers to reuse.
Basecamp 310

Create a Project Construction

ActionIn the docs only

Sits in the Templates group and, going by its name, starts building a project from a template; the doc gives no further description of what it returns.

When to use it
when new projects should always start from the same template rather than empty.
Watch out
test it with Run once on a throwaway template and read the bundle before trusting it.
Basecamp 311

Update a Template

ActionIn the docs only

Changes an existing Basecamp 3 template, which keeps your standard project setup in line with how the team actually works today.

When to use it
the reference version of a process lives in another tool and the template should follow each edit.
Watch out
get the template first to avoid updating the wrong one.
Basecamp 312

Delete a Template

ActionIn the docs only

Removes a template from Basecamp 3, handy for clearing out offers or processes the team no longer runs.

When to use it
a service is retired in your catalog and its template should disappear so nobody starts a project from it.
Watch out
a deletion done by a scenario cannot be undone from Make, so test on a copy first.

People

1 module
Basecamp 313

List People

SearchIn the docs only

Returns the people of your Basecamp 3 account, one bundle each, so you can match them with users in another tool or build a directory.

When to use it
finding the person to assign when the name comes from a form or a CRM.
Watch out
the result can be long, and every later module spends one operation per person.

Projects

4 modules
Basecamp 314

Get a Project

ActionIn the docs only

Fetches the details of one Basecamp 3 project, which gives later modules everything they need about it in a single step.

When to use it
a trigger in another app only carries the project reference, and you need the rest before writing a report or a message about that project.
Basecamp 315

Create a Project

ActionIn the docs only

Opens a new Basecamp 3 project from data coming out of another app, so the workspace is there as soon as the deal is.

When to use it
a deal is marked won in your CRM and the client needs a project straight away.
Watch out
a project created here will also be picked up by Watch Projects if another scenario uses it.
Basecamp 316

Update a Project

ActionIn the docs only

Edits an existing Basecamp 3 project, so its details stay aligned with the source of truth that lives somewhere else.

When to use it
the client name or scope changes in your CRM and the project in Basecamp should reflect it without a manual edit.
Watch out
map the right project ID, ideally from Get a Project.
Basecamp 317

Delete a Project

ActionIn the docs only

Removes a Basecamp 3 project from a scenario, the most drastic module on this page and one to handle carefully.

When to use it
test projects created by your own scenarios pile up and need clearing.
Watch out
Make cannot undo it. Put a clear condition before it and never map the project from an uncertain search.

Messages

4 modules
Basecamp 318

Get a Message

ActionIn the docs only

Reads one message from Basecamp 3, including what you need to quote or forward it elsewhere.

When to use it
a comment trigger fires and you want the message it belongs to, so the notification in your chat tool carries the full context instead of a lone reply.
Basecamp 319

Create a Message

ActionIn the docs only

Publishes a message in a Basecamp 3 project, turning an event from another tool into an announcement everyone on the project sees.

When to use it
a release goes out, a contract is signed or a milestone is reached in another system and the team should hear it inside Basecamp.
Watch out
Watch Messages will see it too.
Basecamp 320

Update a Message

ActionIn the docs only

Edits a message already posted in Basecamp 3, which keeps a single living announcement instead of a trail of corrections.

When to use it
a status message about an ongoing incident or order should change as the status changes in the source tool.
Watch out
store the message ID when you create it so you can find it again.
Basecamp 321

Delete a Message

ActionIn the docs only

Removes a Basecamp 3 message, useful when an automated post turns out to be wrong or outdated.

When to use it
a scenario posted an announcement for an event that was cancelled in the source app, and the post has to go.
Watch out
once deleted, it cannot be restored from Make, so check the ID before running it.

To-Dos

3 modules
Basecamp 322

Create a To-Do

ActionIn the docs only

Creates a task in a Basecamp 3 to-do list, so requests arriving by form, email or support ticket become real work in the right project.

When to use it
a client submits a change request and it should land as a to-do rather than an email nobody tracks.
Watch out
Watch Created To-Dos will pick these up too.
Basecamp 323

Complete a To-Do

ActionIn the docs only

Marks a Basecamp 3 to-do as done from outside Basecamp, so the list reflects what actually happened in your other tools.

When to use it
the invoice is paid in your accounting app and the matching "send invoice" task can close itself.
Watch out
you need the to-do's ID, which usually comes from an earlier step.
Basecamp 324

Get a To-Do

ActionIn the docs only

Fetches one Basecamp 3 to-do, handy for checking its current state before acting on it.

When to use it
before Complete a To-Do or before sending a reminder, to be sure the task still exists and is not already closed, which avoids nagging people about finished work.

To-Do Lists

4 modules
Basecamp 325

Create a To-Do List

ActionIn the docs only

Adds a to-do list to a Basecamp 3 project, the usual first brick when a scenario sets up a project's work.

When to use it
right after Create a Project or Watch Projects, to give every new project its standard list before tasks are added.
Watch out
Watch To-Do Lists will notice it if another scenario uses that trigger.
Basecamp 326

Update a To-Do List

ActionIn the docs only

Edits an existing Basecamp 3 to-do list, so a list created by a scenario can be adjusted later without anyone opening Basecamp.

When to use it
a phase gets renamed or rescoped in your planning tool and the list in Basecamp should follow.
Watch out
use Get a To-Do List first to target the right one.
Basecamp 327

Get a To-Do List

ActionIn the docs only

Reads one to-do list from Basecamp 3, which gives your scenario the details of that list to reuse in the following modules.

When to use it
a report or a client update needs the list's current information, and you already know which list it is from an earlier step.
Basecamp 328

Delete a To-Do List

ActionIn the docs only

Removes a to-do list from a Basecamp 3 project in one step, so treat it as a clean-up tool rather than an everyday action.

When to use it
lists created by a test scenario need to disappear.
Watch out
Make cannot undo it, so never feed it the output of a search you have not checked.

Schedules Entries

3 modules
Basecamp 329

Create a Schedule Entry

ActionIn the docs only

Adds an entry to a project's schedule in Basecamp 3, so dates decided in another tool show up where the team plans its work.

When to use it
a client books a meeting in your booking app and the date should appear in the project schedule.
Watch out
dates must be mapped carefully from the previous module.
Basecamp 330

Update a Schedule Entry

ActionIn the docs only

Changes an existing schedule entry in Basecamp 3, which avoids duplicates when a date moves.

When to use it
a meeting is rescheduled in the booking tool and the project schedule should move with it.
Watch out
keep the entry ID from Create a Schedule Entry somewhere, a sheet for example, or you will not find the entry again.
Basecamp 331

Delete a Schedule Entry

ActionIn the docs only

Removes an entry from a Basecamp 3 schedule, keeping the calendar honest when an event no longer happens.

When to use it
a meeting is cancelled in the booking tool and the entry should vanish from the project too.
Watch out
the deletion is final from Make's side, so double check the ID you map.

Other

2 modules
Basecamp 332

Make an API Call

ActionIn the docs only

Calls any endpoint of the Basecamp 3 API with the connection you already set up, which covers whatever the listed modules leave out.

When to use it
you need an object or an operation that no listed module offers.
Watch out
you work straight with the API here, so keep the Basecamp 3 API documentation open.
Basecamp 333

Post to a Campfire

ActionIn the docs only

Posts a line in a project's Campfire, the fastest way to make sure the team notices something without writing a formal message.

When to use it
announcing a new to-do, a new lead or a finished build to people who follow the project chat.
Watch out
keep the text short and mapped from the previous module.
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FAQ

Basecamp 3 and Make: common questions

01Is the Basecamp 3 Make integration free?
Yes. Basecamp 3 is a standard app in Make, available from the Free plan onward. That plan gives you 2 active scenarios, at least 15 minutes between two scheduled runs, runs of 5 minutes at most, files up to 5 MB and 512 MB of data transfer. Paid plans (Core, Pro, Teams and Enterprise) lower the minimum interval to 1 minute, lift the limit on active scenarios and allow runs of up to 40 minutes. Usage is counted in credits, that is operations, every month. You still need your own Basecamp 3 account, whose price is not covered here.
02What do you need to connect Basecamp 3 to Make?
A Basecamp 3 account and a Make account are enough, since the doc lists no other prerequisite. Add a Basecamp 3 module, click Create a connection, give it a name if you like, click Save, then sign in to Basecamp and confirm access when asked. The advanced settings are only for people who use their own Basecamp app with client credentials, in which case that app must use the redirect URI given in the Make doc. One connection then serves every Basecamp 3 module in your scenarios.
03Do Basecamp 3 triggers fire instantly in Make?
No. All 10 Basecamp 3 triggers are scheduled: Make checks Basecamp on the scenario's schedule and picks up whatever is new since the previous check. A new scenario is set to every 15 minutes by default, which is also the shortest interval on the Free plan; paid plans go down to 1 minute. For most project work, such as new to-dos, uploads or messages, that delay is fine. If a flow must react faster, move the scenario to a paid plan and shorten the interval on the first module.
04What if the Basecamp 3 module you need is missing in Make?
Use Make an API Call. It reaches any endpoint of the Basecamp 3 API with the same connection as the other modules, so you are not limited to the 43 listed ones. It asks for more care, because you build the request yourself with the Basecamp 3 API documentation open. The Make doc gives no numeric limit for this app, but it also gives no description of the modules, so test each module with Run once and read its bundles before you build a longer scenario on top of it.
05Should you use Make or n8n for Basecamp 3?
It depends on your team more than on Basecamp. In Make you get 43 ready modules covering projects, to-dos, messages, files, templates and schedule entries, all triggers are scheduled, and Make an API Call fills the gaps. The same app often has an n8n node too, so check whether it covers the objects you need before choosing. The practical criteria are simple: which tool your team already knows, whether the modules you need exist there, and who will maintain the scenarios once they run.
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