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Actionstep Zapier integrationAutomate Actionstep with Zapier.

The Actionstep Zapier integration gives you 7 triggers, 15 actions and 7 searches. All seven triggers are instant, so a new matter, contact or file note in your practice can start an automation straight away, even on the free plan.

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Overview

What the Actionstep Zapier integration does for a law firm

The Actionstep Zapier integration links your Actionstep practice to the rest of your tools through a Zap: an automation with one trigger (the event that starts it) and one or more actions (the steps that then write, send or move something for you). Actionstep runs matters, contacts, tasks and file notes for law firms, and every operation here works on those records.

An opening note on every new matter. New Matter starts the Zap and Create File Note writes a first note on the file, so nobody opens a matter with an empty history.

Billable hours logged from outside Actionstep. Create Time Entry records a description and the actual hours as a decimal (1.5 for an hour and a half), which suits a form your fee earners already fill in.

Disbursements posted with the right tax code. Find Tax Code turns a short code into its record, then Create Disbursement posts the cost to the matter with that tax code id and a T or F on whether the price includes tax.

What Zapier does not do here: no visible operation deletes a matter, a contact or a task, and no trigger watches time entries or disbursements. For a call outside that list, API Request (Beta) is the advanced route, and it only reaches Actionstep's own domains. Weighing other platforms? Start with n8n vs Zapier and Make vs Zapier.

Vocabulary

Zapier words in one minute

Eight terms come back all over this page. Here they are in plain English, once.

Zap
The automation you build on Zapier: one trigger, then one or more actions that run every time that trigger event happens.
Trigger
The Actionstep event that starts the Zap, like a new matter or a changed step. Once the Zap is on, Zapier waits for it.
Action
What the Zap does after it starts: the step that writes, sends or moves something for you, here inside Actionstep.
Task
The unit Zapier bills: one action that completes successfully. The number on your plan is a count of those, nothing else.
Instant vs polling trigger
Instant: the app calls Zapier the moment the event happens. Polling: Zapier asks on a timer. All 7 Actionstep triggers are instant.
Filter
A step that lets the Zap go on only when what arrived meets the condition you set, and stops it otherwise.
Search step
A step that looks up something already in Actionstep, such as a matter or a tax code, so the next steps can reuse it.
Multi-step Zap
Any Zap beyond one trigger and one action. A second action, a filter or a search makes one, and it then needs a paid plan.
Cost

What it really costs

The trigger never costs a task, and neither does Zapier looking for new data. Only an action that works is billed, one task each time.

  • Free plan100 tasks a month
  • Free plan Zap sizeOne trigger, one action
  • Premium appNo, works on the free plan
  • Cost of a triggerNothing

A failed action is not counted. A three-action Zap spends three times what a one-action Zap does. The free plan gives 100 tasks a month and two-step Zaps only, so a filter or a search means a paid plan. Actionstep is not a premium app. The interval grid below only governs polling triggers, and none of these is one. A few apps and a few actions take more than one task when they complete, so check the task count after your first runs.

Connect

Connect Actionstep to Zapier in three steps

  1. 01

    Open Apps and add a connection

    In your Zapier account, open the Apps page and click + Add connection. A small dialog then appears with a search box: that is where you pick the app to link.

  2. 02

    Pick Actionstep and sign in

    Type Actionstep, select it, then click Add connection. A new tab opens. Sign in there with the Actionstep account your Zaps should act through, ideally one that already sees the matters involved.

  3. 03

    Grant access and reuse it

    Grant Zapier access to that account. The connection is saved once and every Actionstep step reuses it. Any matter or contact you do not own needs read or write access for that account, or the Zap cannot touch it.

First Zap

Your first Zap: an opening note on new matters

GoalWrite a standard file note on each new matter that meets your condition, without opening the file by hand.

  1. 01

    Build: pick the trigger

    Create a Zap, choose Actionstep as the app that starts it and New Matter as the event, then select the Actionstep connection you added earlier.

  2. 02

    Test the trigger

    Run the test. Zapier brings back the three most recent matters of the connected account, so the rest of the Zap is built on a real file, not on blanks.

  3. 03

    Add the filter

    Click the plus icon and pick Filter. Set the field to look at, the rule and the value. Text rules only work on text: the wrong rule type is why a filter never passes.

  4. 04

    Add Create File Note

    Add an Actionstep action, choose Create File Note, and fill its two required fields: Matter, mapped from step 1, and Note Text, the wording of your opening note.

  5. 05

    Test, then publish

    Test the action once and check the note on the file in Actionstep. Then click Publish. The filter makes this a multi-step Zap, so it runs on a paid plan.

Triggers

The 7 Actionstep triggers

7 events start a Zap when something happens in Actionstep, and 7 of them are instant: the app calls Zapier straight away, whatever your plan.

1

New Matter

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when an action/matter is created.”

Starts the Zap each time someone opens a matter in Actionstep. It is the natural entry point for anything that belongs to intake: a first note, a welcome task, a line in another system your firm keeps.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
an intake coordinator wants the same checklist task on every fresh file before the first client call.
Watch out
matters opened before you publish the Zap are never picked up, so older files need a separate clean-up.
2

New Matter Participant

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a participant/contact is added to an action/matter.”

Goes off when a contact is attached to a matter as a participant. The client joining their own file counts, and so does any other party you add later.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
a paralegal wants a note on the file each time someone new is linked to it, as a light trail for conflict checks.
Watch out
Add Participant to Matter fires this trigger too, so a Zap that both reacts to it and adds participants can loop on itself.
3

New File Note

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a new file note is created.”

Reacts to every new file note written on a matter, whether a person typed it or another Zap created it. File notes are where the day-to-day history of a matter lives, so this trigger sees a lot of traffic.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
copy each note into the shared log a supervising partner reads.
Watch out
a Zap that also runs Create File Note sets itself off again, and every round costs a task.
4

New Contact

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a participant/contact is created.”

Kicks off when a new contact record appears in Actionstep, before anyone has necessarily tied it to a matter. Think of it as the address-book trigger rather than the file trigger.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
push every new contact into the mailing tool your business development team runs, without a manual export.
Watch out
a bulk import of contacts returns a huge batch at once, and Zapier's flood protection can hold that batch back.
5

Matter Step Changed

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a step change occurs on an action/matter.”

Fires when a matter moves from one step of its workflow to another. That makes it the trigger that follows progress, not creation: the file already exists, it has just advanced.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
when a property file reaches its settlement step, create the next task for the conveyancing team.
Watch out
it reports every step change, so reacting to one step only needs a filter after it, which makes the Zap multi-step.
6

New Task

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a new task is created.”

Runs as soon as a task is created in Actionstep, by hand or through an automation. Each task belongs to a matter and to the participant it is assigned to.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
ping the assignee in the chat tool your team lives in, so a new task does not sit unseen in a queue.
Watch out
pairing it with Create Task in the same Zap creates a task that triggers the Zap that creates a task.
7

Updated Matter

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when an existing Matter is updated.”

Any edit to an existing matter sets this one off. Where New Matter catches the birth of a file, this one catches every change made to it afterwards.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
keep a client-facing tracker in line with the matter, so the client never reads an outdated status.
Watch out
Update Matter on that same file counts as an edit, so a Zap that does both feeds itself and burns tasks fast.
Actions

The 15 Actionstep actions

Actionstep gives you 15 actions. For each one: what it does for you, when to reach for it, and what to watch out for.

1

Add Participant to Matter

Action

In Zapier“Adds a participant to an action/matter.”

Links an existing contact to a matter under a participant type. Participant Type, Participant and Matter are all required.

When to use it
attach the client found by a search to the matter that was just created, in the same Zap.
Watch out
it sets off New Matter Participant, so keep that trigger out of the same Zap.
2

Create Matter

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new action/matter.”

Opens a new matter in Actionstep from data that arrived elsewhere, such as an online enquiry. It needs an Action Type, an Action Name and an Action Status.

When to use it
a signed engagement letter in your e-signature tool should open the file without retyping.
Watch out
all three are required, so an enquiry that carries no type or status needs a fixed value set in the step.
3

Create Company Contact

Action

In Zapier“Creates a company contact.”

Creates a business rather than a person: the company name is mandatory, plus the two-letter country codes for both addresses (US, AU, NZ and so on).

When to use it
a new corporate client signs up through a form and needs a record before the matter opens.
Watch out
run a contact search first or you end up with duplicates.
4

Create File Note

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new file note for an action/matter.”

Writes a note on a matter. Two fields only: the Matter it belongs to and the Note Text.

When to use it
record that an email or a call happened outside Actionstep, so the file history stays complete.
Watch out
paired with the New File Note trigger in one Zap, it loops.
5

Create Individual Contact

Action

In Zapier“Creates an individual contact.”

Adds a person to your contacts. A last name is required, along with the two-letter country code of the physical and mailing addresses.

When to use it
a web enquiry from a private client lands as a clean contact record.
Watch out
left empty, the country falls back to your organization's own country, which is wrong for overseas clients.
6

Create Task

Action

In Zapier“Creates a task for an action/matter.”

The most demanding action of the app: eight required fields, from Assigned To and Action ID to Priority, Due Date, Actual Hours and Billable Hours.

When to use it
generate the follow-up task the moment a matter reaches a given step.
Watch out
for a task not started yet, put 0 in both hour fields.
7

Create Disbursement

Action

In Zapier“Create a disbursement.”

Posts a cost against a matter: matter id, date, description, unit price, whether that price includes tax (T or F) and a tax code id are all required.

When to use it
a court fee paid by card should reach the file the same day.
Watch out
the tax code id is not the short code, so Find Tax Code usually comes first.
8

Create Time Entry

Action

In Zapier“Creates a time entry.”

Logs time without anyone opening a timesheet. It asks for a description and the actual hours as a decimal, so 1.50 means an hour and a half.

When to use it
a fee earner fills in a quick form after a hearing and the hours land in Actionstep.
Watch out
minutes typed as 1.30 read as just under an hour and a third.
9

Update Company Contact

Action

In Zapier“Update company contact”

Changes a business record. The only required field is its unique Id; the other fields are optional overwrites.

When to use it
a corporate client changes its registered name and your billing tool already knows.
Watch out
without the Id, nothing tells Zapier which company to touch, so a search step usually precedes it.
10

Update File Note

Action

In Zapier“Updates an existing file note.”

Replaces the content of a file note that already exists. File Note Id and Note Content are both required.

When to use it
a draft note created at intake gets completed once the client meeting is over.
Watch out
the new content replaces the note text, so carry over anything you want to keep.
11

Update Individual Contact

Action

In Zapier“Update an individual contact”

Edits the record of a person already in your contacts, for instance after a client moves or changes phone number.

When to use it
a client portal form updates details and Actionstep follows without a copy and paste.
Watch out
point it at the right contact with Find Contact or Search for a Contact first.
12

Update Matter

Action

In Zapier“Updates a matter.”

Changes an existing matter, located by its Matter Id. The id is the only required field; the rest is what you choose to overwrite.

When to use it
a status change in your case tracker should be mirrored on the Actionstep file.
Watch out
any Zap started by Updated Matter that runs this on the same file loops.
13

Update Matter Custom Field Value

Action

In Zapier“Updates a matter custom field value.”

Writes into one of the custom fields your firm added to its matters. It needs the Custom Field Value Id and the new value.

When to use it
stamp a court reference or a referral source onto the matter once it is known.
Watch out
the value id is not the field name: Retrieve Matter Custom Field Value finds it.
14

Update Task

Action

In Zapier“Updates a task.”

Edits an existing task, found by its Task Id, the single required field.

When to use it
a deadline moved in the court calendar your team follows, and the due date of the task should move with it.
Watch out
the Id comes from an earlier step, typically New Task in another Zap, so plan how you store it.
15

API Request (Beta)

Action

In Zapier“This is an advanced action which makes a raw HTTP request that includes this integration's authentication.”

The advanced escape hatch: it sends a raw request to Actionstep using the connection you already set up. HTTP Method, URL and Stop on error are required.

When to use it
you need something none of the other actions cover and someone on the team can read API documentation.
Watch out
only Actionstep's own domains are reachable, and it is still a beta.
Searches

The 7 Actionstep searches

7 search steps look for data that already exists in Actionstep, so a later step can use it.

A search step finds a record that already exists so later steps can use it. In the editor, searches sit at the bottom of the Action event list, under SEARCH. Three settings decide what happens when the result is not clean.

1

Find Matter Custom Field

Search

In Zapier“Find a matter custom field based on the supplied custom field name.”

Looks up a matter custom field from its name, the one required input. It answers the question every custom-field Zap starts with: which field is this, technically?

When to use it
before reading or writing a custom field whose name you know but whose id you do not.
2

Find Tax Code

Search

In Zapier“Finds a tax code record based on the supplied code.”

Turns a short tax code, such as Z or N-T, into the full tax code record Actionstep keeps.

When to use it
just before Create Disbursement, which wants a tax code id rather than the code your bookkeeper types.
Watch out
the code must match one configured in your account.
3

Retrieve Matter Custom Field Value

Search

In Zapier“Retrieve a matter custom field value based on the supplied custom field id and matter id.”

Reads the value one custom field holds on one matter. It needs both the Custom Field Id and the Matter Id.

When to use it
fetch the value id that Update Matter Custom Field Value requires, or copy a custom value into another tool.
4

Find Contact

SearchFind or create

In Zapier“Find a contact/participant by name or ID.”

Finds a contact by name or by ID: you choose which in Search By, then give the Search Value.

When to use it
check whether an enquiring client already exists before creating anything.
Watch out
the editor also lists Find or Create Contact. It is this same search with the creation box ticked, not an extra operation.
5

Find Matter

SearchFind or create

In Zapier“Finds a matter/action by name or ID.”

Locates a matter by name or by ID, with the same Search By and Search Value pair as the contact search.

When to use it
a document arrives with a matter name and the Zap needs the matter itself to file a note on.
Watch out
Find or Create Matter is this search with the creation box ticked, so a missing matter gets opened.
6

Search for a Contact

SearchFind or create

In Zapier“Find a contact based on different search criteria.”

A broader contact lookup: you pick the property to search on, such as firstName or lastName, and the value.

When to use it
all you have is a first name and a surname from a web form, no ID.
Watch out
the editor's Search or Create Contact is this search with creation switched on, not a separate operation.
7

Search for Matter

Search

In Zapier“Find a matter based on different search criteria.”

Searches matters on a property you choose, for example name, status or reference, and a value to match.

When to use it
your accounting tool only carries the matter reference and the Zap must find the right file from it.
Watch out
exact or approximate matching is decided by Actionstep, not by Zapier.

The three settings every search exposes

  1. Successful if no search results are found?
    Left on its default, a search that finds nothing stops the Zap and the dependent steps are skipped. Switched on, the Zap carries on empty-handed.
  2. Create X if it doesn't exist yet?
    Ticking it turns the search into a find-or-create: the setting above disappears and the step asks for the fields needed to create the missing record.
  3. If multiple search results are found?
    Three ways out: keep the first match (the default), stop the Zap, or hand every match on to the next steps.
When it breaks

When the Actionstep Zapier integration breaks

Zapier links no help article to Actionstep, so the traps below are the general ones that hit this app hardest.

Most failures here are not errors in Actionstep. They come from how a Zap reads time, loops and volume. If you are stuck on one of them, the Zapier troubleshooting page goes further.

  • No catch-up on old records

    A Zap only reacts to what happens after you publish it. Matters, contacts and notes that already existed are never picked up; moving that backlog is a separate job.

  • The Zap that sets itself off

    Updated Matter plus Update Matter, or New File Note plus Create File Note, on the same file: each run triggers the next and the task count drains fast.

  • Flood protection on bulk imports

    Migrating contacts or matters in bulk sends a huge batch at once. Zapier can hold such a batch back instead of running the Zap on every item.

  • A search that finds nothing

    By default, an empty Find Contact or Find Matter stops the Zap there. Switch the no-result setting on, or use the find-or-create variant, if the Zap must continue.
Need help

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FAQ

Actionstep Zapier integration: questions

01Is the Actionstep Zapier integration free?
Yes, as long as the Zap stays at two steps. Actionstep is not a premium app, so it works on the free plan, which gives 100 tasks a month and an unlimited number of Zaps. The limit nobody mentions is the size: on the free plan a Zap holds one trigger and one action, nothing more. A matter Zap that needs a filter, a second action or a search becomes a multi-step Zap, and that needs a paid plan. No prices appear here because the grids change too often.
02How many tasks does an Actionstep Zap use?
One task per action that completes successfully, and nothing for the rest. The trigger is free, and so is Zapier listening for new matters or tasks. A Zap that creates a file note and then a time entry spends two tasks per run. An action that fails, for example because a required tax code id is missing, is not counted against your plan. The thing to watch is a loop: a Zap that edits the matter its own trigger watches can run many times.
03Does the Actionstep Zapier integration run in real time?
Yes. All seven Actionstep triggers are instant: Actionstep tells Zapier the moment a matter, participant, file note, contact, step change or task appears. The polling interval of your plan, 15 minutes on Free, does not apply to them. In the editor, a Zap built on an instant trigger shows a lightning bolt. The only delay left is the time the actions take to run, plus any hold from flood protection when a bulk import arrives.
04What does it take to connect Actionstep to Zapier?
An Actionstep account, plus read or write access on any matter or contact you do not own and want the Zap to touch. The connection starts from the Apps page of Zapier with + Add connection, then you sign in to Actionstep in the tab that opens and grant access. Choose the account carefully: actions such as Create Task need participant and matter ids that this account can actually see. A dedicated account for automations keeps that visible.
05Why does Create Disbursement fail on the tax code?
Because it wants a Tax Code Id, not the short code people type, such as Z or N-T. Those are two different things. The clean fix is a Find Tax Code search step placed just before the disbursement: it takes the short code and returns the tax code record, whose id you then map into the action. Includes Tax also takes T or F only. Adding that search makes the Zap multi-step, so it runs on a paid plan.
06What if an Actionstep operation is missing from Zapier?
Then the 29 visible operations do not cover it, and there are two honest options. API Request (Beta) sends a raw request to Actionstep with the connection already in place, but only to Actionstep's own domains, and it takes someone comfortable with API documentation. Otherwise, the gap is real: there is no delete action and no trigger on time entries or disbursements. In that case another platform, or a scheduled manual step, may fit better than forcing a Zap.
07Zapier, Make or n8n for Actionstep?
It depends on three criteria rather than on a winner. Zapier gives you 7 instant triggers and 15 ready-made actions with no hosting, and the free plan covers simple two-step Zaps. The second criterion is how many steps your flows carry, since every successful action is billed as a task on Zapier. The third is who maintains the flows day to day. Check first whether the exact Actionstep operation you need exists on each platform.
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