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Filevine Zapier integrationAutomate Filevine with Zapier.

Filevine Zapier integration: 1 trigger, 10 actions and 9 searches to move case data in and out of Filevine without retyping it. Below, what each operation does for your firm, what it costs you, and where it trips people up.

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Overview

What the Filevine Zapier integration actually does for a firm

Filevine is case management software built for law firms. Zapier links it to the rest of your tools through Zaps: small automations where one event starts a chain of steps. On Filevine's side you get one event to listen for, ten things Zapier can write, and nine ways to look up what already exists.

Three results come up again and again. First, a new matter opened without double entry: Find Contact spots the client, Create Project opens the file. Second, case data kept in sync: Update Project and Update Collection Item rewrite fields when something changes elsewhere. Third, data carried from one project to another with the Copy Data From and Copy Data To pair, so a related matter starts with what the first one already knows.

Now the limits, because they matter just as much. Filevine exposes a single trigger, New Event, so every Zap that starts in Filevine starts there. There is no action to delete anything, and no way to upload a document: Find Document only looks one up by its ID. If you need a call the list does not cover, API Request (Beta) is the escape hatch, but it is a technical one.

Comparing tools before you commit? Our Make vs Zapier breakdown sets the criteria side by side, and the Zapier review covers the platform itself.

Vocabulary

Zapier vocabulary in one minute

Seven words come back on every line of this page. Here they are in plain English.

Zap
The automation you build: one starting event, then one or more steps that run every time that event happens.
Trigger
The event that starts the Zap. Once the Zap is switched on, Zapier waits for it and nothing runs before it shows up.
Action
What the Zap does after it starts: the step that writes, creates or changes something in Filevine or another app for you.
Task
What Zapier bills you for: one action that went through. Your plan's allowance is a count of those, nothing else.
Polling vs instant
Polling means Zapier checks the app on a timer. Instant means the app calls Zapier itself the moment the event happens.
Filter
A step that lets the Zap carry on only when what arrived matches your condition, and stops it quietly otherwise.
Search step
A step that looks up something already in an app, like a contact or a project, so the next steps can use it.
Cost

What a Filevine Zap really costs

Filevine is not a premium app, so it runs on the free plan. The bill depends on actions, not on how often Filevine sends events.

  • Free plan100 tasks per month, unlimited Zaps
  • Zap length on free2 steps: one trigger, one action
  • Trigger cost0 tasks
  • Filevine app tierNot premium, available on free

The New Event trigger never costs a task. Each action that succeeds counts as one, and an action that fails is not counted. The catch on the free plan: a Zap stops at two steps, one trigger and one action. Add a second action, a filter or a search step and it becomes a multi-step Zap, which needs a paid plan. Since most useful Filevine Zaps start with a search (find the project, then update it), plan for that early.

Connect

Connect Filevine to Zapier in 3 steps

  1. 01

    Open the Apps page

    In your Zapier account, go to Apps and click + Add connection. You need a Filevine account, plus access to any project you do not own yourself but want the Zap to read or change.

  2. 02

    Pick Filevine

    Type Filevine in the search box of the dialog, select it in the results, then click Add connection. A new browser tab opens on Filevine's own sign-in screen.

  3. 03

    Sign in and grant access

    Log in with your Filevine credentials and allow Zapier to use the account. From then on, every Filevine step in every one of your Zaps reuses this single connection.

First Zap

Your first Zap: open a project for an existing client

GoalWhen a chosen Filevine event comes in, find the related contact and open a new project for them.

  1. 01

    Build: start with New Event

    Click to create a Zap, choose Filevine as the app and New Event as the trigger. In the required Event field, pick the Filevine event you want to react to.

  2. 02

    Test the trigger

    Run the test. Zapier pulls the three most recent matching items from your account, so you map fields against a real one instead of guessing.

  3. 03

    Add Find Contact

    Add Find Contact, choose which contact field to search by, and map the value from the trigger. This search makes the Zap multi-step, so a paid plan is needed.

  4. 04

    Add Create Project

    Add Create Project. Set the Project Type, then map the contact the search found into the Contact field. Both are required.

  5. 05

    Test, then Publish

    Test each step and read what came back in Filevine. When the new project looks right, click Publish to switch the Zap on.

Triggers

The Filevine trigger

1 event starts a Zap when something happens in Filevine, and one of them is instant: the app calls Zapier straight away, whatever your plan.

1

New Event

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers on a new event.”

This is the only door into Filevine: the Zap starts whenever the type of Filevine event you selected takes place, and hands its data to the next steps. Every Filevine-driven automation you build begins here, whatever it does 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
a personal injury team wants the intake paralegal's tracker updated as soon as a matter moves in Filevine.
Watch out
the Event field is required, so decide which Filevine event matters before you build.
Actions

Filevine actions

Filevine gives you 10 actions. For each one: what it does for you, when to reach for it, and what to watch out for.

1

Create Collection Item

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new collection item.”

Adds a new item to a collection inside a project, leaving the items already there untouched.

When to use it
each new medical provider logged elsewhere should appear as an entry on the right matter.
Watch out
you must name the Project, its Project Type and the Collection itself.
2

Create Contact

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new contact.”

Adds a person or organization to your Filevine contacts, ready to be linked to matters.

When to use it
a web inquiry from a prospective client should land in Filevine as a contact before anyone calls back.
Watch out
Contact Types is required; pick the type your firm uses, or the step will not go through.
3

Copy Data From

Action

In Zapier“Creates a reference to data in a project. This action supplies the data output to a "Copy Data To" action, which should be included in your Zap as a subsequent step.”

Grabs a reference to data inside one project, without writing anything yet. On its own it does nothing visible: it prepares a handoff.

When to use it
a related matter for the same client should reuse what the original file holds.
Watch out
it only works with Copy Data To placed after it in the same Zap, which makes the Zap multi-step.
4

Copy Data To

Action

In Zapier“Copies data from a reference to a project. This action depends on the data output from a "Copy Data From" action, which should be included in your Zap as a prior step.”

Writes the data grabbed by Copy Data From into a target project, completing the pair.

When to use it
spinning off a companion case without retyping parties and details.
Watch out
it depends on a Copy Data From step earlier in the Zap; without it there is nothing to copy. Both steps count as tasks.
5

Update Form

Action

In Zapier“Updates an existing form.”

Fills in or changes values on a form that already sits inside a project. Despite what you might expect, it does not create a new form.

When to use it
answers collected in an online questionnaire should flow into the intake form of the case.
Watch out
Project and Project Type are both required.
6

Create Project

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new project.”

Opens a brand-new project in Filevine, which is how a matter starts life there.

When to use it
a signed engagement letter in another tool should open the case file without anyone keying it in.
Watch out
it needs both a Project Type and a Contact, so the client has to exist first; pair it with Find Contact.
7

Toggle Section

Action

In Zapier“Toggles a project section's visibility.”

Changes whether one section of a project is visible, so the file shows the parts that matter at that stage.

When to use it
a litigation section should come into view on the file once a case leaves pre-suit.
Watch out
Project and Project Type are both required, so the Zap has to know which matter it is acting on.
8

Update Collection Item

Action

In Zapier“Updates an existing collection item.”

Changes one existing entry in a project's collection instead of adding a new one.

When to use it
a settlement figure revised in a spreadsheet should overwrite the matching line rather than pile up duplicates.
Watch out
it requires the Item ID on top of project, type and collection; Find Collection Item gets you that ID.
9

Update Project

Action

In Zapier“Updates an existing project.”

Rewrites fields on a project that already exists, so the file stays current without a manual edit.

When to use it
a status change in your billing tool should show on the Filevine project the team works from.
Watch out
it targets one known project; if the Zap only has a name, put Find Project in front.
10

API Request (Beta)

Action

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

An advanced step that sends a raw request to Filevine using the connection you already set up, for anything the other actions do not cover.

When to use it
a developer on your side needs a Filevine call that has no ready-made action.
Watch out
it only reaches domains tied to Filevine, and the Stop on error choice decides whether a failure halts the Zap.
Searches

Filevine searches

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

A search step finds something that already exists in Filevine and passes it to the next steps. 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 Collection Item

SearchFind or create

In Zapier“Finds a collection item by searching on item id.”

Looks up an entry inside a project's collection by its item ID and returns it to the Zap.

When to use it
before Update Collection Item, so the change lands on the right line.
Watch out
Project, Project Type, Collection and Search By are required. The editor also shows Find or Create Collection Item: that is this same search with the create box ticked.
2

Find Contact

SearchFind or create

In Zapier“Finds a contact by searching.”

Checks whether a person is already in your Filevine contacts, searching on the contact field you choose.

When to use it
just before Create Project, to attach the matter to the right client.
Watch out
Find or Create Contact is not a separate operation; it is this search with the create option on, which spares you a duplicate client.
3

Find Document

Search

In Zapier“Finds a document by searching.”

Retrieves a Filevine document so later steps can use its details.

When to use it
another system already stores the document reference and needs its details pulled back.
Watch out
the Document ID is a required field, so the Zap must already carry that ID.
4

Find Form

Search

In Zapier“Finds a form by searching.”

Locates a form by its name within a given project type.

When to use it
before Update Form, when your Zap knows the form by the name your team gave it.
Watch out
both Project Type and Name are required, so the name must match how it is set up in Filevine.
5

Find Form by Selector

Search

In Zapier“Finds a form by searching by selector name.”

A sibling of Find Form that searches by section selector name instead of the form name.

When to use it
the Zap knows the section selector of the form rather than its name.
Watch out
Project Type and Section Selector are required; ask whoever configured Filevine for the exact selector.
6

Find User

Search

In Zapier“Finds a user by searching.”

Finds a member of your Filevine team so a later step can use that person.

When to use it
a lead attorney named in another tool has to be matched to the right Filevine user.
Watch out
the Search By field is required: tell it which detail you are matching on.
7

Find Phase

Search

In Zapier“Finds a phase by searching.”

Looks up a Filevine phase so a later step can reuse its exact reference.

When to use it
you need the exact phase reference before writing it onto a project with Update Project.
Watch out
Project Type and Search By are both required, so have the type at hand before this step.
8

Find Project

SearchFind or create

In Zapier“Finds a project by searching.”

Finds an existing matter by the project field you choose and returns it.

When to use it
almost every update Zap starts here, because Update Project needs a precise target.
Watch out
ticking the create box gives you Find or Create Project, the same search that opens the project when nothing matches.
9

Find Project Type

Search

In Zapier“Finds a project type by searching.”

Returns a project type, searched on the field you pick, so later steps can reuse it.

When to use it
when the Zap has to fill a required Project Type field and you would rather not hard-code it.
Watch out
the Field setting is required: choose which project type field to match.

The three settings every search exposes

  1. Successful if no search results are found?
    Left on default, a search that finds nothing stops the Zap there and the dependent steps are skipped. Switch it on and the Zap carries on empty-handed.
  2. Create X if it doesn't exist yet?
    Ticking this turns the search into a find-or-create: it asks for the fields needed to create the missing item, and the setting above disappears.
  3. If multiple search results are found?
    Keep the first match (the default), stop the Zap, or pass every match along at once.
When it breaks

When a Filevine Zap breaks

Zapier publishes no Filevine-specific help article, so the known failure points are the ones every Zap shares.

None of them shows up during the first test. They appear later, once real cases are flowing. If one bites, our Zapier troubleshooting guide walks through the fixes.

  • No catch-up on old cases

    A Zap only reacts to what happens after you publish it. Projects and events already in Filevine are ignored; moving that backlog is a separate job.

  • A Zap that triggers itself

    If an action writes something that produces the very event your New Event trigger listens to, the Zap sets itself off again and again and burns tasks fast.

  • Bulk imports get held back

    After a migration or a big import, a sudden flood of events can be held back by Zapier's flood protection instead of running one by one.

  • Copy Data To alone fails

    Copy Data To has nothing to write unless a Copy Data From step sits earlier in the same Zap. Build the pair, test both, and count two tasks per run.
Need help

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FAQ

Filevine Zapier integration: FAQ

01Is the Filevine Zapier integration free?
Yes, at the entry level. Filevine is not a premium app, so it works on Zapier's free plan, which gives 100 tasks a month and unlimited Zaps. The limit is the shape of the Zap: free Zaps stop at two steps, one trigger and one action. The moment you add a search such as Find Project, a filter or a second action, the Zap becomes multi-step and you need a paid plan. Many useful Filevine flows need that search, so check this before you design anything.
02How many tasks does a Filevine Zap use?
One per successful action, and nothing for the trigger. New Event never costs a task, however many events come in. If your Zap runs Find Contact and then Create Project, count each step that completes. A Copy Data From and Copy Data To pair always takes two. Failed actions are not billed. On the free plan the allowance is 100 tasks a month, so a busy intake desk can reach it quickly if every new matter fires several steps.
03Does Filevine trigger Zaps in real time?
Yes. New Event is an instant trigger: Filevine tells Zapier as soon as the event happens and the Zap starts right away. The polling grid of the plans (15 minutes on Free, 2 on Professional, 1 on Team and Enterprise) does not apply to it. That is good news for a free account, since a small firm gets the same speed as a large one on this trigger. In the editor, a Zap built on it shows a lightning bolt.
04What does it take to connect Filevine to Zapier?
A Filevine account you can sign in with, and access to the projects the Zap will touch. If a matter belongs to a colleague and you want the Zap to change it, your account needs read or write rights on it. The connection is made once from the Apps page of Zapier, through Add connection, then a sign-in on Filevine's own tab. Every Filevine step reuses that connection afterwards. Nothing else is required on Zapier's side.
05Why does Filevine keep asking for a Project Type?
Because it is a required field on most Filevine actions: eight of the ten ask for it, including Update Project, Create Collection Item and Toggle Section, and Find Form, Find Form by Selector and Find Phase need it too. If the Zap does not know the type in advance, add Find Project Type as a step and map its result into the field. That keeps the type out of hand-typed settings and makes the Zap easier to reuse across matters.
06What if the Filevine action you need is not in the list?
Then API Request (Beta) is the fallback. It sends a raw request to Filevine through the connection you already have, so there is no extra login to manage. It only reaches domains tied to Filevine, and you choose whether an error stops the Zap. It is a technical step: whoever sets it up has to know which request Filevine expects. There is no delete action and no document upload in the standard list.
07Zapier, Make or n8n for Filevine?
Judge on criteria rather than a ranking. Coverage first: on Zapier, Filevine offers one instant trigger, ten actions and nine searches, with no delete and no document upload, so check that your flow fits in that list. Then cost: Zapier bills each successful action as a task, and the trigger costs nothing. Finally, the tool your firm already runs counts too. This page only covers what Zapier exposes for Filevine; compare your own flow on each tool before deciding.
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