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Follow Up Boss Zapier integrationAutomate Follow Up Boss with Zapier.

The Follow Up Boss Zapier integration gives you 7 triggers, 15 actions and 1 search to move leads, deals and tasks through your real estate CRM without retyping them. Every trigger is instant, and the app runs on the free plan.

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Overview

What the Follow Up Boss Zapier integration actually does

It links your Follow Up Boss account to Zapier, so an event in the CRM (a new contact, a deal moving stage, a tag, a booked appointment) can start a chain of steps, and so other tools can write contacts, notes, tasks and calls back into it. You describe the rule once; Zapier runs it every time.

Three results show what that looks like in a brokerage. A follow-up sequence that starts itself: tag a buyer as hot, and Tag Added to Contact hands them to Apply an Action Plan, so the drip begins without anyone opening the record. A tidy deal board: when a deal reaches a new stage, Deal Stage Updated can feed Create Task, and the assigned agent gets the next job written down. Leads from your own website: New Inquiry or Website Event pushes a property inquiry or a registration form into Follow Up Boss, where it can start your action plans.

Now the limits. None of the fifteen actions deletes a record. There is no trigger for a new note, task or logged call, and the only search looks for a contact, not a deal. When an operation is missing, the API Request (Beta) action is the way out, and it is meant for someone comfortable reading API documentation.

If you are weighing other tools, the Follow Up Boss Make integration covers the same CRM on Make, and Make vs Zapier puts the two side by side.

Vocabulary

Zapier words you will meet on this page

Eight terms. Learn them once and the rest of the page reads easily.

Zap
The automation you build: one trigger, then one or more actions that run each time the trigger event happens.
Trigger
The event in an app that starts the Zap. Once the Zap is on, Zapier waits for it and does nothing before.
Action
What the Zap does after it starts: the step that creates, updates or logs something in an app for you.
Task
The unit Zapier bills. One action that completes successfully counts as one task on your plan.
Instant vs polling
An instant trigger is reported by the app the moment it happens. A polling trigger is checked by Zapier on a timer.
Filter
A step that lets the Zap continue only when the incoming item meets a condition you set, and stops it otherwise.
Search step
A step that looks up something already stored in an app, so later steps can reuse what it found.
Connection
Your Follow Up Boss account linked to Zapier once, then reused by every step that talks to Follow Up Boss.
Cost

What a Follow Up Boss Zap costs you

The trigger never costs a task. Only an action that goes through is billed.

  • Premium appNo, it works on the free plan
  • Free plan100 tasks a month, two-step Zaps only
  • Trigger type7 instant, 0 polling
  • BilledEach successful action, one task each

Each successful action counts on its own, so a Zap that tags a contact, then creates a task, then logs a note uses three tasks per run. A failed action is not counted. The free plan gives 100 tasks a month, as many Zaps as you like, and two steps per Zap: one trigger, one action. Add a filter, a search or a second action and the Zap becomes multi-step, which needs a paid plan. The polling grid below does not slow this app down: all seven Follow Up Boss triggers are instant.

Connect

Connect Follow Up Boss to Zapier in three steps

  1. 01

    Open the Apps page

    In your Zapier account, go to Apps and click + Add connection. You need an existing Follow Up Boss account, plus access to any record you do not own but want the Zap to touch.

  2. 02

    Pick Follow Up Boss

    Type Follow Up Boss in the search box of the dialog, select it, then click Add connection. A new browser tab opens for the sign-in. Check that the name reads Follow Up Boss before you confirm.

  3. 03

    Sign in and allow access

    Log in to Follow Up Boss in that tab and grant Zapier access to the account. From then on, every Follow Up Boss step in every Zap reuses this connection.

First Zap

Your first Zap: a hot-buyer tag that starts the follow-up

GoalWhen an agent tags a contact, start the right action plan and give the agent a task to call back.

  1. 01

    Build the trigger

    Create a Zap, pick Follow Up Boss as the trigger app and Tag Added to Contact as the event. Type the tag it should watch in the tag name field.

  2. 02

    Test the trigger

    Run the test. Zapier brings back the three most recent matching items from your account, so you map the next steps on a real contact, not a blank one.

  3. 03

    Add the action plan

    Add Apply an Action Plan. Map the contact from the trigger into the contact field and choose the plan to start. This second step is still free.

  4. 04

    Add the callback task

    Add Create Task, map the same contact, name the task and choose who it goes to. With this third step the Zap is multi-step and needs a paid plan.

  5. 05

    Test, then publish

    Test each action once and check the result in Follow Up Boss. Then click Publish: the Zap is on and reacts to the next tag.

Triggers

The 7 Follow Up Boss triggers

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

1

New Appointment

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Fires when a new appointment is created in Follow Up Boss.”

Starts the Zap each time someone books an appointment in Follow Up Boss, and passes that new appointment on to the steps that follow.

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 showing gets booked and the agent should get a prep task created right away.
Watch out
it watches new appointments only; nothing on this list fires when an appointment changes.
2

New Deal

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Fires when a new deal is created in Follow Up Boss.”

Runs as soon as a deal is opened on a contact, which makes it the natural starting point for anything your team does once a client becomes a real transaction.

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 offer is going in and the transaction coordinator should be added as a collaborator on the buyer.
Watch out
a deal moving forward later is a different event, caught by Deal Stage Updated.
3

Deal Stage Updated

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Fires when the stage of a deal is updated in Follow Up Boss.”

Fires whenever a deal moves from one stage of its pipeline to another, so your Zap can follow the transaction step by step instead of only at the start.

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 deal reaches the under-contract stage and the listing agent needs a closing checklist task.
Watch out
it only sees stage moves made after the Zap is on; deals already sitting at that stage are not picked up.
4

New Contact

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Fires when a new contact is created in Follow Up Boss.”

Picks up every person added to Follow Up Boss and passes them on to the next steps.

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 new seller lead arrives from a portal and should get a welcome note and a first call task.
Watch out
a large import creates many contacts at once and can be held back by Zapier's flood protection.
5

Person Stage Updated

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Fires when a contact's stage is updated in Follow Up Boss.”

Reacts when a contact moves to another stage in your CRM, the stages your team uses to say where a lead stands.

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 lead moves to active client and the referral partner who sent them should be added as a collaborator.
Watch out
do not pair it with Change Stage of a Contact on the same people, or the Zap keeps setting itself off.
6

Tag Added to Contact

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Fires when a tag is added to a contact in Follow Up Boss.”

Watches for one tag, the one you type when you set the trigger up, and starts the Zap each time an agent or an import adds it to a contact.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
agents tag pre-approved buyers, and that tag should start a dedicated action plan.
Watch out
the tag name is required, so one Zap follows one tag; a second tag means a second Zap.
7

Updated Contact

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a contact is updated.”

The widest of the seven: any change to a contact record starts the Zap, not only a stage or a tag.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
you keep a mailing tool or a spreadsheet in step with the CRM and every edit should flow through.
Watch out
an Update Contact action on the same contacts edits the record again, which fires this trigger again, in a loop that eats tasks.
Actions

The 15 Follow Up Boss actions

Follow Up Boss 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 Collaborators

Action

In Zapier“Adds selected users as collaborated on a given contact.”

Brings extra users onto a contact as collaborators, without taking it away from the agent who owns it.

When to use it
a lender or a transaction coordinator should follow the buyer once a deal opens.
Watch out
the contact is found by phone, email or Follow Up Boss ID, so one of the three must reach the step.
2

Add Tags to a Contact

Action

In Zapier“Adds tags to a contact.”

Puts one or more tags on a contact, separated by commas when there are several.

When to use it
a lead who came from an open house should carry that tag for later segmentation.
Watch out
adding a tag that another Zap watches with Tag Added to Contact will start that Zap too.
3

Apply an Action Plan to a Contact

Action

In Zapier“Applies a selected action plan to a contact.”

Starts one of your existing action plans on a contact, the automated sequence your team already built in Follow Up Boss.

When to use it
a tag or a stage change should kick off a nurture sequence.
Watch out
the plan has to exist in Follow Up Boss before you build the Zap.
4

Attach File to Contact

Action

In Zapier“Links a file to an existing contact.”

Links a document to an existing contact: Follow Up Boss fetches the file itself from the link you give it.

When to use it
a signed offer PDF stored elsewhere should sit on the buyer's record.
Watch out
the file URL must be a direct link to the file, and the file name is required too.
5

Change Stage of a Contact

Action

In Zapier“Changes the stage of an existing contact.”

Moves a contact to the stage you pick, the way an agent would by hand.

When to use it
a lead books a consultation and should move from new to active.
Watch out
a Zap started by Person Stage Updated that also runs this action on the same contacts can loop.
6

Create Contact Without Triggering Action Plans

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new contact. This will not trigger action plans.”

Adds a new person to Follow Up Boss quietly: the record exists, but none of your automated action plans start.

When to use it
you are bringing in past clients for your records, not fresh leads to chase.
Watch out
the Is Contacted? option usually stops the email drip for that person, so leave it off unless you mean it.
7

Create Deal

Action

In Zapier“Creates a deal on a contact.”

Opens a deal on an existing contact, in the pipeline and stage you choose, with the team members you assign.

When to use it
a signed buyer agreement in another tool should become a deal without retyping.
Watch out
contact, name, pipeline, stage and team members are all required, so the pipeline must already exist.
8

Create Note

Action

In Zapier“Creates a note on a contact”

Writes a note on the contact's record, so the history your agents read lives in one place.

When to use it
the answers to a buyer questionnaire should land on the contact as a note.
Watch out
leave Message is HTML on no unless the text really carries HTML; that is the usual setting.
9

Create Task

Action

In Zapier“Create a task for a contact.”

Gives someone on your team a to-do tied to a contact, with a name, a type and the person it is assigned to.

When to use it
every new deal should produce a call-back for the agent who owns it.
Watch out
the type and the assignee are required, not just the task name.
10

Log Call

Action

In Zapier“Logs a call on a contact.”

Records a phone call on a contact, incoming or outgoing, so calls made outside Follow Up Boss still show up in the timeline.

When to use it
your phone system reports finished calls and you want them on the right lead.
Watch out
the phone number and the direction of the call are both required.
11

Pause an Action Plan for a Contact

Action

In Zapier“Pauses a selected action plan for a contact.”

Pauses the action plan you select, for one contact.

When to use it
a lead replies or books a call, and the drip should stop before the next email.
Watch out
the action plan field is required, so the Zap must know which plan to pause.
12

Reassign Agent

Action

In Zapier“Assign a different agent to this contact.”

Hands a contact to another team member, who becomes the assigned agent.

When to use it
rental inquiries should go to the agent who handles leases.
Watch out
the team member is required and must exist in your Follow Up Boss account.
13

New Inquiry or Website Event

Action

In Zapier“Notify Follow Up Boss when a new inquiry is received or an event on your website happens. For example, someone inquiries about a property, views or saves property as a favorite, an IDX registration or contact form. This will trigger action plans if a new lead is created from the event.”

Tells Follow Up Boss that something happened on your website: a property inquiry, a saved favorite, a viewed listing, a registration. If the event creates a new lead, your action plans start.

When to use it
your own landing page form should feed leads in the way a portal would.
Watch out
for lead capture forms, choose the Registration event type.
14

Update Contact

Action

In Zapier“Updates an existing contact.”

Changes the details of a contact who is already in Follow Up Boss, instead of creating a duplicate.

When to use it
a lead corrects their phone number in a form and the CRM should follow.
Watch out
tags entered here replace the existing ones unless Merge Tags? is set to true.
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 exit: a raw request to Follow Up Boss that reuses your connection, for what the fourteen other actions do not cover.

When to use it
you need an operation missing from this list and someone on the team reads API documentation.
Watch out
requests only reach the app's own domains, and Stop on error decides whether a failure halts the Zap.
Searches

The Follow Up Boss search

1 search step looks for data that already exists in Follow Up Boss, so a later step can use it.

A search step does not change anything. It finds a record that already exists and hands it to the steps after it. In the editor, searches sit at the bottom of the Action event list, under SEARCH, and some fields offer a + Add search step button that inserts one for you. Like any extra step, it makes the Zap multi-step.

1

Find a Contact

Search

In Zapier“Search for a contact by email, phone number, or Follow Up Boss ID.”

Looks up a contact by email, phone number or Follow Up Boss ID and returns the record, so a later action knows exactly who to update.

When to use it
a form sends only an email address and you need the contact before adding a note.
Watch out
with no find-or-create on this app, an unknown email stops the Zap unless you allow empty results.

The three settings every search exposes

  1. Successful if no search results are found?
    Left on its default, a search that finds no one stops the Zap there, and the steps that needed the contact are skipped. Switch it on and the Zap carries on without a contact.
  2. Create X if it doesn't exist yet?
    This box turns a search into find-or-create. Follow Up Boss does not offer that variant on Zapier, so the box does not appear here.
  3. If multiple search results are found?
    Three ways out when several contacts match: keep the first one (the default), stop the Zap, or pass all of them on together.
When it breaks

When a Follow Up Boss Zap breaks

Instant triggers remove the waiting, not the traps.

Zapier's help center keeps an article on common problems with Follow Up Boss. The cases below come from how Zaps work and from the fields this app requires. When a run fails anyway, Zapier troubleshooting is the next stop.

  • The Zap that sets itself off

    Updated Contact plus Update Contact on the same people, or Person Stage Updated plus Change Stage of a Contact, re-fire the trigger after each run and burn tasks.

  • Your existing leads are ignored

    A Zap only reacts to what happens after you publish it. Contacts, deals and tags that existed before are not picked up; moving that backlog is a separate job.

  • A bulk import goes quiet

    Importing a big list makes New Contact fire for many people at once, and Zapier's flood protection can hold that batch back instead of running it.

  • No contact reaches the action

    Most actions need the contact's phone, email or Follow Up Boss ID. If the earlier step does not carry one, the action fails, and a failed action costs no task.
Need help

Need help automating Follow Up Boss with Zapier?

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FAQ

Follow Up Boss Zapier integration: your questions

01Is the Follow Up Boss Zapier integration free?
Yes, on the free plan, because Follow Up Boss is not a premium app. The free plan gives 100 tasks a month and Zaps of two steps, one trigger and one action. As soon as you add a second action, a filter or a search, the Zap becomes multi-step and needs a paid plan. Tagging a contact and starting an action plan fits in the free plan; tagging, starting a plan and creating a task does not.
02How many tasks does a Follow Up Boss Zap use?
One task per action that succeeds, per run. The trigger costs nothing, and an action that fails is not counted. A Zap that applies an action plan and then creates a task uses two tasks each time a tag is added. A loop between Updated Contact and Update Contact is the fastest way to empty a monthly allowance, since each run starts the next one. Plan your tasks around the number of actions per run, not around the number of triggers.
03Does Follow Up Boss trigger Zaps in real time?
Yes. All seven Follow Up Boss triggers are instant: the app tells Zapier as soon as the event happens, and the Zap starts at once whatever your plan. The polling intervals of the plans, 15 minutes on Free down to 1 minute on Team and Enterprise, do not apply. In the editor, a Zap built on one of these triggers shows a lightning bolt. That holds for every one of the seven.
04What does it take to connect Follow Up Boss to Zapier?
A Follow Up Boss account and a Zapier account. You open the Apps page, add a connection, pick Follow Up Boss, sign in in the tab that opens and grant access. For actions on records you do not own, the account you sign in with needs access to them. Action plans, pipelines and team members used by your steps must exist before you build. Set those up first and the field lists fill with real choices.
05Why does a Follow Up Boss Zap keep running on its own?
Because it writes where its own trigger is watching. Updated Contact fires on any change to a contact, so an Update Contact step on the same record changes it again and starts the Zap again. The same happens between Person Stage Updated and Change Stage of a Contact. Each lap costs tasks. Pick a narrower trigger, or make sure the action never edits the contacts that started the run. Test with a single contact before you publish anything that edits records.
06What if the Follow Up Boss operation you need is not in the list?
Use the API Request (Beta) action. It sends a raw request to Follow Up Boss with the connection you already set up, so it can reach what the other fourteen actions do not. It only accepts addresses on the app's own domains, and it expects someone who can read API documentation. There is also no trigger for new notes, tasks or calls. Deleting records is not among the fifteen actions either.
07Zapier, Make or n8n for Follow Up Boss?
There is no single winner; it depends on criteria. On Zapier, the facts are seven instant triggers, fifteen actions, one contact search, a free plan limited to two-step Zaps, and one task billed per successful action. Check the same points on the other tool: how runs are billed, how many steps the entry plan allows, and whether its Follow Up Boss triggers react instantly. Weigh those three points against your own volume of leads.
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