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Hubstaff Zapier integrationAutomate Hubstaff with Zapier.

The Hubstaff Zapier integration gives you 16 triggers and 4 actions, with no search step. Every single trigger is instant, so a stopped timer or a missed shift reaches your Zap the moment it happens, even on the free plan.

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Overview

What the Hubstaff Zapier integration actually does

It links your Hubstaff organization to Zapier so that events in Hubstaff (a timer starting, a shift going wrong, a to-do being closed) start an automation, and so that Zapier can create clients, projects and to-dos in Hubstaff for you. Hubstaff is a time tracker built for distributed teams, and this is how its events leave the app.

Three outcomes cover what most readers come here for. A shift alert: Late Shift, Missed Shift and Abandoned Shift fire the instant a scheduled shift goes off track, so a team lead hears about it while it still matters. A work handoff: Task Completed or To-Do User Assigned starts a Zap that opens the next to-do with Create To-Do. An account setup: Create Client and Create Project build the Hubstaff side of a new engagement as soon as another step hands over a name.

Now what it does not do. There is no action to start or stop a timer, no action to edit a schedule, and no search step to look up an existing client or project. The four actions only create things, plus one raw request for technical users. If you need to change records rather than add them, the standard Hubstaff actions on Zapier will not get you there.

If you are weighing tools, the Hubstaff Make integration covers the same app on Make, and Make vs Zapier puts the two platforms side by side.

Vocabulary

Zapier vocabulary in one minute

Eight words come back on every line of 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 single time that trigger event happens.
Trigger
The Hubstaff event that starts the Zap, such as a stopped timer. Once the Zap is switched on, Zapier simply waits for it.
Action
What the Zap does after it starts: the step that writes something for you, here a new client, project or to-do in Hubstaff.
Task
The unit Zapier bills. One action that completes successfully is one task, and the allowance on your plan is a count of those.
Instant trigger
A trigger the app reports itself: Hubstaff calls Zapier the moment the event happens, so nothing waits for a scheduled check.
Polling trigger
The other kind: Zapier asks the app for new items on a timer and keeps only what it has not seen. None of the Hubstaff triggers work this way.
Filter
A step that lets the Zap carry on only when what arrived meets a condition you set, and stops it quietly when it does not.
Connection
Your Hubstaff account linked to Zapier once, then reused by every step of every Zap that touches Hubstaff afterwards.
Cost

What a Hubstaff Zap really costs you

Zapier counts tasks, not triggers. That changes how you design a Zap.

  • Free plan100 tasks a month, unlimited two-step Zaps
  • Cost of a trigger0 tasks
  • Premium appNo, Hubstaff works on the free plan
  • Hubstaff triggers16, all instant

The trigger never costs a task, and neither does Zapier waiting for new events. You are billed only when an action completes: each successful action is one task, so a Zap with three actions uses three times what a one-action Zap uses. An action that fails is not counted. The free plan gives you 100 tasks a month and unlimited Zaps, but each Zap stops at two steps, one trigger and one action. Add a filter or a second action and you need a paid plan. Hubstaff is not a premium app, so it runs on the free plan, and since all 16 triggers are instant, the polling grid below never slows them down.

Connect

Connect Hubstaff to Zapier in three steps

  1. 01

    Open the Apps page

    In your Zapier account, go to Apps and click + Add connection. Type Hubstaff in the search box of the dialog that opens, then pick it from the list of results.

  2. 02

    Sign in to Hubstaff

    Click Add connection. A Hubstaff sign-in opens in a new tab: log in with the account whose organization you want Zapier to work in, not a personal test account.

  3. 03

    Grant access

    Approve the access Zapier asks for. You need a Hubstaff account, plus read or write rights on any client, project or to-do you do not own yourself and want a Zap to touch.

First Zap

Your first Zap: welcome a new client with a ready project

GoalWhen an account manager adds a client in Hubstaff, create the matching project straight away, but only for clients that are not internal.

  1. 01

    Build: pick the trigger

    Start a new Zap, choose Hubstaff as the app and New Client as the event. Select your Hubstaff connection, then the Organization the Zap should watch.

  2. 02

    Test the trigger

    Run the test. Zapier brings back the three most recent clients of the connected account, so you map the next steps on a real record instead of a guess.

  3. 03

    Add the filter

    Click the plus icon and add Filter. Pick the field that holds the client's name among those the test brought back, a text rule, and the value Internal. This filter makes the Zap multi-step, so it needs a paid plan.

  4. 04

    Add Create Project

    Add Hubstaff again, pick Create Project, choose the same Organization and fill the required Name field with that same client name, taken from the trigger's test result.

  5. 05

    Test, then Publish

    Test the action once and check the new project in Hubstaff. Then click Publish to switch the Zap on. From now on it reacts to every new client.

Triggers

The 16 Hubstaff triggers

16 events start a Zap when something happens in Hubstaff, and 16 of them are instant: the app calls Zapier straight away, whatever your plan.

1

New Client

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a new client is added.”

Fires each time someone adds a client in your Hubstaff organization, and hands that client 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 consultancy that signs a new account can spin up its project and first to-dos in the same minute the client exists.
Watch out
the trigger is tied to the Organization you pick, so clients added in another organization never reach this Zap.
2

New Project

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a new project is added.”

Starts your Zap as soon as a project appears in Hubstaff, from the organization you choose when you set it up.

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 dev shop that opens one project per sprint can add the standard kickoff to-do to it without a project manager doing it by hand.
Watch out
if your Zap creates projects too, point it at another organization or you risk a loop where each project triggers the next.
3

New Schedule

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a schedule is created.”

Reacts when a manager creates a schedule for someone in Hubstaff, which is the moment a shift becomes official.

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 remote support desk can create a preparation to-do for the agent who just got a new block of coverage.
Watch out
the Zap only sees schedules created after you publish it; the existing calendar is never replayed.
4

Schedule Deleted

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a schedule is deleted.”

Catches the removal of a schedule, the signal that a planned shift is off the calendar.

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 staffing coordinator wants a to-do the second a client shift is cancelled, so someone checks whether the slot must be refilled.
Watch out
once deleted, the schedule cannot be looked up again from Zapier, because Hubstaff offers no search step there.
5

Schedule Updated

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a schedule is updated.”

Runs whenever an existing schedule changes in Hubstaff, for instance when its hours are moved.

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 operations lead who juggles rotating shifts wants a to-do on the board each time a rota is edited, to confirm it with the person concerned.
Watch out
every edit fires it, and each Zap run that completes an action costs a task.
6

Abandoned Shift

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when shift is abandoned.”

Sends a signal when Hubstaff considers a shift abandoned, one of the three shift problems it reports alongside late and missed shifts.

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 call center supervisor can get a to-do assigned on the spot to find cover for a seat left empty mid-shift.
Watch out
pick the right Organization when you set it up, since each organization reports its own shifts.
7

Early Shift

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when shift is early.”

Goes off when a team member starts a scheduled shift ahead of time, according to Hubstaff.

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 payroll admin watching overtime can log each early start as a to-do and review the hours before the pay run.
Watch out
on a busy team this one can fire a lot; on the free plan, keep the Zap at one action so each run costs a single task.
8

Late Shift

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when shift is late.”

Tells Zapier that a shift started after its scheduled time, so the delay is on record the moment it happens.

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 field service manager can open a follow-up to-do for the late technician's coordinator and keep a record of each delay.
Watch out
it reports a late start, not an absence; a shift nobody starts at all goes through Missed Shift instead.
9

Missed Shift

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when shift is missed.”

Fires when a scheduled shift goes by without the person ever starting it, which is different from starting late.

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 home care agency can assign a to-do to the on-call coordinator to call the client and arrange a replacement visit.
Watch out
each missed shift reaches the Zap once, so a filter waiting for the person to turn up later will never pass.
10

On Time Shift

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when shift is on time.”

The quiet counterpart of the late and missed events: it starts the Zap when someone begins a shift on time.

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 team that rewards punctuality can log each on-time start as a to-do on the HR board for the end-of-month review.
Watch out
it fires on every on-time start, so count how often that happens before you spend the free plan's 100 tasks on it.
11

To-Do User Assigned

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a user is assigned to a To-do.”

Watches assignments: it runs when a person is put on a to-do, whether the to-do is brand new or has been sitting there for a while.

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 agency that pairs every design to-do with a review can create the review to-do the moment a designer picks up the work.
Watch out
reassigning a to-do back and forth fires it each time, and each completed action counts as a task.
12

Task Completed

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a task is completed.”

Starts the Zap when a to-do is marked complete in Hubstaff, which makes it the natural hook for anything that comes next.

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 QA team can receive a testing to-do the moment a developer closes the build to-do, without a stand-up to hand it over.
Watch out
the trigger reports each completion once; a filter that waits for a later change on the same to-do will never pass.
13

New To-Do

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a new To-do is added.”

Fires on every to-do added to a project of your Hubstaff organization, in the organization you pick.

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 agency owner who wants every new piece of work mirrored on a client project can add the matching to-do there automatically.
Watch out
never pair it with Create To-Do in the same organization; the new to-do fires the trigger again and the Zap feeds itself.
14

To-Do User Unassigned

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a user is unassigned from a To-do.”

Spots the moment someone is taken off a to-do, which is often when work falls through the cracks.

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 delivery lead can get a to-do to reassign the work so nothing stays without an owner after a team change.
Watch out
it fires on every removal, including a quick swap of assignees, so expect some noise unless a filter trims it on a paid plan.
15

Started Timer

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when an organization member starts tracking time.”

Opens the timer pair: a member of your organization starts tracking time in Hubstaff, one of the three triggers Zapier highlights for this app.

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 freelance collective billing by the hour can log the start of each client session as a to-do, so the account lead sees who is on what.
Watch out
timers start many times a day, so this trigger can eat a free plan's 100 tasks quickly.
16

Stopped Timer

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when an organization member stops tracking time.”

The closing half of the pair: it runs when a member stops tracking time, which is when the work session is actually over.

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 marketing agency can create a write-up to-do each time a strategist ends a client session, so the notes get done the same day.
Watch out
Zapier cannot restart or edit the timer afterwards; Hubstaff offers no action on timers.
Actions

The 4 Hubstaff actions

Hubstaff gives you 4 actions. For each one: what it does for you, when to reach for it, and what to watch out for.

1

Create Client

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new client.”

Adds a client to the Hubstaff organization you choose, named from whatever the earlier step provides.

When to use it
a signed proposal elsewhere can become a Hubstaff client without anyone copying the name across.
Watch out
Organization and Name are both required, so the trigger must hand over a usable name.
2

Create Project

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new project.”

Opens a new project in a chosen organization, which is where time and to-dos for a piece of work will live.

When to use it
pair it with New Client so every account starts with its project ready.
Watch out
the Name field is required, and Hubstaff on Zapier has no search step to check for an existing project first.
3

Create To-Do

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new to-do.”

Puts a to-do on a project and gives it an owner, the most flexible of the four actions.

When to use it
after a missed or abandoned shift, assign a follow-up to whoever has to react.
Watch out
Summary, Organization, Project and Assignee are all required, so the trigger or an earlier step must supply all four.
4

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 action that sends a raw request to Hubstaff using your existing connection, for technical users who need something the other actions do not cover.

When to use it
only when a developer on your team knows the exact request to send.
Watch out
the URL must point to a domain tied to Hubstaff, and the Stop on error choice decides whether a failed call halts the Zap.
When it breaks

When a Hubstaff Zap breaks

No help article is attached to this app on Zapier, so the failures below are the general ones, applied to Hubstaff.

With Hubstaff, timing and loops cause more trouble than the connection itself. If a Zap misbehaves and you cannot see why, the Zapier troubleshooting page walks through the checks in order.

  • Nothing from before the Zap was on

    A Zap reacts only to what happens after you publish it. Clients, shifts or to-dos that already existed are never picked up; moving that backlog is a separate job.

  • A to-do Zap that feeds itself

    New To-Do plus Create To-Do in the same organization creates a loop: each new to-do fires the trigger again, and the task count drains fast.

  • A bulk import gets held back

    If you import a large batch of projects or clients at once, Zapier's flood protection can hold the sudden burst of events instead of running them all.

  • API Request outside Hubstaff

    The API Request (Beta) action only accepts URLs on domains associated with Hubstaff. A URL pointing anywhere else will not go through.
Need help

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FAQ

Hubstaff and Zapier: your questions

01Is the Hubstaff Zapier integration free?
Yes, it works on the free Zapier plan because Hubstaff is not a premium app. The free plan gives you 100 tasks a month and unlimited Zaps, with one limit people rarely mention: each Zap is two steps only, one trigger and one action. As soon as you add a filter or a second action, for instance to create a project and then its first to-do, the Zap becomes multi-step and needs a paid plan.
02How many Zapier tasks does a Hubstaff Zap use?
One task per action that completes successfully, and nothing for the trigger. A Zap built on Started Timer with a single Create To-Do action uses one task each time a timer starts. If you add two more actions, every run uses three. Failed actions are not counted. The trap with Hubstaff is volume: timer and shift triggers can fire many times a day across a team, so check how often the event happens before you pick it on a plan of 100 tasks.
03Are Hubstaff triggers real time in Zapier?
Yes. All 16 Hubstaff triggers are instant: Hubstaff tells Zapier the moment the event happens, and the Zap starts right away. The plan grid that makes polling triggers wait up to 15 minutes on the free plan does not apply to them at all. In practice, a Missed Shift alert built on the free plan reaches your team as fast as one built on Enterprise. In the editor, a Zap on an instant trigger shows a lightning bolt.
04What does it take to connect Hubstaff to Zapier?
A Hubstaff account, and rights on the organization you want to automate. You add the connection from the Apps page of Zapier, sign in to Hubstaff in the tab that opens and grant access. Every trigger and every action then asks for an Organization, so the account you connect must belong to the right one. For anything you do not own yourself, such as a project another manager created, you need read or write access on it as well.
05Why does a Hubstaff to-do Zap keep running on its own?
Because it is probably watching the place it writes into. A Zap that starts on New To-Do and then uses Create To-Do in the same organization fires itself: the to-do it creates is a new to-do, which starts the Zap again. The loop keeps going and burns through tasks. Start the Zap on another event, like Task Completed or To-Do User Assigned, or send the new to-do into an organization the trigger does not watch.
06What if the Hubstaff action you need is not in Zapier?
Then the four standard actions will not do it. Hubstaff on Zapier creates clients, projects and to-dos, and nothing else: no timer control, no schedule editing, no search. The fifth way in is API Request (Beta), an advanced action that sends a raw request through your existing connection, limited to Hubstaff domains. It suits a technical user who knows the exact request. Otherwise, the same app on another automation platform may expose different operations.
07Zapier, Make or n8n for Hubstaff?
It depends on your criteria, not on a winner. On Zapier, the 16 Hubstaff triggers are all instant and work on the free plan. Its cost grows with every completed action, which matters if timers and shifts fire all day. Weigh three criteria: who on the team will build and maintain the Zaps, which Hubstaff operations each platform exposes, and how many runs a month you expect, since that drives the bill.
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