Resources · Zapier integration

Nutshell Zapier integrationAutomate Nutshell with Zapier.

Nutshell Zapier integration: 6 triggers, 9 actions and 4 searches available in the editor today, and all six triggers are instant. Below: what each operation does for your pipeline, what it costs in tasks, how to connect the account, and where a Nutshell Zap tends to break.

See the 19 operations

Verified Trustpilot reviews · AI, automation & growth agency

Overview

What the Nutshell Zapier integration actually does for your sales team

The Nutshell Zapier integration links your Nutshell CRM to the other tools your team uses, without code. Something happens in Nutshell (a lead is won, a person is added) and Zapier carries out the next step for you, or the reverse: another app feeds Nutshell with companies, people and leads.

Three results you can expect. A lead file that builds itself: a form or a spreadsheet row becomes a person, a company and a lead through Create Person, Create Company and Create Lead. A pipeline that stays current: when a deal moves somewhere else, Update Lead or Update Lead Outcome brings Nutshell in line. A team that hears about wins first: Lead Won starts a Zap the moment a deal closes, so the handoff to onboarding or billing does not wait for someone to remember.

The good news for a free account: every Nutshell trigger is instant, so the 15-minute wait of the free plan never applies here. The app also isn't premium, so it works from the free plan.

What Zapier does not do for Nutshell: there is no delete action, no trigger for a lead that changes stage, and nothing that pulls in leads created before your Zap was switched on. For that kind of logic, compare the options in n8n vs Zapier and Make vs Zapier.

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 each time the trigger event happens.
Trigger
The event in an app that starts the Zap, like a lead marked as won in Nutshell. Once the Zap is on, Zapier waits for it.
Action
What the Zap does once it has started: the step that writes, sends or updates something for you, like creating a person.
Task
The unit Zapier bills. One task is one action your Zap completes successfully, and your plan counts those.
Polling vs instant
A polling trigger is checked on a timer. An instant trigger is reported by the app itself the moment it happens. Every Nutshell trigger is instant.
Filter
A step that lets the Zap go on only when what arrived meets your condition, and stops it quietly otherwise.
Search step
A step that looks up something already in an app, such as an existing company, so later steps can reuse what it found.
Connection
Your Nutshell account linked to Zapier once, then reused by every step of every Zap that touches Nutshell.
Cost

What a Nutshell Zap really costs

Zapier bills completed actions, not events. The trigger itself never costs a task, and neither does the waiting.

  • Free plan100 tasks a month, two-step Zaps only
  • Triggernever costs a task
  • Premium appno, Nutshell works on the free plan
  • Nutshell triggers6 instant, 0 polling

Each action that succeeds counts as one task, so a Zap that creates a person and then a lead uses two per run. An action that fails is not counted. The free plan gives you 100 tasks a month, but only two-step Zaps: one trigger, one action. Add a filter, a search or a second action and the Zap becomes multi-step, which needs a paid plan. Searches and filters use no task themselves, but they still push you off the free plan.

Connect

Connect your Nutshell account to Zapier

  1. 01

    Open your connections

    In Zapier, open the Apps page of your account and click + Add connection. You need a Nutshell account first, plus access to any records you don't own but want the Zap to touch.

  2. 02

    Pick Nutshell

    In the dialog, type Nutshell, select it in the results and click Add connection. A new browser tab then opens on the Nutshell side, where you sign in.

  3. 03

    Sign in and grant access

    Sign in to Nutshell in that tab and allow Zapier to reach your account. The connection then shows on the Apps page and every Zap that uses Nutshell can pick it without asking again.

First Zap

Your first Nutshell Zap: log a follow-up when a deal is won

GoalEach time a lead is won in Nutshell, a filter checks the deal, then the Zap logs a follow-up activity on it.

  1. 01

    Create the Zap

    From your Zapier dashboard, start a new Zap. Pick Nutshell as the app that starts it and Lead Won as the event, then choose the connection you set up earlier.

  2. 02

    Test the trigger

    Run the trigger test. Zapier brings back the three most recent won leads of your account, so you map the next steps on a real deal instead of a blank sample.

  3. 03

    Add the filter

    Click the plus icon, add a Filter, then pick the field, the rule and the value. A filter makes the Zap multi-step, so this version needs a paid plan. On the free plan, skip it.

  4. 04

    Add the action

    Add Nutshell again with Log Activity. Choose the activity type (it is required), then map the lead coming from the trigger so the activity lands on the right deal.

  5. 05

    Test, then publish

    Test the action once and check the activity in Nutshell. Then click Publish to switch the Zap on. Stuck on a step? Open Zapier troubleshooting.

Triggers

Nutshell triggers on Zapier

6 events start a Zap when something happens in Nutshell, and 6 of them are instant: the app calls Zapier straight away, whatever your plan.

1

Lead Won

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a lead is won.”

Starts your Zap the moment a deal in Nutshell is marked as won. It is the cleanest signal in the whole app for anything that should happen after the sale, because it fires on the outcome rather than on a stage.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
hand a freshly closed customer to onboarding, invoicing or a welcome sequence without anyone copying the deal by hand.
Watch out
only wins recorded after the Zap is published count. Deals won last month will not show up.
2

Activity Logged

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when an Activity is logged.”

Fires each time someone records an activity in Nutshell, such as a call or a meeting written into the timeline. It turns the daily log of your sales reps into a feed other tools can 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
copy every logged call into a shared reporting sheet so a manager sees activity without opening the CRM.
Watch out
Nutshell also has New Activity. The two are worded differently, so test both on a real activity before you pick one.
3

New Company

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when new Company is created.”

Reacts when a company record appears in Nutshell, whether a rep typed it in or another Zap created it. Think of it as the entry point for account-level work.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
open a matching folder or customer record in your accounting or support tool as soon as a new account exists.
Watch out
if another Zap creates companies in Nutshell, this trigger fires on those too, so check you are not building a loop.
4

New Activity

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when new Activity is created.”

Wakes up whenever a new activity is created in Nutshell, whoever or whatever adds it. Where Activity Logged follows what your reps record, this one follows every new entry in the timeline.

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 each new meeting into a team calendar or a chat channel so nobody double-books a prospect.
Watch out
a Zap that uses Log Activity as its action will set this trigger off again. Keep the two in separate Zaps.
5

New Person

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when new Person is created.”

Goes off when a person (Nutshell's word for a contact) is added to your CRM. Every contact your reps enter becomes an event you can act on elsewhere.

How it fires
the app tells Zapier the moment it happens, so the Zap starts right away, whatever your plan.
When to use it
subscribe each new contact to your newsletter tool or add them to a nurture list the same minute they land in Nutshell.
Watch out
people imported in bulk all fire at once. A big import can be held back by Zapier's flood protection.
6

New Lead

Instant trigger

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

Launches the Zap as soon as a new lead (an opportunity in your pipeline) is opened in Nutshell. Use it when what matters is the deal itself, not the people attached to it.

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 sales channel with each fresh opportunity, or log a first follow-up activity on it automatically.
Watch out
a lead created by a Zap with Create Lead triggers this too. Use a filter if you only want leads your reps open.
Actions

Nutshell actions on Zapier

Nutshell gives you 9 actions. For each one: what it does for you, when to reach for it, and what to watch out for.

1

Log Activity

Action

In Zapier“Creates and logs a new Activity.”

Writes an activity into Nutshell's timeline, with options to mark a meeting as all-day or flag it as important.

When to use it
a call booked in another tool should show up in the CRM history of the deal.
Watch out
the activity type is required, and it has to exist in your Nutshell settings before you map it.
2

Create Company

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new Company.”

Opens a new company record in Nutshell, ready to hold people and leads.

When to use it
a signup form asks for a company name and you want the account created alongside the person.
Watch out
the name is required, and nothing stops a duplicate. Find or Create Company, described with the searches, is the safer route.
3

Create Person

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new Person.”

Adds a new person to Nutshell from whatever the previous step carried, such as a form submission or a webinar sign-up.

When to use it
every inbound contact should exist in the CRM before a rep calls them.
Watch out
the name is required. A form that lets people skip it will make the action fail.
4

Create Lead

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new Lead.”

Puts a new opportunity into your Nutshell pipeline, so a request that arrived elsewhere becomes a deal your team can work.

When to use it
a quote request or a demo booking should land as a lead without anyone retyping it.
Watch out
pair it with a search on the person first, otherwise the lead may end up with nobody attached.
5

Update Lead Outcome

Action

In Zapier“Updates a Lead Outcome.”

Sets the outcome of a deal from outside Nutshell, which is how a signed contract elsewhere can close the lead in the CRM.

When to use it
your e-signature or payment tool knows a deal is done before your rep does.
Watch out
both the existing lead and the outcome are required fields, so the outcome must already be defined in Nutshell.
6

Rerun CSV Import

Action

In Zapier“Re-executes a previously completed CSV import with a new file, using the same column mapping and settings.”

Replays a CSV import you already ran in Nutshell, with a new file but the same column mapping and settings.

When to use it
a partner sends the same lead export every so often and you want it loaded without redoing the mapping.
Watch out
the file must come from an earlier step of the Zap as a link, for example a file trigger from a cloud drive.
7

Update Company

Action

In Zapier“Updates an existing Company.”

Edits an existing company record so account data stays aligned with your other systems.

When to use it
billing changes a customer's address and sales should see the new one.
Watch out
the existing company is a required field, so the Zap needs a way to know which one, usually a Find Company step just before.
8

Update Person

Action

In Zapier“Updates an existing Person.”

Changes the details of a person who is already in Nutshell, using what the previous steps carried.

When to use it
a contact updates their phone number in your support tool and the CRM should follow.
Watch out
you must point to an existing person. Put Find Person before it to fetch the right record.
9

Update Lead

Action

In Zapier“Updates an existing Lead.”

Modifies an open deal in Nutshell, including whether it counts as a hot lead.

When to use it
a prospect opens a pricing email twice and you want reps to see the deal flagged as hot.
Watch out
the existing lead is required. Without a search step in front, there is no reliable way to target the right one.
Searches

Nutshell searches on Zapier

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

Searches sit at the bottom of the action list in the editor, under SEARCH. Each one finds a record so the next steps know which one to update. Three settings decide what happens when the result is not the one you expected.

1

Find Company

SearchFind or create

In Zapier“Finds an existing company.”

Looks up a company already in Nutshell, and you choose which field to search by.

When to use it
before Update Company, to grab the right account.
Watch out
the editor also shows Find or Create Company. It is this same search with the creation box ticked, not a separate operation, and it is the cleanest way to avoid duplicate companies.
2

Find Person

SearchFind or create

In Zapier“Finds an existing person.”

Finds an existing contact by email address or phone number, one of the two being required.

When to use it
a form arrives and you need to know whether that person is already in the CRM.
Watch out
Find or Create Person is the same search with creation switched on, handy right before Create Lead.
3

Find Lead

SearchFind or create

In Zapier“Finds an existing lead by a particular field. Defaults to searching open leads, falls back to all leads.”

Retrieves a deal by the field you pick. It searches open leads first and only falls back to all leads if nothing open matches.

When to use it
before Update Lead or Update Lead Outcome.
Watch out
Find or Create Lead is this same search with creation ticked, so it can open a new deal when none matches.
4

Find User

Search

In Zapier“Finds an existing User.”

Finds a member of your Nutshell team from their email address, which is required.

When to use it
assign a new lead to the rep whose email came in with the request, instead of hard-coding one owner.
Watch out
it finds users, the people on your Nutshell account, not your contacts. Use Find Person for those.

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 there and the steps that depend on it are skipped. Turn 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: the setting above disappears and Zapier asks for the fields needed to create the missing record.
  3. If multiple search results are found?
    Three ways out when several records match: keep the first one (the default), stop the Zap, or pass all of them on at once.
When it breaks

When a Nutshell Zap breaks

Zapier attaches no help article to Nutshell, so the failures below are the ones every Zap shares, applied to this CRM.

Most broken Nutshell Zaps fall into four cases. None of them shows up as an error the day you publish, which is why they hurt. If you need a hand rebuilding a Zap that misfires, see the Zapier agency page.

  • Old leads never come through

    A Zap only reacts to what happens after it is switched on. Leads, people and companies already in Nutshell are not picked up; moving them is a separate job.

  • The Zap keeps setting itself off

    A Zap triggered by New Activity that runs Log Activity writes where its own trigger watches. It fires again and again and burns through your tasks fast.

  • A bulk import gets held back

    Import hundreds of people at once and New Person returns a huge batch. Zapier's flood protection can hold that batch back.

  • The update step is skipped

    Find Person or Find Lead found nothing, so the Zap stopped before the update. Switch on the no-result setting or use the find-or-create version.
Need help

Need help automating Nutshell with Zapier?

A person reads every message.

FAQ

Nutshell Zapier integration: frequent questions

01Is the Nutshell Zapier integration free?
Yes, as far as Zapier is concerned. Nutshell is not a premium app, so it works from the free Zapier plan. That plan gives 100 tasks a month and only two-step Zaps: one trigger, one action. As soon as you add a filter, a search or a second action, you need a paid plan. Your Nutshell subscription is a separate matter, and Zapier needs an active Nutshell account to connect to. For a team that only pushes new leads into a chat channel, the free plan is often enough to start.
02How many tasks does a Nutshell Zap use?
One task per action that succeeds, nothing for the trigger. A Zap that fires on New Lead and logs one activity uses one task each time a lead is created. A Zap that finds a person, then creates a lead, then logs an activity uses more, because each completed action counts on its own. Actions that fail are not billed. Waiting for an event costs nothing either, so a Zap that sits quietly for a week spends zero tasks. Count your expected leads per month before you pick a plan.
03Is the Nutshell integration real time?
Yes. All six Nutshell triggers are instant: Nutshell tells Zapier the moment a lead is won, a person is added or an activity is logged, and the Zap starts right away. The polling interval of your plan (15 minutes on Free) does not apply to them. In the editor, these Zaps show a lightning bolt. Actions run as soon as the trigger has fired. That is worth knowing, because most triggers on Zapier work by polling.
04What do you need to connect Nutshell to Zapier?
A Nutshell account, and access to whatever records you want the Zap to read or change if they belong to someone else. The connection itself is short: open the Apps page in Zapier, click + Add connection, search for Nutshell, click Add connection, sign in to Nutshell in the new tab, then allow Zapier to reach the account. Once done, every Zap that touches Nutshell reuses this single connection, so you only do it once.
05Why does Find Lead return an old deal?
Because of how this search works: it looks at open leads first and, if nothing open matches, falls back to all leads, closed ones included. So when a prospect comes back after a lost deal, Find Lead can hand you that old lead, and an Update Lead step behind it would change the wrong record. Pick the field you search by carefully, and test with a contact who has both an old and a new deal. If you need the open one only, check the result with a filter before updating.
06What if the Nutshell operation you need is not there?
Then Zapier cannot do it for Nutshell today. The editor offers 6 triggers, 9 actions and 4 searches, with no delete action and no trigger on a lead changing stage. Two workarounds exist. Chain what is there: Find Lead followed by Update Lead covers most edits. Or compare what other automation tools offer for Nutshell before you commit. The list above is what the editor shows today, so trust it over an old tutorial.
07Zapier, Make or n8n for Nutshell?
It depends on the criterion, not on a winner. Zapier gives you six instant Nutshell triggers and a guided editor, which suits a sales team that wants to automate without a developer. On Zapier, each extra step turns the Zap multi-step and each successful action costs a task, which matters when a flow needs many steps. If your flows are short and event-driven, Zapier fits. If they are long and branchy, compare costs per run before committing.
Same platform

Other docs you might need on this stack.

Browse all integrations