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Salesforce Zapier integrationAutomate Salesforce with Zapier.

The Salesforce Zapier integration gives you 9 triggers, 23 actions and 8 searches. Here is what each one does, which single trigger reacts instantly, what it costs you in tasks, and the traps that stop a Zap before it reaches your CRM.

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Overview

What the Salesforce Zapier integration actually does

It links your Salesforce org to Zapier so that something happening in the CRM (a new lead, an edited record, a file on a case) starts a chain of steps on its own. Salesforce can sit at the start of that chain, in the middle to look a record up, or at the end to write one.

Three outcomes cover most of what people build. First, leads that file themselves: New Lead starts the Zap, Add Lead to Campaign puts the person where marketing expects them, and Update Lead stamps whatever the sales team needs to see. Second, a CRM that stays clean: Find Record checks whether an account already exists before Create Record writes a second copy. Third, reports and flows on demand: Run Report pulls the numbers of a saved report, and Launch Flow hands the rest of the job to automation your admin already built inside Salesforce.

The detail that changes everything: out of 9 triggers, New Outbound Message is the only instant one. The other eight wait for Zapier's next check, set by your plan. If speed matters, design around that one.

What Zapier will not do here. It never picks up records that existed before you switch the Zap on. It cannot make a polling trigger instant. And it will not run on the free plan: Salesforce is reserved for paid plans and the free trial. Comparing tools? See also the Salesforce n8n integration and the Salesforce Make integration.

Vocabulary

Zapier vocabulary in one minute

Eight words you will see in the editor, in plain English.

Zap
The automation itself: 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 sits and waits for it.
Action
What the Zap does after it starts: the step that writes, sends or moves something for you.
Task
What Zapier bills: one action your Zap finishes successfully. Your plan's quota counts those, nothing else.
Polling vs instant
A polling trigger is checked on a timer, Zapier asks for new items. An instant one is pushed by the app the moment it happens.
Filter
A step that lets the Zap continue only when the incoming data meets your condition, and quietly stops it otherwise.
Search step
A step that looks up something already stored in an app, so the later steps can reuse what it found.
Connection
Your Salesforce account linked to Zapier once, then reused by every step that talks to Salesforce.
Cost

What a Salesforce Zap really costs

The trigger is free. Watching for new data is free too, however often Zapier checks. You pay for actions that succeed, one task each.

  • Trigger0 tasks
  • Each successful action1 task
  • Free plan100 tasks a month, 2 steps
  • Salesforce on the free planNot available, paid plans and trial only

A three-action Zap uses three times the tasks of a one-action Zap, and an action that fails is not counted. The catch for Salesforce: it is reserved for paid plans and the free trial, so the free plan (100 tasks a month, two-step Zaps only) is not an option. Adding a filter or a search also makes the Zap multi-step, which needs a paid plan anyway.

Keep an eye on busy objects: a trigger like Updated Record can run often, and every action behind it is billed.

Connect

Connect Salesforce to Zapier

  1. 01

    Open your connections

    In Zapier, go to the Apps page of your account and click + Add connection. Type Salesforce in the dialog and pick it from the list. You need a Salesforce login, plus access to any record you want the Zap to read or change.

  2. 02

    Sign in on the Salesforce side

    Click Add connection. A new tab opens on the Salesforce sign-in page. Sign in with the Salesforce account the Zap should use, the one that has access to the leads, contacts and records you plan to automate.

  3. 03

    Grant access

    Approve the access request. From then on, every Salesforce step of every Zap can reuse that connection. If a colleague owns the data, ask them for read or write access first.

First Zap

Your first Zap: route web leads to the right campaign

GoalEvery new lead whose source matches your rule joins a campaign, and the rest is ignored.

  1. 01

    Start the Zap on New Lead

    Create a Zap, pick Salesforce as the app and New Lead as the event. Choose your Salesforce connection. This is a polling trigger, so it waits for the next check of your plan.

  2. 02

    Test the trigger

    Run the test. Zapier brings back the three most recent leads of your org, so you build the rest on a real record instead of guessing what the data looks like.

  3. 03

    Add the filter

    Click the plus icon, choose Filter, then set the field, the rule and the value. Use a text rule on a text field, or the filter will never pass.

  4. 04

    Add the campaign action

    Add Salesforce again, event Add Lead to Campaign. Pick the campaign, then map the lead from the trigger. If the campaign is missing from the list, refresh the results.

  5. 05

    Test, then publish

    Test the action and check the lead really joined the campaign in Salesforce. Then click Publish. From now on, only leads created after this moment go through.

Triggers

Salesforce triggers in Zapier

9 events start a Zap when something happens in Salesforce, and one of them is instant: the app calls Zapier straight away, whatever your plan.

1

New Case Attachment

Polling trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a new Attachment is added to a case.”

Starts the Zap as soon as Zapier spots a file attached to a support case, so the document can travel somewhere useful without anyone downloading it by hand.

How it fires
Zapier goes and looks at regular intervals, and how often depends on your plan: every 15 minutes on the free one.
When to use it
a customer sends a screenshot of a bug on a case and your product team wants a copy logged against the ticket's record.
Watch out
it only covers cases, so attachments on accounts or opportunities need New or Updated File on Record instead.
2

New Contact

Polling trigger

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

Watches the Contact object and launches the Zap for each contact that appears.

How it fires
Zapier goes and looks at regular intervals, and how often depends on your plan: every 15 minutes on the free one.
When to use it
a contact is added to a key account and the account manager wants the onboarding steps to start without a reminder.
Watch out
it reacts to creation only; an edit to an existing contact needs Updated Record or Updated Field on Record.
3

New Field History Tracking Event

Polling trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a field is updated on the object specified. It will output the old and new field values.”

Fires each time a tracked field changes on the object you pick, and hands over both the old value and the new one, which is rare among triggers.

How it fires
Zapier goes and looks at regular intervals, and how often depends on your plan: every 15 minutes on the free one.
When to use it
a deal amount gets lowered and finance wants to know what it was before the change.
Watch out
field history tracking must be enabled for that object in Salesforce, or the trigger finds nothing to read.
4

New or Updated File on Record

Polling trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when an attachment, note, or content document is added or updated on any record of the specified Salesforce object.”

Covers attachments, notes and content documents added or changed on any record of the object you choose, which makes it the broad file watcher of the list.

How it fires
Zapier goes and looks at regular intervals, and how often depends on your plan: every 15 minutes on the free one.
When to use it
a signed quote is uploaded to an opportunity and the contract team needs to hear about it.
Watch out
you have to pick the Salesforce object first; one Zap watches one object, not the whole org.
5

New Lead

Polling trigger

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

Picks up every lead freshly created in your org and passes it to the next step, the classic entry point for routing and nurturing.

How it fires
Zapier goes and looks at regular intervals, and how often depends on your plan: every 15 minutes on the free one.
When to use it
inbound demo requests land as leads and the SDR team wants them sorted into campaigns before the first call.
Watch out
it reacts to new leads only; an edit to an existing lead needs Updated Record or Updated Field on Record.
6

New Outbound Message

Instant trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a new outbound message is received in Salesforce.”

Receives the outbound messages your Salesforce org sends out, which means the CRM itself decides when the Zap should run.

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 opportunity closes and the kickoff email to the delivery team cannot wait for the next check.
Watch out
it is the only instant trigger of the nine; every other one waits for the next check of your plan.
7

New Record

Polling trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a record of the specified Salesforce object (ie. Contact, Lead, Opportunity, etc.) is created.”

The generic version of New Lead and New Contact: point it at any object (opportunity, account, a custom object) and each new record starts the Zap.

How it fires
Zapier goes and looks at regular intervals, and how often depends on your plan: every 15 minutes on the free one.
When to use it
your company tracks partner referrals in a custom object and wants each new one announced.
Watch out
the object field is required, and one Zap follows a single object.
8

Updated Field on Record

Polling trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when a field of your choosing (ie. email address, status) is updated on any record of a specified Salesforce object (ie. Contact, Lead, Opportunity, etc.).”

Narrows the watch to one field you name, an email address or a status for instance, so unrelated edits on the same record leave the Zap alone.

How it fires
Zapier goes and looks at regular intervals, and how often depends on your plan: every 15 minutes on the free one.
When to use it
a lead's status flips to qualified and the account executive should get the handoff.
Watch out
if a later step writes that same field, the Zap can restart itself in a loop.
9

Updated Record

Polling trigger

In Zapier“Triggers when any record of the specified Salesforce object (ie. Contact, Lead, Opportunity, etc.) is updated.”

Reacts to any change on any record of the chosen object, whatever the field that moved. Wide net, many runs.

How it fires
Zapier goes and looks at regular intervals, and how often depends on your plan: every 15 minutes on the free one.
When to use it
a data warehouse or spreadsheet must mirror every edit made to accounts.
Watch out
busy objects produce a lot of runs, and each action behind them is a task; add a filter if only some edits matter.
Actions

Salesforce actions in Zapier

Salesforce gives you 23 actions. For each one: what it does for you, when to reach for it, and what to watch out for.

1

Add Contact to Campaign

Action

In Zapier“Adds an existing contact to an existing campaign.”

Does the same for a contact: an existing person, an existing campaign, one link between them.

When to use it
customers who book a renewal call are tracked in an upsell campaign.
Watch out
it never creates the campaign nor the contact; both have to be there first.
2

Add File to Record

Action

In Zapier“Adds an existing file to an existing Record.”

Hooks a file that already lives in Salesforce onto an existing record and decides who can see it.

When to use it
right after Create File, to pin the new document to the matching account.
Watch out
the file must already be in Salesforce CRM Content or Salesforce Files, or it will not appear in the list.
3

Add Lead to Campaign

Action

In Zapier“Adds an existing lead to an existing campaign.”

Puts an existing lead into an existing campaign, so marketing attribution follows the person.

When to use it
everyone who registers for an event joins the event's campaign.
Watch out
the campaign must exist already; if it is missing from the list, refresh the results.
4

Call Apex REST

Action

In Zapier“Direct pass-through to custom Apex REST endpoints at /services/apexrest/... with minimal processing. Send exactly what your Apex class expects.”

Passes a request straight to a custom Apex REST service written by your developers, with almost no processing in between.

When to use it
a custom endpoint already handles a complex update and you want Zapier to call it.
Watch out
the request must match exactly what the Apex class expects, so get the path and method from whoever wrote it.
5

Convert Lead to Contact

Action

In Zapier“Adds an existing contact to an existing campaign.”

Converts a lead into a contact under an account you choose, with the status you set, and can open an opportunity on the way.

When to use it
a trial user pays and should move from leads to contacts.
Watch out
the account and the converted status are both required, so look the account up first.
6

Create Attachment

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new attachment (max 25MB).”

Uploads a file as an attachment on a record of the object you choose, from a file passed by an earlier step or a URL.

When to use it
a PDF quote generated elsewhere must sit on the opportunity it belongs to.
Watch out
there is a maximum file size, so very heavy files will be refused.
7

Create Child Records (with line item support)

Action

In Zapier“Creates records from line items and sets the parent-child relationship.”

Turns a list of line items into several child records in one step, each one already linked to its parent.

When to use it
an order with five products must become five opportunity products under the right opportunity.
Watch out
you choose the parent object first; the rest of the form depends on it.
8

Create Contact

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new contact.”

Adds a person straight in as a contact, skipping the lead stage altogether.

When to use it
a new user signs up on your product and already belongs to a known customer.
Watch out
to avoid a second copy of someone already in the CRM, put Find Record before it.
9

Create Enhanced Note

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new enhanced note (also known as ContentNote) with optional record attachment.”

Creates the newer note format Salesforce calls ContentNote, which can be attached to a record or left on its own.

When to use it
your team works with enhanced notes and wants meeting summaries saved in that format.
Watch out
both the title and the content are required.
10

Create File

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new File (max 25MB).”

Stores a file in Salesforce Files rather than as a classic attachment.

When to use it
your team shares documents through Files and wants new ones dropped in automatically.
Watch out
there is a maximum file size, so very heavy files will be refused.
11

Create Lead

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new lead in Salesforce.”

Writes a brand-new lead into Salesforce from whatever the earlier steps carried, a form entry or a webinar signup for example.

When to use it
a landing page collects prospects outside Salesforce and sales wants them as leads.
Watch out
you can let your active assignment rules route the lead, or switch them off for this step.
12

Create Note

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new note and links it to a parent record”

Leaves a classic note on a parent record, title and visibility included, so the context sits next to the deal or the account.

When to use it
a call recording tool produces a summary that reps want on the account.
Watch out
visibility defaults to public when you leave it blank.
13

Create Record

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new record of a specified Salesforce object.”

Creates a record of any object you pick, standard or custom, which makes it the workhorse when Create Lead and Create Contact are too narrow.

When to use it
each paid invoice in your billing tool should open an opportunity.
Watch out
Allow Duplicates only works if your duplicate rules and profile permissions already allow it.
14

Create Record (UTC)

Action

In Zapier“Creates a new record of a specified Salesforce object. Dates use the UTC format.”

Same job as Create Record, with one difference: dates are read in UTC.

When to use it
your source app sends its dates in UTC.
Watch out
the object field is required, exactly as in Create Record, and the same Allow Duplicates and assignment rule options are there too.
15

Delete Record

Action

In Zapier“Deletes an existing record of a specified Salesforce object.”

Removes a record of the object you name, using its record ID.

When to use it
test leads created by a staging form should never stay in production.
Watch out
test this step on a throwaway record first; a wrong mapping deletes the wrong thing.
16

Launch Flow

Action

In Zapier“Launch a Salesforce flow with optional input parameters. The flow will execute and return any output values.”

Starts a Salesforce flow, with input values if it takes any, and returns what the flow outputs.

When to use it
your admin already built the approval logic as a flow and Zapier only needs to kick it off.
Watch out
the flow must already exist in Salesforce; you pick it in the Flow field.
17

Run Report

Action

In Zapier“Execute a Salesforce Analytics report and retrieve the results with optional custom filters and groupings.”

Executes one of your saved Salesforce reports and passes its results to the next steps, summary only or with the detail rows.

When to use it
the weekly pipeline review needs the numbers of a report sent to a team channel.
Watch out
the picker shows your recently viewed reports, so open the report once in Salesforce if it is missing.
18

Send Email

Action

In Zapier“Sends an email using Salesforce Simple Email Actions.”

Sends an email through Salesforce's own simple email actions, so the message goes out from the CRM rather than from a separate mailer.

When to use it
a case closes and the customer gets a short follow-up from support.
Watch out
150 recipients at most, counting To, CC and BCC together.
19

Update Contact

Action

In Zapier“Updates an existing contact in Salesforce.”

Edits an existing contact with new values coming from another tool.

When to use it
a customer changes their phone number in your support app and the CRM should follow.
Watch out
the contact to update is required; use a custom value to pass the one found earlier in the Zap.
20

Update Lead

Action

In Zapier“Updates an existing lead in Salesforce.”

Changes fields on a lead that already exists, typically one found by a search or handed over by the trigger.

When to use it
a prospect opens a pricing email and marketing raises their score on the lead.
Watch out
you must say which lead to update; map it from an earlier step rather than picking one by hand.
21

Update Record

Action

In Zapier“Updates an existing record for a specified Salesforce object (ie. Contact, Lead, Opportunity, etc.).”

Updates any record of any object, the generic sibling of Update Lead and Update Contact.

When to use it
a payment fails in your billing tool and the matching account gets an at-risk flag.
Watch out
if the trigger watches that same object, this step can set the Zap off again.
22

Update Record (UTC)

Action

In Zapier“Updates an existing record of a specified Salesforce object. Dates use the UTC format.”

The UTC twin of Update Record: same edit, dates interpreted in UTC.

When to use it
renewal dates come from a system that thinks in UTC and you want them written as such.
Watch out
the object and the record to update are both required.
23

API Request (Beta)

Action

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

The escape hatch: a raw request to Salesforce that reuses your connection's sign-in, for anything the other actions do not cover.

When to use it
you need a Salesforce operation that has no ready-made action in this list.
Watch out
it only reaches domains tied to Salesforce, and Stop on error decides whether a failed call halts the Zap.
Searches

Salesforce searches in Zapier

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

Searches sit at the bottom of the action list, under the SEARCH heading. They find what already exists so later steps can update it instead of creating a duplicate. Three settings decide what happens when the result is not what you expected.

1

Custom SOQL Query

Search

In Zapier“Execute custom SOQL SELECT queries with support for full query control and guided aggregate functions (COUNT, SUM, AVG, MAX, MIN).”

Runs your own SOQL SELECT query, with full control, and can return totals such as a count or a sum.

When to use it
you want the number of open opportunities of an account before deciding what the Zap does next.
Watch out
an option includes records sitting in the Recycle Bin; leave it off unless you mean it.
2

Custom SOSL Query

Search

In Zapier“Execute custom SOSL (Salesforce Object Search Language) queries for text-based searches across multiple objects and fields. Useful for searching Salesforce Knowledge Base articles and other cross-object text searches.”

Searches text across several objects and fields at once with SOSL, the Salesforce text search language.

When to use it
a support Zap needs the Knowledge Base article that mentions a product name.
Watch out
you write the complete query yourself, so it suits people who already know SOSL.
3

Find Child Records

Search

In Zapier“Finds Child Records for a given Parent ID.”

Lists the child records hanging under a parent ID, line items under an opportunity for instance.

When to use it
an invoice must be rebuilt from the products attached to a won deal.
Watch out
you pick the parent object type first, then pass the parent ID from an earlier step.
4

Find Record

SearchFind or create

In Zapier“Finds a record of a specified Salesforce object by up to two fields and values you choose.”

Looks up one record of an object by up to two fields and values you choose. The editor also shows Find or Create Record: the same search with the create box ticked, not a separate operation.

When to use it
check an account exists by its name before attaching a contact to it.
Watch out
the object and the search value are both required.
5

Find Records by Query

Search

In Zapier“Finds records of a Salesforce object using a Salesforce Object Query (SOQL) WHERE clause.”

The many-results version of Find Record by Query: a SOQL WHERE clause, every matching record back.

When to use it
pull all cases of a customer that are still open.
Watch out
a loose clause can bring back far more records than the next steps should handle.
6

Find Records

Search

In Zapier“Finds records of a specified Salesforce object by a field and value you choose (with line-item support).”

Returns several records of one object that match a field and a value, ready for line-item steps.

When to use it
gather every contact of an account before sending each of them the same update.
Watch out
all results must be of the same object type.
7

Find Record by Query

SearchFind or create

In Zapier“Finds a record of a Salesforce object using a Salesforce Object Query (SOQL) WHERE clause.”

Finds a single record with a SOQL WHERE clause, for conditions that two plain fields cannot express. Its variant Find or Create Record by Query is this search plus the create option.

When to use it
find the open opportunity of an account whose close date is still ahead.
Watch out
special characters in the clause must be escaped or the query fails.
8

Get Record Attachments

Search

In Zapier“Gets all notes and attachments for a record.”

Fetches every note and attachment of one record so you can copy, archive or forward them.

When to use it
when a deal closes, the contract files move to your document storage.
Watch out
choose the object before the record, or the record list stays empty; refresh if needed.

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. Switch it on and 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 Zapier asks for the fields needed to create the missing record.
  3. If multiple search results are found?
    Three exits: keep the first match (the default), stop the Zap, or pass every match on at once.
When it breaks

When a Salesforce Zap breaks

Many failures come from a Salesforce setting, a record that is not found or a Zap that feeds itself.

Zapier keeps a help article on the administrator prerequisites for a Salesforce connection. The six cases below come from the operations and limits listed on this page. Our Zapier troubleshooting page goes further.

  • Nothing could be found for the search

    A Find step came back empty and, by default, the Zap stopped there. Check the search value, or switch on Successful if no search results are found.

  • Field history trigger stays empty

    New Field History Tracking Event needs field history tracking switched on for that object in Salesforce. Without it, there is nothing to pick up.

  • The Zap keeps restarting itself

    Updated Record watching accounts plus Update Record writing to accounts equals a loop. Each lap is a task, so add a filter or watch one field only.

  • Old records never come through

    A Zap only reacts to what happens after you switch it on. Records already in Salesforce are not replayed; moving them is a separate job.

  • A bulk import is held back

    After a mass import, a trigger can suddenly return a huge batch. Zapier's flood protection may hold it back.

  • Send Email refuses the list

    Send Email accepts 150 recipients at most, To, CC and BCC combined. Split larger lists before they reach that step.
Need help

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FAQ

Salesforce Zapier integration: questions people ask

01Is the Salesforce Zapier integration free?
No. Zapier reserves Salesforce for its paid plans and its free trial, so the free plan cannot use it at all. That free plan would be tight anyway: 100 tasks a month and Zaps limited to one trigger plus one action. A Salesforce Zap with a search or a filter is multi-step, which also requires a paid plan. Zapier itself does not charge for the connection; what you pay is the plan, sized by the number of tasks your Zaps complete.
02How many tasks does a Salesforce Zap use?
One per action that succeeds, and nothing for the trigger. Zapier does not bill the checks it runs to look for new leads or records either, however often it looks. A Zap with New Lead, a search and Add Lead to Campaign therefore uses tasks only for the steps that complete. An action that fails is not counted. The trap is volume: Updated Record on a busy object can run many times a day, and every action behind it adds up.
03Does Salesforce trigger Zaps in real time?
Only one trigger does: New Outbound Message. Salesforce pushes it to Zapier the moment it happens, whatever the plan. The eight others are polling triggers: Zapier checks at an interval set by the plan, 2 minutes on Professional and 1 minute on Team or Enterprise. Paid plans can also run a check by hand from the editor. If a delay of a couple of minutes is a problem, build the Zap on an outbound message configured in Salesforce.
04What do you need to connect Salesforce to Zapier?
A Salesforce account, plus read or write access on any record you do not own yourself and want the Zap to touch. Some steps also assume a setting on the Salesforce side: New Field History Tracking Event, for one, only works once field history tracking is enabled for the object. From the Apps page in Zapier, click + Add connection, search Salesforce, then sign in and approve the access in the tab that opens. Zapier also publishes an article on the administrator prerequisites for this connection.
05Why does a Salesforce Zap create duplicate records?
Usually because a create step ran with nothing looking first. Put Find Record before them, or tick the create option to turn it into Find or Create Record: the Zap then reuses the existing record and only creates one when nothing matches. Create Record also offers Allow Duplicates, but it only works if your Salesforce duplicate rules and your profile permissions already allow it. Test on a sandbox record first.
06What if the Salesforce action you need is not in the list?
Three options exist before giving up. Call Apex REST reaches custom Apex services your developers wrote. API Request (Beta) sends a raw request to Salesforce with your existing connection, for any operation the ready-made actions skip. And Launch Flow lets a Salesforce flow do the work, with Zapier only starting it. All three need someone who knows the Salesforce side, but none of them needs a different tool. Ask your admin which one fits.
07Zapier, Make or n8n for Salesforce?
It depends on the criterion, not on a winner. Zapier makes sense if the ready-made operations listed here cover your case and the team wants the simplest editor. On top of that, check whether you need more than the one instant trigger Zapier offers here, New Outbound Message. This page does not judge Make or n8n; their own Salesforce pages list what they expose. Look at what each tool exposes for Salesforce, and at who will maintain the automation a year from now.
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