Best Practices: Zapier

Zapier offers a wide range of advanced functions that allow you to build more flexible and powerful Zaps. These features are especially useful when you want to control when a Zap runs, what happens depending on customer input, or how data should be formatted before it is sent to Superchat.

Below you’ll find the most commonly used advanced functions and how to use them.

Filters allow you to add conditions that determine whether a Zap should continue running or stop. This is one of the most important features in Zapier, because it helps prevent unnecessary automation runs, avoids incorrect messaging, and reduces unwanted contact creation.

Filters are commonly used to:

Example:
Use a filter to only trigger an action if the submitted form contains a specific keyword (e.g. “Solar”, “Demo request”, or “Urgent”).

Tip:

Add your filter directly after the trigger whenever possible. This ensures your Zap only continues when the required conditions are met (e.g. phone number exists, consent is given, no test data).

Common mistake:

Placing filters too late in the Zap. This can lead to unnecessary Zap runs and may create incomplete contacts or trigger unwanted messages before the Zap stops.

Delays allow you to add a pause between the trigger and the next action. This is useful if you want to give another system time to update data, or if you want to wait before sending a message to the customer.

Delays are commonly used to:

Example:
Add a 5-minute delay before sending a WhatsApp message in Superchat. This gives your team time to verify the lead details or ensure that the contact data was synced correctly.

Tip:

Use delays to control timing between steps — especially before sending messages. This is useful if contact data needs time to sync or if you want to avoid responding immediately after a trigger.

Common mistake:

Adding delays at the end of the Zap instead of before the action that needs to be delayed (for example, delaying after the message has already been sent).

Formatter allows you to automatically adjust, clean, and restructure data in Zapier. This is especially helpful when the data coming from another tool isn’t in the correct format for Superchat.

Correct data mapping and formatting are essential for reliable Zaps. If fields are missing or values are in the wrong format (for example, phone numbers without a country code), Superchat actions may fail or contacts may be created with incomplete information. Zapier Formatter helps you standardise and prepare your data before sending it to Superchat.

Formatter is commonly used to:

Example:
A form tool sends the field “Name” as John Smith. Use Formatter to split this into:

Tip:

Use Formatter to standardise data before sending it to Superchat. This is especially important for phone numbers (international format), names, and date fields.

Common mistake:

Mapping raw data directly into Superchat without formatting. This can cause failed actions or create contacts with missing or incorrect attributes.

Paths allow you to create “if/else” logic inside your Zap. This means that the Zap can follow different steps depending on the customer’s data, selections, or behaviour.

Paths are commonly used to:

Example:
If the form submission contains the keyword “Urgent”, trigger Action A (e.g. send an immediate WhatsApp message + notify sales).
If it does not contain the keyword, trigger Action B (e.g. add contact to a nurture list and send a standard reply).

Tip:

Use paths to build clear “if/else” logic. Keep conditions simple so each contact is routed into the correct path without overlap.

Common mistake:

Creating path conditions that are too broad or unclear, which can result in contacts being routed incorrectly or receiving the wrong message.

Multi-step Zaps allow you to create more advanced workflows where one trigger results in several actions. This is ideal if you want to keep multiple tools updated automatically.

Multi-step Zaps are commonly used to:

Example:
After a customer submits a form:

This creates a complete workflow from one single trigger.

Tip:

Structure multi-step Zaps in a logical order: create/update contact → update attributes → send message → internal follow-ups. This ensures Superchat always has the latest data before messaging actions run.

Common mistake:

Sending a message before updating contact data. This can lead to incorrect personalisation, missing attributes, or messages being sent before the contact is properly created.