Zapier (rhymes with "happier") empowers you to connect VolunteerMatters with the other apps you use to run your business. Zapier thinks about software integrations in terms of Triggers and Actions. Activity in one app triggers a resulting action in another app, without you needing to do much work (when compared to traditional direct integrations). Connecting two apps together is called a Zap. Zapier lives in the middle, monitoring your triggers, and initiating actions in whatever workflow you establish. 

Apps can be available as Triggers and Actions in Zapier. 

A Trigger is an event that starts a Zap. For example, if you want to send an email each time a contact is created, the trigger is ‘New Contact’.

An Action is an event a Zap performs after it is triggered. For example, if you want to create a self-reported hours entry each time you receive an email, the action is ‘Self-Reported Hours Add’. 

VolunteerMatters includes documentation and support in the use of our Zapier Triggers and Actions in our Zapier: Getting Started solution. 

That solution details how to add VolunteerMatters connection to your Zapier account (a separate required subscription).  And includes the documentation on the many different VolunteerMatters Zapier Triggers and Actions (e.g., new contact, new assignment, etc.).

This solution will cover some basic approaches and sample Zaps one could use with VolunteerMatters and Salesforce using Zapier integration along with steps you can take to create them.  You are not limited to these Zaps as there are many Salesforce Zaps that can be used in any number of combinations with the VolunteerMatters Zapier Triggers and Actions. 

NOTE: Salesforce is considered a Premium App in Zapier and is exclusively available to users on paid Zapier plans. For more information you can view the Zapier pricing page.

To connect to your Salesforce account as a Zapier App follow the instructions here. 

Zap Sample #1:  New VolunteerMatters Registration - New Salesforce Contact Creation

In the Zap, a new volunteer registration within a VolunteerMatters system generates a Zapier Trigger called "New Contact" whose payload in Zapier can then be used with the Salesforce Action called "Create Contact" to create a new contact record in your Salesforce system. 

1. A new contact is created in VolunteerMatters via either the Registration form or manually created by an Contact Administrator* initiates the "New Contact" VolunteerMatters Zapier trigger payload with all of registration information, including custom fields.
2. Using the "Find Record" Salesforce Action, to locate a record of a specified Salesforce object by a field and value you choose.  
3. If the Contact exists in Salesforce, the Zap will do nothing and end.
4. If no Contact exists in Salesforce, the Zap will continue on and create a Contact in the Salesforce system using the registration information from the VolunteerMatters Zapier payload.

*Creating contact records in VolunteerMatters via import does NOT initiate the Zapier Trigger. 

Zap Sample #2:  New VolunteerMatters Need Sign-up/Assignment - New Salesforce Activity

In the Zap, a new volunteer assignment within a VolunteerMatters system generates a Zapier Trigger called "New Assignment" whose payload in Zapier can then be used with the Salesforce Action called "Create Record" to create a new activity record (or another type of record) in your Salesforce system. 

1. A new assignment is created via a volunteer self-signup or manually by a Project Administrator or Organizer Administrator.  This initiates the "New Assignment" VolunteerMatters Zapier trigger payload with all of the assignment information, including project organizer information.
2. Using the "Find Record" Salesforce Action, to locate a Contact record of a specified Salesforce Contact by a field and value you choose.   This is typically the VolunteerMatters Contact ID that is created when the contact is created.
3. If no Contact can be found in Salesforce, the Zap will do nothing and end.
4. Once the Contact is found in Salesforce the Zap records information from the Salesforce Contact (for example the Salesforce Contact ID) and moves onto the next step. 
5. Using a second Salesforce Action called "Create Record" to add an Activity record to the Contact in the Salesforce system using the assignment information from the VolunteerMatters Zapier payload. 

Zap Sample #3:  VolunteerMatters Shift Assignment Checkin - Update Salesforce Activity

In the Zap, a volunteer assignment that requires a volunteer check-in within a VolunteerMatters system generates a Zapier Trigger called "Update Assignment" whose payload in Zapier can then be used with the Salesforce Action called "Update Record" to update an existing activity record (or another type of record) in your Salesforce system when the volunteer is marked attended in VolunteerMatters via check-in.

1. An existing assignment is updated as attended via a volunteer shift check-in via the Kiosk or their personal mobile device.  This initiates the "Update Assignment" VolunteerMatters Zapier trigger payload with all of the assignment information, including the updated fulfillment information.
2. Using the "Find Record" Salesforce Action, to locate a Contact record of a specified Salesforce Contact by a field and value you choose.   This is typically the VolunteerMatters Contact ID that is created when the contact is created.
3. If no Contact can be found in Salesforce, the Zap will do nothing and end.
4. Once the Contact is found in Salesforce the Zap records information from the Salesforce Contact (for example the Salesforce Contact ID) and moves onto the next step. 
5. Using a second Salesforce Action called "Update Record" to update an existing activity record on the Contact in the Salesforce system using the assignment information (fulfilled field) from the VolunteerMatters Zapier payload.  This allows the administrator to consider the activity as fulfilled in Salesforce. 

For more information on Salesforce Zapier Triggers and Actions click here.