Understanding Sub-Zaps

Beta

Sub-Zaps is a beta feature. It’s available for use, but still in active development and may change.

Sub-Zaps are sets of actions that can receive data from other Zaps and send back the results of their actions. Instead of rebuilding the same steps across multiple workflows, you can create a Sub-Zap once and use it within different Zaps.

Consider them like “mini-Zaps” designed for specific, repeatable tasks that you can insert into any workflow. Sub-Zaps allow you to manage and maintain these tasks in one place, streamlining your automation.

When to use Sub-Zaps

Sub-Zaps are most helpful when you have the same set of steps repeated across different Zaps. Here are a few examples of ways you can use Sub-Zaps:

• Data transformation: Use a Sub-Zap to standardize or format data, such as converting dates, calculations, or adjusting text.
• Shared notifications: If you send similar notifications across several apps, a Sub-Zap allows you to handle the messaging, ensuring consistency in tone and structure.
• Standardized responses: Sub-Zap works well for predefined workflows, such as customer follow-ups, internal alerts, or status updates.

More examples can be found in this Community post.

Components of a Sub-Zap

Sub-Zaps work by receiving data from one or more Zaps, processing it through a set of action steps, and sending the results back to the original Zap or Zaps. 

Each Sub-Zap you build must consist of:

• Start a Sub-Zap trigger: This step defines the data fields the Sub-Zap will receive from Zaps. You can specify what information from the main Zap you want to pass onto your Sub-Zap.
• Actions: Like a regular Zap, Sub-Zaps can include multiple actions. You can add as many actions as needed.
• Return from Sub-Zap action: This final step of your Sub-Zap sends data back to your Zaps.

To interact with a Sub-Zap in other Zaps, you add the Call a Sub-Zap action to your Zap. This action will:

• Send data from that Zap to your Sub-Zap.
• Trigger your Sub-Zap to run all its actions.
• Receive data back from the Sub-Zap that can be used in any subsequent steps.

Learn how to create a Sub-Zap.

Limitations and considerations

• Sub-Zap requirements: All Sub-Zaps must use the Start a Sub-Zap trigger and have a Return from a Sub-Zap action as its last step. 
  • All Paths branches must have a return from Sub-Zap step.
• Task usage: Sub-Zap steps do not use any tasks.
• Looping: You cannot use a loop step within a Sub-Zap.
• Paths: 
  • If you use a Return from Sub-Zap step in more than one path branch, only the first one to match will run. Ensure your path branch logic is set so that only one path runs at a time. 
  • If more than one path branch runs and both contain a Return from Sub-Zap step, you’ll see the error  “Did you fork or replay this step? We expected callbackUrl to be stored!”.