In my work with technology integration at the Upper Valley Educators Institute, I am increasingly finding I am using various web applications and trying to get them to talk to each other. Many of these do have various webhooks that can connect. For example, filling out a Wufoo form can create a Highrise contact. After working to connect the various web apps we have started using though, I am becoming increasingly enamored of Zapier.
Zapier is basically a service that connects webapps. “Zapier enables you to automate tasks between other online services (services like Salesforce, Basecamp, Gmail, and 185 more).”
Its very very easy to use, all drag and drop and lets you test the connections and formatting as you go along. Very quickly I found I use Zapier rather than a web apps own webhooks as they tend to be more agile in added new connective features.
I now have several “zaps” for connecting and integrating our web apps. I started with connecting various Wufoo forms to Highrise and Mailchimp. Now I have started to connect Google Docs and found the integration options to be a great opportunity to push data around with Zapier.
Give Zapier a try with their basic, free, service. You’ll soon find you are adding more and more and are more than happy to subscribe. I did!