Create the Zap trigger

  • Create a Zap and choose Webhooks by Zapier as the trigger app.
  • Choose Catch Hook for parsed JSON payloads.
  • Choose Catch Raw Hook if you need headers and raw body for signature verification.
  • Copy the generated Zapier webhook URL.
  • Keep the URL private because it can trigger the Zap.

Connect InstaChime

  • Open `/integrations` in InstaChime.
  • Create a CRM webhook destination with the Zapier webhook URL.
  • Add a signing secret if your Zap includes a Code step that verifies `x-instachime-signature`.
  • Send a sample webhook from InstaChime so Zapier can learn the payload fields.
  • Map `lead.customer_name`, `lead.email`, `lead.phone`, `lead.source_platform`, and `lead.message` into the next Zap step.

Payload map

{
  "event": "lead.created",
  "lead": {
    "id": "lead_uuid",
    "customer_name": "Jamie Lee",
    "email": "jamie@example.com",
    "phone": "+15555550123",
    "source_platform": "google_ads",
    "campaign": "Emergency demo campaign",
    "message": "Need pricing today",
    "lead_score": 82,
    "sentiment": "urgent",
    "company_domain": "example.com"
  }
}

Common Zap actions

  • Google Sheets: Create Spreadsheet Row.
  • HubSpot: Create or Update Contact.
  • Salesforce: Create Record in Lead.
  • Pipedrive: Create Person, then Create Lead.
  • Gmail or Outlook: Send a follow-up email to a sales team member.
  • Slack or Teams: Post a formatted operations alert.

Verify

  • Use InstaChime sample delivery to load fields in Zapier.
  • Turn on the Zap and capture a real sample lead.
  • Confirm Zapier shows a successful trigger and successful action run.
  • Confirm the final app record, row, or message contains the expected fields.
  • Confirm InstaChime delivery history shows HTTP 200 from Zapier.

Exact Zapier setup

  • Open Zapier and create a new Zap.
  • Choose Webhooks by Zapier as the trigger app.
  • Choose Catch Hook for normal parsed JSON payloads.
  • Choose Catch Raw Hook only if you need raw body and headers for signature verification.
  • Leave Pick Off A Child Key blank unless you intentionally want Zapier to use only `lead`.
  • Copy the webhook URL shown in the Test tab.
  • Open InstaChime `/integrations`.
  • Create a CRM webhook destination using the Zapier URL.
  • Send a sample delivery from InstaChime.
  • Return to Zapier and click Test trigger.
  • Confirm Zapier shows `event`, `lead.id`, `lead.customer_name`, `lead.email`, `lead.phone`, and source fields.

Add the first Zap action

  • Choose the destination app, for example Google Sheets, HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Slack, Gmail, or Outlook.
  • Select the action such as Create Spreadsheet Row, Create Contact, Create Record, or Send Channel Message.
  • Connect the destination account.
  • Map fields from the webhook trigger to the destination action.
  • Use the same test lead identity in every field so it is easy to verify.
  • Test the action.
  • Open the destination app and confirm the row, record, or message exists.
  • Turn on the Zap.

Zapier signature verification option

  • Use Catch Raw Hook if you want to verify `x-instachime-signature`.
  • Add a Code by Zapier step immediately after the trigger.
  • Read the raw body and signature header from Zapier trigger data.
  • Compute HMAC-SHA256 using the signing secret.
  • Stop the Zap if the signature does not match.
  • Continue to the destination action only when verification succeeds.

Zapier troubleshooting

  • If Zapier receives nothing, confirm the InstaChime destination URL matches the Zap webhook URL exactly.
  • If Zapier fields are missing, send a new sample after the Zap trigger is waiting for data.
  • If the Zap is off or deleted, Zapier may return 404 to incoming requests.
  • If the final app rejects data, inspect the action step result, not only the webhook trigger.
  • If multiple Zaps should receive the same lead, use separate webhook destinations or a supported combined Zapier webhook URL owned by the same user.

Official references

These vendor-owned pages explain the controls and requirements referenced in this guide.