Zapier Workflow API: embedded automation implementation guide

How to implement embedded Zap workflows using Zapier’s Workflow API. Covers token exchange, Connect authentication, triggers, actions, and filters.

This use case is for products that want end-to-end automations (a trigger plus one or more actions, optional filters, and field mapping between steps) owned and executed by Zapier, while your product owns the UX: discovery, configuration, enable/disable, and surfacing status.

This White Label path differs from generic Powered by Zapier docs mainly in authentication: your backend uses token exchange and Connect for user connections. The Workflow API endpoints and payload shapes are the same as in the Zap creation guides.

When to use this vs other White Label patterns

• Embedded triggers — subscribe to real-time events from connected apps via the Trigger Inbox API.
• Embedded actions — run individual actions on demand with Action Runs when you orchestrate execution.
• Embedded workflows (this page) — users get Zap workflows: persistent automations that run on Zapier (triggers, multi-step logic, filters, mapping).
• AI agent connections & automations — MCP (listTools / callTool, Streamable HTTP) for agentic products.

Prerequisites

• White Label onboarding complete — JWKS, callback URLs, JWT expectations, client credentials (Partner onboarding).
• Server-side token exchange — partner-signed JWT to user access token with the scopes your flows need (Token exchange).
• OAuth client configured for Workflow API — same scopes model as the broader Partner / Workflow API (Authentication); request only the scopes each endpoint requires (for example zap:write to create Zap workflows).

You do not need a public Zapier integration in the App Directory to use this White Label embedded workflows path.

What you need

• A user access token (from token exchange), used as Authorization: Bearer on Workflow API requests.
• A strategy to create or reuse connections (authentications) via Connect when a step requires a linked account (Connection flow, Selecting an authentication).
• Your UI or server flow to walk apps → actions → inputs → outputs/mapping → create Zap, using the guides below.

High-level flow

1. Token exchange — exchange the partner JWT for a user access token (Token exchange).
2. Discover apps — GET /v2/apps for pickers and search (Retrieving apps).
3. Select actions — GET /v2/actions per app (READ triggers, WRITE actions, etc.) (Selecting an action).
4. Connections — GET /v2/authentications; route users through Connect when adding or reconnecting accounts (Connection flow).
5. Configure inputs — POST /v2/actions/{action_id}/inputs; use .../inputs/{input_id}/choices for SELECT fields; refetch when fields invalidate or depend on other fields (Fields and fieldsets).
6. Map between steps — POST /v2/actions/{action_id}/outputs; use {{field_id}} for two-step Zap workflows or {{alias.field_id}} with explicit step aliases when you have more than two steps (How to build a workflow).
7. Optional filters — add Filter by Zapier steps (action_type=FILTER) per Filter actions.
8. Create the Zap — POST /v2/zaps with scope zap:write (Create a Zap, How to build a workflow).
9. Test steps (recommended) — POST /v2/actions/{action_id}/test (Testing a workflow).
10. Operate — GET /v2/zaps with filters/expand as needed; use links.html_editor when you want a handoff to the Zapier editor (Retrieving a list of Zap workflows). Turn workflows on or off with POST /v2/zaps/{id}/enable and POST /v2/zaps/{id}/disable (scope zap:pause).

Create and manage Zap workflows

End-to-end construction (actions, authentications, inputs, output mapping, aliases, multi-step examples) is documented in How to build a workflow. Use that guide as the canonical walkthrough; this page wires it to White Label auth and sibling use cases.

Example POST /v2/zaps shape (see API reference for full schema and expand):

POST https://api.zapier.com/v2/zaps
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "data": {
    "enabled": true,
    "title": "My embedded workflow",
    "steps": [
      {
        "action": "core:TRIGGER_ACTION_ID",
        "authentication": "AUTH_ID",
        "inputs": { }
      },
      {
        "action": "core:ACTION_ACTION_ID",
        "authentication": "AUTH_ID",
        "inputs": { "field": "{{previous_step_output_id}}" }
      }
    ]
  }
}

After creation, the response may omit per-step inputs even when you sent them; that is expected (How to build a workflow).

What Zapier runs vs what you own

Area	Zapier	Your product
Execution	Schedules/runs triggers, actions, filters, searches	Drives configuration via API; no per-step runtime polling required
Third-party credentials	Stores and refreshes connections	Surfaces Connect; refreshes authentication lists after connect
Workflow record	Persists the Zap (steps, mapping, enabled state)	Your setup UX, templates, and lifecycle (draft/publish)

Limits and best practices

• Steps — maximum 25 per Zap; use snake_case for alias on steps when referencing outputs across more than two steps (How to build a workflow).
• Action identity — prefer stable key for product logic; id is what the API accepts on steps and may change when app implementations change. Refresh cached metadata when building UIs.
• Zap listing scopes — which Zap workflows appear in GET /v2/zaps depends on granted scopes (for example zap:all vs default); see Retrieving a list of Zap workflows.
• Rate limits — Workflow API requests are rate limited (Rate limiting).

Security notes

• Keep client_secret, user access tokens, and connect tokens on the server.
• Validate state on OAuth callbacks where used.
• Prefer short-lived partner JWTs and rotate signing keys with JWKS.

Related guides

• Token exchange
• Connection flow
• Embedded triggers
• Embedded actions
• AI agent connections & automations
• Workflow API getting started
• How to build a workflow
• Fields and fieldsets
• Filter actions
• Testing a workflow
• Create a Zap