Zapier

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Overview

OpenPhone’s Zapier integration connects your business phone system with 7,000+ applications, enabling powerful automation workflows that save time and reduce manual work. Create sophisticated triggers and actions to streamline your communication processes.

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Understanding Zapier automation

What is Zapier? Zapier is a no-code automation platform that connects applications and automates workflows between them. Instead of manually transferring data between tools, Zapier handles these tasks automatically. How Zaps work: Every Zapier workflow (called a “Zap”) consists of two main components:

• Trigger: An event that starts the automation (e.g., new OpenPhone call)
• Action: What happens when triggered (e.g., create CRM record)

Integration possibilities: With 7,000+ connected applications, you can create unlimited automation combinations to streamline your business processes and eliminate repetitive tasks.

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Video walkthrough

Automation demo: See OpenPhone and Zapier automation in action with practical examples:

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Setting up Zapier integration

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Prerequisites

Requirements:

• Active Zapier account (create account)
• OpenPhone workspace Owner or Admin permissions
• Active OpenPhone account with chosen plan

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Connection process

To connect OpenPhone to Zapier:

1. Access Zapier: Log in to Zapier dashboard
2. Navigate to apps: Click “My Apps” from top menu
3. Add connection: Click “Add connection” button

4. Search OpenPhone: Find “OpenPhone” in app directory

5. Authenticate: Enter OpenPhone credentials to authorize connection

6. Start automating: OpenPhone now available as trigger and action in Zaps

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Available triggers and actions

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Trigger events

Message triggers:

• Incoming message received: Activates when OpenPhone receives a text message
• Outgoing message delivered: Activates when sent message is successfully delivered

Call triggers:

• Incoming call completed: Activates when incoming call ends (includes voicemail data if applicable)
• Outgoing call completed: Activates when outgoing call ends
• Call recording completed: Activates when call recording is generated and available

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Action capabilities

Contact management:

• Create or update contact: Add new contacts or modify existing contact information

Communication:

• Send a message: Send SMS messages through OpenPhone to any contact

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Data handling

Available data fields:

• Call duration and timestamps
• Voicemail recordings and transcriptions
• Message content and media attachments
• Contact information and phone numbers
• Call status and completion details

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Common automation workflows

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Lead generation and follow-up

Typeform to OpenPhone automation: When someone completes a survey, automatically add them to OpenPhone contacts and send confirmation message: Demo registration workflow: Automatic messaging for demo registrations: Calendly booking confirmations: Send automatic confirmation messages when appointments are scheduled:

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Additional workflow ideas

Customer service:

• Create support tickets from missed calls
• Log call summaries to help desk systems
• Send follow-up surveys after support calls

Sales automation:

• Add new leads to CRM from incoming calls
• Update deal stages based on call outcomes
• Schedule follow-up tasks from call recordings

Marketing integration:

• Add contacts to email marketing lists
• Track campaign responses through messages
• Segment contacts based on call interactions

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Pricing and billing

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Message pricing (Effective February 1, 2025)

Pay-per-use model: OpenPhone charges for outgoing messages sent through Zapier using a segment-based pricing structure. Message segmentation: Messages are divided into segments based on character count:

• Standard messages: Up to 160 characters per segment
• Special characters: Reduce capacity to 70 characters per segment
• Multiple segments: Longer messages automatically split

Segment calculation tool: Use this Segment Calculator to estimate costs before sending messages.

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Cost optimization strategies

Character count management:

• Monitor length: Keep messages under 160 characters when possible
• Avoid special characters: Characters like é, ñ, ß reduce segment capacity
• Limit emojis: Most emojis count as two characters
• Remove line breaks: Each line break uses one character

Content optimization:

• Use URL shorteners: Long URLs consume multiple segments
• Common abbreviations: Use widely understood shortcuts
• Concise messaging: Communicate efficiently without losing clarity

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Current messaging rates

Domestic messaging:

• US and Canada SMS: $0.01 per segment

International messaging:

• Base rate: $0.01 per segment
• Destination charges: Additional rates vary by country
• Rate lookup: Check International Pricing Guide for specific countries

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Credit-based billing system

How it works:

1. Add credits: Purchase credits under “Plans & Billing” in OpenPhone
2. Automatic deduction: Credits used when Zapier sends messages
3. Insufficient funds: Messages fail if credit balance is too low
4. Auto-recharge: Enable automatic credit top-ups to prevent interruptions

Credit management:

• Monitor usage in OpenPhone billing dashboard
• Set up auto-recharge to maintain service continuity
• Review segment usage to optimize costs
• Track international vs domestic message ratios

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Best practices

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Workflow design

Effective automation:

• Start with simple trigger-action pairs
• Test thoroughly before activating Zaps
• Use filters to prevent unnecessary triggers
• Monitor Zap performance and error rates

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Message optimization

Cost-effective messaging:

• Design templates under 160 characters
• Use dynamic content strategically
• Implement message scheduling for optimal delivery
• Track delivery rates and optimize content

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Error handling

Robust automation:

• Set up error notifications for failed Zaps
• Include fallback actions for critical workflows
• Monitor credit balance regularly
• Test international messaging before deployment

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Getting started

Ready to automate? Explore OpenPhone Zapier integrations and start building your first automation workflow. Need assistance? Submit a support request at support.openphone.co for help with Zapier integration setup.