SmartSuite’s Incoming Webhook trigger makes it simple to start automations from external sources—like third-party services or custom code—by sending an HTTP request to a unique SmartSuite-generated URL. Configure your webhook, test it, and map its payload fields to use in subsequent automation steps.
Overview
The When a Webhook Is Received trigger provides a secure, dedicated URL for each automation. You can copy this URL and add it to external webhook configurations or your own applications. When SmartSuite receives a valid request at this endpoint, your automation will run.
Key Features
Unique, System-Generated URL: Each trigger has its own webhook endpoint that you can copy and share.
GET & POST Support: Configure your incoming webhook to accept data via URL query parameters (GET) or JSON payloads (POST).
Automatic Field Mapping: SmartSuite can parse JSON bodies or detect query parameters, letting you map them to outputs used in later steps.
Robust Error Handling: Handles malformed or unsupported requests and enforces rate limits.
Testing & Recent Requests: Check up to 10 recent webhook requests before enabling the automation.
Step 1: Create an Automation
Go to Automations: From the main navigation, select Automations or open the Automation Builder for the desired workspace/solution.
Add Trigger: Click Add New Automation, then choose When a Webhook Is Received as your trigger.
Name & Description: Give your automation a clear name (e.g., “Inbound Webhook for Customer Orders”) and a helpful description.
Tip: Each automation can only have one trigger. If you need multiple webhooks, create multiple automations.
Step 2: Configure Your Webhook
After choosing When a Webhook Is Received:
Copy the Webhook URL: You’ll see a read-only field containing a unique URL generated by SmartSuite. Click Copy to place the URL on your clipboard.
HTTP Method: Select GET or POST, depending on how the external service will send data.
Explanation & Testing: A brief description is displayed, along with a Test Trigger button to review inbound requests.
The automation is currently disabled, which allows you to test without running production actions.
Note: Remember that anyone who has the URL for your webhook trigger can trigger your automation. We recommend thinking carefully about how and where this URL might be shared.
Step 3: Test the Webhook
Click Test Trigger to see if any requests have been received:
No Recent Requests: If no requests have been sent to your webhook yet, you’ll see a message like “No requests found yet!”
Send a Request: From an external system or a tool like Postman/cURL, send a GET or POST request to your webhook URL. (For POST requests with JSON, ensure the
Content-Type: application/jsonheader and valid JSON body.)Refresh & View: Click Refresh to retrieve up to 10 recent requests from the past 24 hours. Select a request to see the data (query parameters for GET or JSON payload for POST).
Note: SmartSuite logs incoming request data for up to 24 hours while the automation is disabled, making it easy to test and configure your field mappings.
Step 4: Map Incoming Data
Once you select a recent request, you can map fields or parameters:
For GET Requests: SmartSuite shows detected query parameters (e.g.,
?order_id=123&status=new). Each parameter is available as a text output.For POST Requests (JSON): SmartSuite shows the data structure.
Simple Fields (strings, numbers, booleans) appear as
{key}: {value}and become separate outputs in later steps.Arrays are labeled as
{key}: Array. In this initial release, array items are combined into a single text output. Note that arrays at the top (root) level or under the root object can be used in Looping actions (when available).Nested Objects are expanded into dot notation (e.g.,
customer.name,customer.email).
Click Use this structure to confirm SmartSuite should use those fields as outputs in later automation steps.
Advanced: If you have an array at the top level or just under the root object, you can use it for looping in subsequent steps.
Step 5: Enable & Finalize
Review & Enable: Check your mapped fields. Feel free to add or remove fields manually if needed. Once satisfied, Enable the automation.
Go Live: Now, any valid incoming request to the webhook URL will automatically trigger your automation and pass along the mapped data to subsequent steps (e.g., create a record, send a notification, etc.)
Important: Once the automation is enabled, testing is disabled. To test again, disable the automation and use the Redetermine data structure button.
Error Handling & Limits
Rate Limits: The webhook enforces up to 5 requests per second. Exceeding this returns a
429 Too Many Requests.Payload Size: Requests over 1 MB receive a
413 Payload Too Large.Unsupported Content Types: SmartSuite currently supports
application/jsonfor POST requests. Anything else triggers a415 Unsupported Media Type.Character Encoding: Must be UTF-8. Otherwise,
415 Unsupported Media Typeis returned.Invalid JSON: If the JSON is malformed, SmartSuite responds with a
400 Bad Request.
Common Use Cases
3rd Party Integrations: Automate record creation when a third-party service (e.g., payment processor) sends order information.
Custom Applications: Trigger internal business logic in SmartSuite by sending POST requests from in-house tools.
Example of a Zapier workflow that sends to a SmartSuite Webhook Trigger:
Simple Queries: Use GET requests with URL parameters to quickly pass small data (like IDs or statuses) into SmartSuite for immediate processing.