Zapier is an online automation tool that connects over 2,000 apps and services. You can connect two or more apps to automate repetitive tasks without coding or relying on developers to build the integration.
In the context of IoT, Zapier can enable integrations such as:
Google Sheets: Send data from a Google Sheet to Ubidots, or log Ubidots data to a Google Sheet.
Social media: Publish a Tweet or Facebook update when a device is updated or an event is triggered.
Slack: Send a Slack notification when a device is updated or an event is triggered.
Twilio: Receive sensor data through an SMS message.
Gmail: Receive sensor data through an Email message, or send out Emails when a device is updated, or an event is triggered.
…and much more!
Requirements
An active Ubidots account
An active Zapier account
1. Connect your Ubidots App in Zapier
Step 1: Go to My Apps
Step 2: Click the Connect a new account… dropdown menu, then search for and select the Ubidots app.
Step 3: A new browser tab or window will open asking for your Ubidots Token. Please go to My API Credentials and copy one of your account tokens and paste it in the Authentication window of Zapier.
IMPORTANT NOTE: We recommend creating a dedicated token for your Zapier integration. Also, in order for the Ubidots App to work properly, your Token must have the permissions to create, read, and edit Devices, Variables, and Events.
2. Set up an Ubidots Trigger
2.1 Choose App and Event
Step 1: In the Zap editor, go to the 1. When this happens section.
Step 2: In the Choose App & Event section, search for and select the Ubidots App that will trigger the Zap.
Step 3: Click the Choose Trigger Event dropdown menu and select one of the following three options:
Device Updated: Triggers when a Device receives new data (regardless of the variable)
Variable Updated: Triggers when a specific Variable receives a new Value.
Event Triggered: Triggers when an Event is triggered.
For example, you can choose to trigger the Zap every time a specific Variable receives a new Value.
Step 4: Click Continue
2.2. Choose Account
Step 1: Next, choose your authenticated Ubidots app account to use in the trigger. Click the dropdown menu, and select the account. If you don’t see an account please go back to step 1. Connect your Ubidots App in Zapier in this article.
Step 2: Click Continue.
2.3. Customize Variable
Step 1: Click the Device dropdown, jump to the Device tab and select the Device that contains the Variables you want to use as the trigger.
Step 2: Click the Variable dropdown, jump to the Variable tab and select a trigger Variable.
Step 3: Click Continue
2.4. Find Data
Step 1: Click the Test trigger button. This will execute a GET request to the entity (Device, Variable or Event) exposing the info that can be used later in the "Do this.." section.
Step 2: If everything is setup correctly, you should see a response as the follows:
2.5. Set an Action
From this point, your Ubidots account is ready to be integrated with any of the 2000 Zapier apps. Here some ideas:
Post a Tweet with your Ubidots Value.
Log the data in a Google Sheet.
Notify a Slack channel with your Ubidots Value.
Send email alerts about sensor data.
Add a task in Todoist when an Ubidots Event occurs.
Send SMS/Voice alerts to Twilio.
Send an SMS to a team member when a truck leaves a specific GPS area.
3. Set up an Ubidots Action
3.1 Set up a Trigger
Prior to setting Ubidots as an action, you should first set a trigger and event app among the already existing 2,000 Zapier apps. Here some ideas:
Send data to Ubidots from a Google Sheet
Send data to Ubidots from a Slack Bot
Turn on lights when a Typeform form is answered
Send temperature value to Ubidots from the thermometer
Log a sale from Shopify in Ubidots
Send a Dot to Ubidots when an email arrives in your Gmail account
3.2 Choose App and Event
Step 1: In the Zap editor, go to the 2. Do this...
Step 2: In the Choose App & Event section, search for and select the Ubidots App.
Step 3: Click the Choose Action Event dropdown menu and select one of the following 2 options:
Create Dot: Create a Dot (data point) in the Ubidots Variable of your choice.
Create Multiple Dots on the Same Device: Create up to three dots (data points) in the Device of your choice.
Step 4: Click Continue
3.3. Choose Account
Step 1: Choose your authenticated Ubidots app account you want to use in the action. Click the dropdown menu, and select the account. If you don’t see an account please go back to step 1. Connect your Ubidots App in Zapier of this article.
Step 2: Click Continue.
3.4. Customize Dot
The following fields are the available options to customize the Dot:
Step 1: (Required) Click the Device dropdown, jump to the Device tab, and select the Device that contains the Variable(s) to which you want to send the dot.
Step 2: (Required) Click the Variable dropdown, jump to the Variable tab, and select the Variable to which the dot is going to be sent.
Step 3: (Required) In the Value field put a numerical value, the actual data point value. (This can be a predetermined value or a dynamic Value taken from the trigger data)
Step 4: (Optional) You can optionally provide the timestamp of the dot. The timestamp must be given in milliseconds Unix Epoch format. If not specified, Ubidots will assign it upon reception. (This can be a dynamic value from the trigger as long as it is in the appropriate format)
Step 5: (Optional) You can optionally add context data to your dot, e.g. "country": "United States", “city”: ”New York City”.
Step 6: Click Continue
3.5. Send Data
Now it’s time to test your action, click Test & Continue.
If everything is set up correctly you should see:
IMPORTANT NOTE: This test will create a dummy dot in your Ubidots Variable. Feel free to delete it If you only want to have real data in the Ubidots Variable.
You’re all set and you can click Turn on Zap.
4. Feedback
If you have any ideas on how we could improve our Ubidots+Zapier Integration, we'd be happy to hear them. Please leave us a note at sales@ubidots.com
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