Zapier: Using Challenges to invite members to events

In this article, we will learn how to allow members to RSVP for events using a Challenge stage. The workflow we create will look like the following:

1. Members click "Yes" on RSVP Challenge stage, similar to the one shown below.

2. Members are added to the event in Google Calendar

3. Members receive an email invitation to the event, similar to the one shown below. Note: How the actual email is displayed varies based on the email provider/software used.

Prerequisites

There are a few things you will need to do before creating the workflow.

Create a paid Zapier account if you do not have one already. Zapier does not allow multi-step workflows on their free plan.
1. This workflow will use 5 tasks per invitation. Choose an appropriate Zapier plan that takes into account that you will have to multiply 5 by the number of events and expected attendees to get the estimated number of tasks required. For example, if you have 10 events and expect 50 attendees per event, you'll consume 2,500 tasks.
Sign into your Google account.
1. Create Google Calendar events for each event you will use in this workflow.
  1. Each event name must be unique (i.e. there should only be one event in your calendar with that name)
  2. You must not change the names of these events after completing this workflow.
2. Make sure you hide the event participants for privacy reasons.
3. Create a copy of this spreadsheet.
4. Insert the Google Calendar event names into Column B of the spreadsheet.
In AdvocateHub, create a Challenge for each event.
1. Each event Challenge should have the following contained somewhere within the name: [EVENT RSVP AUTOMATION].
2. The Challenge names should be similar to, if not the same as, the calendar events so that it's easier to determine which Challenge maps to which event.
3. The Challenges must use a "Questions" stage with a question that asks members if they would like to RSVP to the event. You should use "Radio Buttons" as your response options with one of the Answers being "Yes." See the screenshot below for an example. Note: Every question and response in every Challenge you create must be exactly the same.
5. Target one of the Challenges to a test account and publish it. We will use it for testing later.
In Google Sheets, copy the Challenge name into Column A beside the corresponding event which you added in Step 2c above.

You should now have all of your Challenges and Events created. You'll have a spreadsheet that looks similar to this:

Creating the workfow in Zapier

Now that all of the pieces are in place, we will create the workflow in Zapier to connect your Challenge to the calendar event.

1. In Zapier, click on the + / Make a Zap button on the top left of the page.

2. In the "Choose App & Event" field search for "Webhook" and choose "Webhooks by Zapier."

3. In the "Choose Trigger Event" field select "Catch Hook."

4. Click Continue to move to the "Customize Request" screen. From here, copy the "Custom Webhook URL" (highlighted below) and open your AdvocateHub in another tab or window. You will now begin creating a webhook to pick up Challenge responses.

5. In AdvocateHub, click on the gear icon on the top right corner of "Admin View" and choose "Settings." From here, go to System > Webhooks.

6. Click on the Add a Webhook button and proceed as outlined below and click the Save button.

Webhook Name: Give your webhook a descriptive name
Webhook Provider URL: Paste the URL from Step 4
Format: Form Post
Type: Event
Run webhook on these events: Check the box beside "Questions Answered"

7. Return to your Zapier tab/window and click the Continue button to move to the testing phase. Click the Test trigger button.

8. In AdvocateHub, switch to "Advocate View" and complete the event Challenge you published earlier. This will send test data to Zapier.

9. Return to your Zapier tab/window and once the test data has been received, click Continue to move on.

10. Click on the + icon and under the "Helpers" menu, choose "Filter."

11. Add two filters, using the the "AND" operator:

Challenge[name] (Text) Contains [EVENT RSVP AUTOMATION]
Parameters[your question text will be here] (Text) Exactly matches Yes

Your filter will look like the picture above, except the Parameters option will reflect your question text from the Challenge. If you have not made the question text exactly the same in every Challenge created for this workflow, you will run into problems with filters.

12. Click Continue and proceed to add the next stage, by clicking the + icon and choosing Google Sheets. Choose "Lookup Spreadsheet Row" as your Action Event and continue. You will need to authorize your Google account here.

13. On the "Customize Spreadsheet" row screen fill out the values according to below. Ignore any fields not mentioned.

Drive: Choose the Google Drive where your spreadsheet lives. It's likely you only have one option here, so choose that.
Spreadsheet: Search for and choose the spreadsheet you created in the pre-requisites.
Worksheet: Choose the worksheet where you have placed the Challenges and event names. You may only have one, so you can choose that.
Lookup Column: Choose, "Challenge Name"
Lookup Value:
- Click on the field
- Click on "1. Catch Hook"
- Click "Show all Options"
- Choose the line item corresponding to the Challenge name

You will have something like this now:

14. Continue to "Send Data" screen and test it out. You should receive the corresponding data for the row that contains the Challenge name specified. Continue.

15.Click the + icon and select "Google Calendar", then "Find Event" for the action event.

16. Connect your Google Calendar account, then proceed to the Customize Event screen. From here, fil out the fields as follows:

Calendar: Choose your calendar, or the calendar where the events have been created.
Click on the "Search Term" field. and choose the event name retrieved from Google Sheets in from Step 3. It likely begins with 3. Col$b. You can leave the other fields blank.

17. Proceed to the "Send Data" screen and send a test. You should see the event information returned.

18. Click on the + icon to add the final step. Choose Google Calendar as the app again, but this time your action event will be "Add Attendee/s to Event." Proceed to choose your Google Calendar account and then move to the "Customize Attendee/s" screen.

19. Fill out the fields as follows:

Calendar: Choose your calendar, or the calendar where the events have been created
Search Term: Click on the field, choose "4. Find event in Google Calendar," choose "Show All Options," then click on "4. ID:"
Attendee/s: Click on the field, choose "1. Catch Hook," choose "Show All Options," then select "1. Contact[email]:"

20. Save and send through your test data on the next screen. You should see an email invite arrive in your inbox shortly thereafter. The email is sent to the email address associate to the account you used to complete the Challenge.

21. Turn on the workflow by clicking the "OFF" toggle switch on the top right of the page. It will turn green and change to "ON."

Your Zap workflow should like similar to the picture below:

Testing

You have completed all the steps in the workflow. Return to your AdvocateHub and publish another one or two Challenges. Be sure to target them to a test account first. RSVP to a few events to see if everything is working correctly. Once everything is set up and verified to be working, be sure to fix the targeting on your testing Challenges.

This workflow is set up in a way that you can add as many new Challenges and events as you'd like to. Just be sure to add the Challenge names and event names into your spreadsheet.