Core Automation Terminology
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Before building anything, the terminology needs to be second nature. These five terms describe the structure of every automation in Zapier, and they map directly to a simple logic:
- When [trigger] happens in [app], do [action] in [app].
Each successful action counts as a [task] for billing purposes.
That's the entire framework. Everything else in Zapier, filters, paths, formatters, multi-step workflows, builds on top of this foundation.
Zap
A Zap is a single automated workflow that connects two or more apps together.
When someone says I built a Zap, they mean they created an automation. The term is Zapier's branded name for a workflow. Think of a Zap as a small robot that:
- Watches for something to happen in one app
- Responds by doing something in another app (or multiple apps)
A Zap can be simple (one trigger, one action) or complex (one trigger, many actions with conditional logic). Regardless of complexity, it is still referred to as a single Zap.
Trigger
A Trigger is the event that starts a Zap. It's the when this happens part of the automation.
Every Zap has exactly one trigger. Zapier monitors the connected app, and the moment the specified event occurs, the Zap activates and runs its actions.
Common trigger examples:
- New email in Gmail;
- New row in Google Sheets;
- New form submission in Typeform;
- New file in Dropbox;
- New lead in HubSpot;
- New order in Shopify.
Triggers are always events, something new happening or being updated. They answer the question: What should Zapier watch for.
Instant triggers fire immediately when an event occurs, letting your Zap respond in real time as soon as something happens.
Polling triggers check for new data on a schedule, every 15 minutes on free plans and as fast as 1–2 minutes on paid plans, which can introduce a short delay before the Zap runs.
If timing matters, instant triggers are the better choice.
Action
An Action is what a Zap does after the trigger fires, the do this part of the automation. Actions perform the actual work, like creating records, sending messages, updating data, or uploading files.
A Zap can have multiple actions that run in sequence from a single trigger, allowing one event to automatically update several apps in a row.
Task
A Task is counted every time an action runs successfully. It is Zapier’s billing unit, used to measure usage and price plans.
What does NOT count as a task:
- Triggers (the event that starts the Zap);
- Filters (conditional logic);
- Paths (branching logic);
- Formatter steps (data transformation).
App
An App in Zapier is any connected service or software platform that Zapier can interact with.
Gmail is an app. Slack is an app. Google Sheets, Notion, Trello, Salesforce, Mailchimp, Shopify — all apps.
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