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Use action runs to expand your existing workflow builder or automation product with Zapier’s library of 9,000+ app integrations. Action runs let your product trigger individual Zapier actions—such as sending an email, updating a CRM record, or posting to Slack—directly through the Workflow API. This allows you to offer your users powerful cross-app automations without needing to build and maintain thousands of individual connectors yourself. Your product continues to own the workflow experience and execution layer, while Zapier handles the authentication, action execution, and integration maintenance behind the scenes.

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Choose how to run actions

There are two ways to run actions from your product:
  • Runtime Actions: Your product builds the action request at runtime and sends it directly to the Action Runs API. Use this when you do not need to save the action configuration.
  • Stored actions: Your product saves a reusable action definition, then runs it later through the Actions API. Use this when users configure an action once and expect your product to update, delete, or run that saved action later.
If you are building a workflow builder, agent builder, or automation product with reusable user configuration, start with stored actions. If you only need one-off execution, use Runtime Actions.

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What is an action run?

An action run represents a single execution of an action step in a Zapier workflow. When you call the Action Run API or run a stored action, Zapier executes the action logic asynchronously and returns a run id immediately. For production use, include a callback_url when you create the action run. Zapier sends the completed result to that URL when the run finishes, so your app can update its own workflow or user experience without repeatedly polling for status.

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Understanding action runs vs. Zap workflows

Action runs differ from Zap workflows in how they’re created and executed:
  • A Zap is a saved, user-owned workflow (trigger → actions) stored and managed by Zapier.
  • An action run is a one-off action your app triggers through the Workflow API. Zapier executes the action but doesn’t store the workflow definition.
  • Action runs are stateless: data is retained briefly (7 days) for processing and troubleshooting, then automatically deleted. You should store any request or response data needed for visibility or support.
Support expectations: You’re responsible for surfacing run results or errors to your users. Zapier provides the execution infrastructure and may assist with escalations if needed. Contract end: If your contract with Zapier ends, API access is disabled and any action run data in Zapier’s systems expires automatically within the retention window.

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Runtime Actions flow

  1. Create an action run with POST /v2/action-runs and include a callback_url.
  2. Store the returned run id so you can match the callback to the original request.
  3. Receive the callback from Zapier when the run reaches a terminal state.
  4. Use GET /v2/action-runs/{id} only as a fallback for troubleshooting or missed callbacks.

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Example / demo

See a walkthrough of how to run one-off actions using the Workflow API.

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View our guides for more information

Last modified on October 22, 2026