Obtain your OAuth credentials or API key from your GHL developer settings and store them securely; these credentials authorize requests to the Contacts API.
In Zapier, create a connection using the GHL credentials and validate it with a test request to ensure your app can access contacts data.
Core read endpoints: GET /contacts/:contactId, GET /contacts/:contactId/tasks, GET /contacts/:contactId/tasks/:taskId, GET /contacts/:contactId/notes, GET /contacts/:contactId/notes/:id, GET /contacts/:contactId/appointments, GET /contacts/, GET /contacts/business/:businessId. Core write endpoints: POST /contacts/, PUT /contacts/:contactId, DELETE /contacts/:contactId, POST /contacts/:contactId/tasks, PUT /contacts/:contactId/tasks/:taskId, PUT /contacts/:contactId/tasks/:taskId/completed, DELETE /contacts/:contactId/tasks/:taskId, POST /contacts/:contactId/tags. Use the endpoints you need for your charity workflows.
Trigger: a new contact is created or updated in GHL; Action: create or update the contact in connected apps.
Actions include creating notes, tasks, or appointments associated with that contact.
Methods to use: POST /contacts/ to create, PUT /contacts/:contactId to update, and PUT /contacts/:contactId/tasks/:taskId to manage tasks.
Key fields: contactId, email, name, phone, and businessId.
Trigger on fetch or a schedule to analyze contact details.
Actions: read notes, tasks, appointments and export to analytics tools.
Methods: GET /contacts/:contactId, GET /contacts/:contactId/tasks, GET /contacts/:contactId/notes, GET /contacts/.
Fields: contactId, lastModified, businessId.
Trigger when bulk updates happen or campaigns launch to tag contacts and assign tasks.
Actions: POST /contacts/:contactId/tasks, POST /contacts/:contactId/tags, and update notes.
Methods: POST /contacts/ for new records, POST /contacts/:contactId/tasks for tasks, and POST /contacts/:contactId/tags for tagging.
Key fields: contactId, tagId, taskId.
Automate donor management, appointment tracking, and outreach without writing code.
Fast setup with ready-to-use actions, triggers, and filters in Zapier.
Scale charity operations across multiple sites with consistent data flows.
A quick glossary of terms you will see: API, endpoint, trigger, action, webhook, and fields; plus how endpoints map to your charity workflows.
API: the set of rules that lets your Zapier workflows talk to the GHL Contacts API.
A URL and method that perform a specific operation, such as retrieving a contact or updating a record.
An event in GHL that starts a Zapier workflow, such as a new contact.
A real-time delivery method that notifies Zapier when data changes in GHL.
Use POST /contacts/ to generate new donor records when a form is submitted, then trigger onboarding workflows.
Automatically create tasks via POST /contacts/:contactId/tasks when a volunteer signs up through a charity portal.
Capture outreach notes with POST /contacts/:contactId/notes and keep donor conversations in one place.
In GHL, generate OAuth tokens or an API key; store securely.
In Zapier, add a new connection to GHL using your credentials and test.
Choose endpoints like GET /contacts/:contactId and POST /contacts/ to automate charity workflows.
The GHL Contacts API lets you read and modify donor data from your charity systems with secure requests. Use endpoints like GET /contacts/:contactId to pull profile details, and POST /contacts/ to add new records. The API is designed for no-code automation via Zapier App Connector, so you can automate onboarding, updates, and outreach without writing code.
No traditional coding is required to use this integration. Zapier App Connector provides triggers and actions that map to the GHL endpoints, letting you build workflows through a visual editor. If you do custom logic, you can still add lightweight code steps, but it isn’t necessary for core tasks.
Common charity workflows use endpoints such as GET /contacts/:contactId, GET /contacts/, POST /contacts/, POST /contacts/:contactId/tasks, and POST /contacts/:contactId/tags. These endpoints enable retrieving donor data, creating tasks, and tagging contacts for segmentation.
Authenticate by obtaining an OAuth token or API key from GHL and configuring a Zapier connection. Store credentials securely and test the connection to ensure your app can access the Contacts API.
Yes. Use PUT /contacts/:contactId to update a donor record and PUT /contacts/:contactId/tasks/:taskId to modify tasks. You can also add or remove notes and tags with the respective endpoints.
Yes. You can fetch notes and tasks with GET endpoints like GET /contacts/:contactId/notes and GET /contacts/:contactId/tasks, then surface that data in your automation.
Test your Zapier connection with a sample contact and a dry run of your workflow. Check for authentication errors and verify that data moves correctly between GHL and your charity apps.
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Complete Operations Catalog - 126 Actions & Triggers
