Access requires OAuth credentials with the scope: contacts.readonly. Use the OAuth 2.0 flow to obtain an access token, refresh token, and to rotate credentials securely.
In Zapier, create a connection to the GHL Contacts API by choosing OAuth 2.0 and granting permissions. Test the connection to confirm access.
GET /contacts/:contactId — Retrieve a single contact; GET /contacts/:contactId/tasks — List tasks for a contact; GET /contacts/:contactId/tasks/:taskId — Retrieve a specific task; GET /contacts/:contactId/notes — List notes; GET /contacts/:contactId/notes/:id — Retrieve a note; GET /contacts/:contactId/appointments — List appointments; GET /contacts/ — List all contacts; GET /contacts/business/:businessId — List contacts for a business; contacts.write — write scope; POST /contacts/ — Create a contact; PUT /contacts/:contactId — Update a contact; DELETE /contacts/:contactId — Delete a contact; POST /contacts/:contactId/tasks — Create a task; PUT /contacts/:contactId/tasks/:taskId — Update a task; PUT /contacts/:contactId/tasks/:taskId/completed — Mark a task as completed; DELETE /contacts/:contactId/tasks/:taskId — Delete a task; POST /contacts/:contactId/tags — Add or update tags on a contact.
Trigger: a new contact is created (POST /contacts/) or an existing contact is updated (PUT /contacts/:contactId) in GHL
Actions: push contact data to Microsoft Advertising audiences, update tags, and create follow up tasks
Method path: POST /contacts/ to create; PUT /contacts/:contactId to update; GET /contacts/:contactId to read details
Key fields: contactId, name, email; optional: phone, tags, notes, appointments
Trigger: a new note is added to a contact or a new task is created
Actions: update advertising audiences based on notes, create tasks, and log activities
Method path: POST /contacts/:contactId/tasks to create tasks; GET /contacts/:contactId/notes to fetch notes
Key fields: contactId, taskId, noteId
Trigger: tags on a contact are updated or business associations change
Actions: apply tags on contacts, adjust segments in Microsoft Advertising, and update business lists
Method path: POST /contacts/:contactId/tags to assign tags; PUT /contacts/:contactId to update; POST /contacts/ to create
Key fields: contactId, tags, businessId
Drag-and-drop automations let you build workflows without writing code
Reusable templates speed setup and maintenance of campaigns and CRM updates
Real-time data synchronization improves ad targeting and customer outreach
This glossary covers endpoints, authentication, triggers, actions, and how data maps between the GHL Contacts API and the Zapier App Connector
A specific URL and HTTP method used to perform an action or retrieve data from the GHL API
An authorization framework that provides access tokens and refresh tokens to apps
A callback URL that notifies your app when data changes in the source system
The maximum number of API calls allowed in a time window to protect service stability
Automatically push updated contact segments to Microsoft Advertising for precise retargeting
When a contact is created, send a lead to your CRM and create a follow-up task in the App Connector
Use contact tags to trigger tailored ad campaigns and audience updates
Set up OAuth trust between GHL and the Zapier App Connector, selecting the required scopes (such as contacts.readonly)
Choose triggers like new or updated contacts and map actions to advertising data updates
Test data flows, verify data integrity, monitor for errors, and deploy to production
Authentication is done via OAuth 2.0. In Zapier, authorize the GHL Contacts API connection and grant the requested scopes to enable access. The initial scope shown is typically read-only, so write actions require additional approval or scopes from your admin.
The endpoints include read endpoints like GET /contacts/:contactId, GET /contacts/, GET /contacts/:contactId/notes, GET /contacts/:contactId/tasks, and GET /contacts/:contactId/appointments. Write endpoints include POST /contacts/, PUT /contacts/:contactId, DELETE /contacts/:contactId, POST /contacts/:contactId/tasks, PUT /contacts/:contactId/tasks/:taskId, PUT /contacts/:contactId/tasks/:taskId/completed, and POST /contacts/:contactId/tags.
No coding is required for basic automations in Zapier thanks to its visual editor. For more complex logic, you can add filters and multi-step paths. Advanced transformations can be achieved with built-in utilities.
Use the Test Connection feature in Zapier to verify the OAuth flow and permissions. Review the task history and API responses in both Zapier and the GHL dashboard to troubleshoot.
To avoid duplicates, use a canonical external ID for each contact and employ upsert-style operations where available. Rely on contactId as the primary identifier and deduplicate on the receiving side when syncing.
Rate limits depend on your GHL plan. Expect possible throttling at high volumes. Implement exponential backoff in Zapier and monitor for 429 responses to adjust retries.
Error logs are accessible in Zapier’s task history and in the GHL API dashboard. Enable detailed logging where possible and review error codes for remediation.
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Complete Operations Catalog - 126 Actions & Triggers
