This article outlines the steps to integrate your Cvent and Feathr accounts via the simple (and free) third-party solution, Zapier.
The Zapier integration enables you to automatically sync data between your Cvent and Feathr accounts without manually updating every single record in more than one location. For example, with a successful integration you can update name or email address records in Cvent and the same records will be changed in Feathr within moments.
Important: before you begin, make sure you have read and followed the instructions in this "prerequisite" article.
Building a Zap
For the sake of this article, "integrating" Feathr and Cvent is synonymous with building a Zap. A Zap is an automated data transfer, facilitated by Zapier, that communicates data from Cvent to Feathr. Here's how to build it:
1. Log in to Zapier Dashboard and click + Create Zap
Log in to your Zapier account at zapier.com. This will take you to your Zapier dashboard. Click the top left menu button that says "+ Create Zap." This will bring you to the Editor.
2. Identify Cvent as the Zap Trigger
Search for and select Cvent in the trigger step:
3. Choose App & Event
Next, you will choose which Cvent event will trigger a communication of data to Feathr. Using the dropdown provided in Zapier, you will see which options you have available to choose from, as well as a brief description:
You will have to choose the most appropriate option for what data you wish to communicate from Cvent to Feathr. Read the descriptions carefully. For this example, we will choose "Trigger on New and/or Updated Contacts." This is because the Feathr Zapier integration is currently limited to updating or creating new people records. This choice will ensure that contact information in Cvent is reconciled in Feathr.
4. Choose Account
Next you will be prompted to log in to your Cvent account. This is so Zapier can verify that you have permissions to make changes. NOTE: you may need to have an API key or webhook from Cvent, or you may have to use an external authenticator in order to complete this step. See here for more details.
Be sure to fill out all required fields and click continue to complete the connection.
5. Set Up Trigger
This will display a list of properties Zapier will retrieve from your Cvent account. You may keep the default properties displayed and click continue, or add additional properties from the dropdown menu. In most cases, the default properties provide more than enough options.
5. Test Trigger
Next, Zapier will pull an example record from your Cvent database to validate the connection you just authorized by logging in. Click Test Trigger. This will display a random registered user from your Cvent users database. As long as there is data visible in this step, all you need to do is click continue.
6. Identify Feathr as Action App
Now you will more or less repeat the same steps, but using Feathr credentials. Begin by selecting Feathr as the action app, just like you selected Cvent as the Trigger app. Upon doing this, Zapier may automatically select the event in trigger as "create/update person." If not, choose that option from the dropdown. Next, click continue.
7. Choose / Log in to Feathr account
You will be prompted to either choose or log in to your Feathr account to validate your permissions, just like you did with Cvent. Either choose your already-connected feathr account from the dropdown or fill out the login forms and click continue.
8. Set Up Action
In this step, you will choose exactly which data fields get updated in Feathr when a new user registers in Cvent. The blank fields you see in this step are the fields available to receive data in Feathr:
When you click on any of the fields, you will see a dropdown of options from your Cvent account. This allows you to choose which data fields from Cvent will match to the fields in Feathr.
Note: Email is the only required field. That is because Feathr uses Email as the basis for all person records in your database.
You will need to do this same mapping step for every field you'd like to communicate data from Cvent to Feathr. It's helpful to note, however, that you don't need to map every available field. Only the fields you deem important to keep automatically up to date in Feathr.
9. Test action & Publish Zap
The last step is to test the action to make sure the Zap works. Zapier will automatically test the data transfer by creating a person record in Feathr when you click "Test Action." After clicking, give it time to load, and, if successful, you will see a notification that "a person was sent to Feathr." This means the test succeeded and you may publish your Zap. To do so, click the Publish Zap button at the bottom. Last, Zapier will ask you to confirm by clicking "Publish & Turn On" in a pop up modal on your screen.
You may turn the Zap on and off using the slider button at the top right of the Zap editor, and manage all Zaps from your Zapier dashboard.
Special Notes & Support/Troubleshooting
Zapier cannot manage bulk data uploads in Feathr. That can be done natively in your Feathr account via email imports, partner imports, or opt-out imports. Zapier is intended to work in the background to reconcile data in Feathr when updates to that data are made in other apps.
Zapier support can be reached at contact@zapier.com. Please also feel free to contact support@feathr.co or use Feathr's support chat at the bottom right of your account. If your question is more appropriate for Zapier's support team, we reserve the right to direct you to Zapier.