Who this is for: administrators and volunteers who want to automate work between Boathouse Connect and other apps. Permission required: none to connect. Each trigger and action only returns what your own permissions allow (see the tables below).
Zapier is an automation service that links apps together without code. A "Zap" watches for an event in one app (a trigger) and then does something in another app (an action). Boathouse Connect is available on Zapier as a public beta app.
Clubs typically use it to keep other systems in step with Boathouse Connect. For example, if you keep a Mailchimp list of prospective members, a Zap can add every new organization member to your current-members list automatically instead of someone doing it by hand.
How the connection works
Zapier connects to Boathouse Connect with a personal API key that belongs to you. There is no club-wide login: the Zap acts as you, inside an organization you belong to, with the permissions your groups give you there.
- If you leave the group that grants a permission, Zaps that rely on it stop returning data.
- If several people build Zaps for the club, each of them connects with their own key.
- A key only works in organizations you are a member of.
Connect Zapier to your account
1. Create a Zapier-only key
- Go to My Profile → API Keys.
- Click the green + button.
- Set Token Type to Zapier-Only Token.
- Enter a Description you will recognize later, for example Zapier – Mailchimp sync.
- Click Save. The page reloads and the new key appears in your list as a Zapier token.
Use a separate Zapier-only key for Zapier rather than reusing a general key. If you ever need to disconnect Zapier, deleting that one key does it without affecting anything else. General keys are for your own software (see API keys).
2. Add the account in Zapier
- In Zapier, create a Zap and choose Boathouse Connect as the app.
- When Zapier asks you to connect an account, paste the key you just created.
- Pick the trigger or action you want and, when asked, the organization it should run in.
Triggers
A trigger starts a Zap when something happens in your organization.
| Trigger | Fires when | Permission needed |
|---|---|---|
| New Join Request | Someone requests to join the organization. | Basic Access |
| New Organization User | A new person joins the organization. | Basic Access |
| Organization Groups | A new group is created in the organization. | Basic Access |
| New Group Member | Someone becomes a member of the group you choose. | Basic Access |
| New Group Join Request | Someone requests to join a group that has Self Join set to No. | Basic Access |
| New Message Pending Review | An email or text message needs approval before it is sent. | Manage Communications or Approve Communications |
| New Practice Created | A practice is created. | Basic Access |
| New Equipment Issue | An equipment issue is logged, from a post-practice survey or reported by hand. | Basic Access |
| New User Account Charge | A charge is created on a member's account. | Manage Finances |
| New User Account Credit | A member makes a payment, or an administrator adds a credit to a member's account. | Manage Finances |
Actions
An action is something Zapier does in Boathouse Connect.
| Action | What it does | Permission needed |
|---|---|---|
| New User Pre-Authorization | Pre-authorizes an email address to join your organization. When that person registers with the address, they are added automatically without a join request. | Add User to Organization |
Pre-authorization works exactly like adding the address by hand — see Join requests.
Pre-built templates
Zapier lists ready-made Zaps for Boathouse Connect on its Boathouse Connect integrations page. Start from a template, then change the fields to suit your club.
Keeping the connection working
Every API key expires one year after it is created. When a key expires, Zaps using it stop.
- Go to My Profile → API Keys and click the key.
- Check Expires and Last Used.
- Click Reset Expiration Date to extend the key for another year from today.
To disconnect Zapier completely, open the key and click Delete Token. This cannot be undone; Zaps using that key stop immediately.
FAQ
Which organization does a Zap use if I belong to several? The one you choose when you set up the trigger or action. You can only choose organizations you are a member of.
My Zap stopped working. What should I check first? Open My Profile → API Keys and make sure the key still exists and has not expired. Then confirm you are still in a group with the permission the trigger needs (for example Manage Finances for charges and credits).
Can Zapier send emails or texts through Boathouse Connect? No. The only action today is New User Pre-Authorization. Use Zapier's own email or SMS apps if you need to send messages from a Zap.
Is there a direct Mailchimp integration? No. Mailchimp is connected through Zapier, using the triggers above. See External systems.
Who can see the data a Zap sends? Anyone with access to the Zapier account and the apps the Zap sends data to. Think about this before sending member contact details or finance records to another system.