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Creating a New Flow

Create various types of automation in Ziflow.

Updated over a week ago

Summary: Flows enable you to create various types of automation in Ziflow. A flow can be one simple task, such as converting an uploaded file to a PDF, or it can be a combination of tasks bundled together, such as creating proof, moving the file, and sending out an email notification.

This article outlines how described functionality appears and operates in the old layout. If you are using Dashboard 2.0, please refer to the corresponding article in the Help Center.

Flows can also be utilized as a way to integrate Ziflow with third-party apps using incoming webhooks.

We can distinguish flows into four parts:

  1. Flows based on your cloud storage (Google Drive or Dropbox) can automate tasks with your cloud storage.

    Flows based on cloud storage in Ziflow

  2. Flows based on intake forms which can upload proofs directly into your Ziflow account.

    Flows based on intake forms in Ziflow

  3. Flows based on SDK integrations which can send Ziflow data directly to third-party applications such as monday.com, Asana, Basecamp, Slack, or Microsoft Teams.

    Flows based on SDK integrations in Ziflow

  4. Flows based on Ziflow webhooks can integrate with any service that accepts API requests in JSON format.

    Flows based on webhook Zibots in Ziflow

Where is the feature setup? Under the Connect tab. Simply click on the Create flow button.

Create flow button in Ziflow

Flows based on Google Drive & Dropbox

**NOTE - you must first connect your cloud storage (Dropbox or Google Drive) before creating a flow. You can do this under the "Connect" tab -> Cloud Storage. If you need a detailed guide on how to connect with your cloud storage, please visit this website.

Available: on Pro, Business Legacy and Enterprise editions.


Start by entering the Connect tab and pressing the Create flow button in the dashboard's upper right corner.

Create flow button in Ziflow

Name your flow and select previously added cloud storage connection**. Alternatively, you can also add a new cloud connection from this page.

Select cloud storage connection as application and give your flow a name

Next, choose the event that will trigger your Zibot. In this, I’m choosing “a file is added to a folder”.

A file is added to a folder as a flow event

After this, we will “Set up details” for your event. Please see "Understanding event settings" for more information.

Configure event details in your flow

The settings above let you narrow down files that will trigger the automation later on. You can decide which files, uploaded, where, and by whom will trigger later actions.

Once you're done with adjusting the trigger settings, click the "Next" button and proceed with the Zibot configuration. You'll be presented with a list of available Zibots:

List of cloud storage Zibots in Ziflow

Select the needed Zibot that will automatically execute an action once a flow is triggered. In this help page, we'll use a convert to PDF Zibot, but if you want to check other Zibot configuration settings, please visit the following website.

Convert to PDF Zibot settings

Once you've adjusted Zibot settings, you can click Next and then save and turn on the flow. Please note that you can also connect many Zibots in one flow. These Zibots will be triggered one by one.

Add another Zibot to your flow

At this moment, the flow is ready for use. You can drop a file in your cloud drive, see how flow picks it up, and action the automation.

Flow added to your flow list in a Connect tab

Flows based on Intake Forms

**NOTE - first, you need to create an intake form that can be later used in the flow. You can do this under the "Connect" tab -> Intake forms. If you need a detailed guide on how to create an intake form, please visit this website.

Summary: The Intake Forms feature allows your designers, customers, and stakeholders to submit proofs directly into your account using a simple link and have a workflow automatically assigned to that proof.

You can create as many intake forms as you need in just a matter of minutes, each with its own customized branding, title, description, as well as upload options, and custom properties.

Our intake forms handle not only file submissions but also text and websites.

Available: on Standard, Pro, Business Legacy, and Enterprise editions.

Once your first intake form is ready, follow the steps below. You start by clicking on the Create flow button inside the Connect tab:

Create flow button in Ziflow

Then, an Intake form must be selected as the application:

Select Intake form as a flow application

Select the On submit option as the event.

On submit trigger event type

At this point, you need to choose from the list which intake form should be connected to the Zibot (alternatively, you can also create an intake form from this level):

Select already created intake form or add a new one

Once you’re done with the event configuration, you can proceed to set up an actual Zibot that is going to create proofs, send a request to a third-party app or create a path:

Select a flow Zibot

In this article, we'll cover a scenario that will create proof out of the file submitted through the intake form. Our next step will be proof configuration: building a workflow, adding reviewers, adjusting proof settings, etc. If you need more information on proof configuration, please visit the following Help Page.

P:roof configuration screen in Ziflow

When you’re done, click the Next button, and you will be asked to confirm if the Zibot should be saved and activated.

Confirm flow creation in Ziflow

After saving the Zibot, the process is finished. Users can start submitting files through the intake form. A proof will automatically be created whenever someone uploads a file through the form.


Webhook flows

Summary: Having the ability to keep your projects in sync as proofs progress through the review and approval workflow or being able to create proofing tasks for reviewers in your PM tool is a valuable component that Ziflow offers. We are actively working on extending our Zibots and integrations platform.

Available for: Administrators on Pro, Business Lgecay, and Enterprise editions.

Our newest Zibots allow you to trigger a flow when the following events occur on a proof:

  • New proof/version: triggers when a new proof is ready for review.

  • Decision: triggers when a decision is made by a reviewer or when a decision is updated on the stage and/or proof.

  • New comment/reply: triggers when a reviewer adds a comment/reply to the proof.

  • Comment resolved: triggers when a comment is marked as resolved.

  • Comment labeled: triggers when a reviewer labels a comment.

  • Proof updated: triggers when the proof folder, setting, or custom property changes.

  • Stage updated: triggers when a stage is started or when a reviewer is added/removed.

  • Comment reaction: triggers when a comment reaction is added on a comment/reply level.

Where is the feature setup?

Click on the Connect tab in the upper left corner of the screen, then click on the Create flow button. Instead of connecting to cloud storage, select the Ziflow application.

Create flow button in Ziflow

How does it work?

The first step is selecting the event that will trigger your Zibot:

List of Ziflow events

Next, you will be presented with the event details page, which will vary depending on your selected event.

New proof/version event settings
  1. Triggered by - select the type of request that will trigger the Zibot.

  2. Created in - select the Ziflow folder that will be monitored by this flow.

  3. Created by - select the user that will be responsible for this flow activation.

Decision made event settings
  1. Triggered by decision made - select what level decision needs to be made in order to activate the flow.

  2. Type of decision - choose the decision that needs to be made to activate the flow.

  3. Created in - select the Ziflow folder that is going to be monitored by this flow.

New comment/reply event settings

  1. Triggered by new comment / new reply - choose which option should activate the flow.

  2. Made by - choose if a Zibot should be activated by a specific reviewer or by anyone who adds a comment/reply.

  3. Created in - select the Ziflow folder that is going to be monitored by this flow.

Comment resolved event settings
  1. Created in - select the Ziflow folder that this flow will monitor.

Comment labelled event settings
  1. Comment is labelled as - select which label(s) should trigger a Zibot.

  2. Created in - select the Ziflow folder that is going to be monitored by this flow.

Proof updated event settings
  1. Triggered by - select which type of the proof updated event should trigger the Zibot.

  2. Modified in - choose the Ziflow folder that this flow will monitor.

Stage updated event configuration
  1. Triggered by - select which type of the stage updated event should trigger the Zibot. There are three types of stage update events: reviewer added, reviewer removed, stage locked, and deadline changed.

  2. Modified in - choose the Ziflow folder that this flow will monitor.

Comment reacted event settings
  1. Triggered by - choose if you want to trigger a flow based on reactions added to comments or replies.

  2. Comment reacted with - select what type of reaction should trigger a flow.

  3. Created in - select the Ziflow folder that is going to be monitored by this flow.

Next, choose a Webhook or Path Zibot:

Select webhook Zibot or split a flow using paths

Set up Webhook Zibot details:

Webhook Zibot configuration
  1. Create - select the type of request.

  2. URL (required) - enter the application URL where you will send the data.

  3. Query String Parameters - add which parameters you want to send.

  4. Headers - enter the header values for each request.

Once you hit the Next button, Ziflow will confirm if the flow looks good. If there are no problems, name the flow and turn it on.

Finish flow creation by giving it a name

Additional information:

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