Zapier Integration Guide

Automate your real estate workflow by connecting Panda IDX to 5,000+ apps with Zapier. Sync contacts, automate follow-ups, and streamline your business operations without writing code.

What is Zapier?

Zapier is an automation platform that connects different web applications together. With Zapier, you can create automated workflows (called "Zaps") that trigger actions when specific events occur in Panda IDX.

Common Use Cases

• Email Marketing: Automatically add new Panda IDX contacts to Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or ActiveCampaign
• CRM Sync: Sync contacts with Salesforce, HubSpot, or Zoho CRM
• Lead Notifications: Send SMS or Slack messages when new leads are captured
• Spreadsheet Tracking: Add new contacts to Google Sheets or Airtable
• Follow-up Automation: Create tasks in Asana, Trello, or Monday.com for new leads
• Communication: Send WhatsApp or SMS messages to new contacts automatically

Getting Started

Follow these three simple steps to connect Panda IDX with Zapier.

Prerequisites

• Active Panda IDX account (Sign up)
• Zapier account (Sign up free)
• Admin or API access in Panda IDX

Step 1: Generate Your API Key

Your API key is required to authenticate Zapier with your Panda IDX account.

API Key Security Best Practices

• Never commit API keys to version control (Git, GitHub)
• Don't share keys in emails, chat messages, or screenshots
• Regenerate keys if compromised or exposed
• Use separate keys for different integrations (if supported)
• Monitor API usage regularly in your dashboard

Step 2: Connect Panda IDX with Zapier

Now that you have your API key, let's connect Panda IDX to Zapier.

Step 3: Use "Get Contacts" Trigger

The "Get Contacts" trigger retrieves contact information from your Panda IDX CRM when new contacts are added or updated.

How It Works

• Trigger Type: Polling (checks for new contacts every 5-15 minutes)
• Trigger Event: New contact created or existing contact updated
• Data Returned: Full contact object with all available fields

Configure the Trigger

Complete Fields Reference

When using the "Get Contacts" trigger, these fields are available for use in your Zaps:

Core Fields

Contact Details

Address Information

CRM Fields

Social Media & Links

Additional Fields

Example JSON Data

Here's what a complete contact object looks like when received from the API:

{
  "id": "507f1f77bcf86cd799439011",
  "name": "John Smith",
  "email": "john@example.com",
  "phones": [
    {
      "type": "mobile",
      "number": "+1-305-555-0123",
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "type": "work",
      "number": "+1-305-555-0124",
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "createdAt": "2025-01-15T10:30:00.000Z",
  "updatedAt": "2025-01-20T14:45:00.000Z",
  "stage": "Lead",
  "source": "Website Contact Form",
  "image": "https://cdn.pandaidx.com/avatars/507f1f77bcf86cd799439011.jpg",
  "spokenLanguages": [
    "English",
    "Spanish"
  ],
  "address": {
    "street": "123 Main Street",
    "city": "Miami",
    "state": "FL",
    "zip": "33101",
    "country": "USA"
  },
  "links": {
    "facebook": "https://facebook.com/johnsmith",
    "instagram": "@johnsmith",
    "linkedin": "https://linkedin.com/in/johnsmith",
    "twitter": "@johnsmith",
    "website": "https://johnsmith.com"
  },
  "tags": [
    "buyer",
    "luxury",
    "brickell"
  ],
  "notes": "Looking for 3BR condo in Brickell area. Budget up to $500k. Wants to move by March.",
  "budget": 500000,
  "propertyType": "Condo"
}

Popular Zap Templates

1. Add New Contacts to Google Sheets

What it does: Automatically add new Panda IDX contacts to a Google Sheets spreadsheet.

Setup:

1. Trigger: Panda IDX - Get Contacts
2. Action: Google Sheets - Create Spreadsheet Row
3. Map fields: Name, Email, Phone, Stage, Created Date

Use case: Track all leads in a spreadsheet for reporting and analysis.

2. Send New Lead Notifications to Slack

What it does: Post a message in Slack whenever a new lead is captured in Panda IDX.

Setup:

1. Trigger: Panda IDX - Get Contacts
2. Action: Slack - Send Channel Message
3. Customize message: Include contact name, email, source

Use case: Keep your team instantly notified of new leads.

3. Add Contacts to Mailchimp

What it does: Automatically add new Panda IDX contacts to your Mailchimp email list.

Setup:

1. Trigger: Panda IDX - Get Contacts
2. Action: Mailchimp - Add/Update Subscriber
3. Map fields: Email, Name, Tags

Use case: Build your email marketing list automatically.

4. Create CRM Records in HubSpot

What it does: Sync Panda IDX contacts to HubSpot CRM.

Setup:

1. Trigger: Panda IDX - Get Contacts
2. Action: HubSpot - Create Contact
3. Map fields: Email, Name, Phone, Company

Use case: Keep multiple CRMs in sync.

5. Send SMS via Twilio

What it does: Send an SMS to your phone when high-priority leads are captured.

Setup:

1. Trigger: Panda IDX - Get Contacts
2. Filter: Only if Stage = "Hot Lead"
3. Action: Twilio - Send SMS
4. Message: "New hot lead: {{Name}} - {{Email}}"

Use case: Never miss urgent opportunities.

Advanced Automation Ideas

Multi-Step Zaps

Combine multiple actions for complex workflows.

Example 1: Complete Lead Onboarding

Example 2: Open House Registration Workflow

Filters & Paths

Use Zapier filters to create conditional logic.

Example 3: Route Leads by Type

Webhooks

For advanced users, use Zapier webhooks to trigger custom actions:

1. Set up a webhook URL in Zapier
2. Configure Panda IDX to send events to the webhook
3. Process data with custom code (Python, JavaScript)
4. Trigger any action you want

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. API Key Invalid

Problem: Zapier says "API key is invalid"

Solution:

• Verify you copied the entire key (no spaces or line breaks)
• Check if the key is active in Panda IDX settings
• Regenerate a new key and try again
• Ensure you have API access permissions

2. No Contacts Found

Problem: Test trigger returns no contacts

Solution:

• Ensure you have contacts in your Panda IDX CRM
• Check date range filters (too narrow?)
• Verify stage/source filters aren't excluding all contacts
• Try removing all filters temporarily

3. Zap Not Triggering

Problem: Zap is on but not running when new contacts are added

Solution:

• Check if Zap is actually turned ON (toggle switch)
• Wait 5-15 minutes (polling delay)
• Verify contact meets all filter criteria
• Check Zap History for errors
• Ensure API key hasn't expired

4. Missing Field Data

Problem: Some contact fields are empty in Zapier

Solution:

• Check if those fields are filled in Panda IDX
• Optional fields may be null/empty
• Update contact in Panda IDX and trigger again
• Map to default values if field is empty

5. Rate Limiting

Problem: Zap stops working after many runs

Solution:

• Check your Zapier plan limits (free = 100 tasks/month)
• Upgrade Zapier plan if needed
• Contact Panda IDX support for API rate limits
• Add delay/throttle between actions

API Rate Limits

To ensure optimal performance for all users, Panda IDX API has the following limits:

• Free Plan: 100 requests/hour
• Pro Plan: 1,000 requests/hour
• Enterprise Plan: 10,000 requests/hour

Exceeded limits?

• Requests will return HTTP 429 (Too Many Requests)
• Wait 1 hour before next request window
• Upgrade plan for higher limits
• Contact support for custom limits

Best Practices

1. Test Before Going Live

Always test your Zaps thoroughly:

• Use test data first
• Verify all fields map correctly
• Check destination app for test records
• Turn on Zap only after successful tests

2. Use Filters Wisely

Don't overwhelm your systems:

• Filter by stage (only "Hot Leads")
• Filter by source (exclude imports)
• Filter by date (only recent contacts)
• Use delay actions to pace requests

3. Monitor Your Zaps

Check regularly:

• Review Zap History weekly
• Fix errors promptly
• Update broken connections
• Archive unused Zaps

4. Organize Your Zaps

Keep things tidy:

• Use descriptive Zap names
• Add Zap descriptions/notes
• Group related Zaps in folders
• Document your workflows

5. Secure Your API Keys

Protect your data:

• Never share API keys publicly
• Rotate keys periodically (every 90 days)
• Use separate keys per integration
• Revoke old/unused keys

Getting Help

Panda IDX Support

Need help with the integration?

• Email: info@pandaidx.com
• Live Chat: Available in dashboard
• Documentation: API Reference

Zapier Support

Questions about Zapier?

• Zapier Help: help.zapier.com
• Community Forum: community.zapier.com
• Video Tutorials: zapier.com/learn

Related Resources

• Zapier Homepage - Sign up for Zapier
• Zapier App Directory - Browse 5,000+ apps
• Panda IDX API Documentation - Developer reference
• Integrations Overview - View all integrations

Ready to automate? Create your first Zap today and streamline your real estate workflow!

Questions? Contact info@pandaidx.com