Integration with Ignition using Zapier

This article explains how to use Zapier to integrate FYI with Ignition, creating links to proposals, and new jobs when services are accepted.

To use this integration, practices must create a Zapier account. The Professional plan is the minimum required to enable the creation of multi-step Zaps. Refer to zapier.com/pricing

Note: For practices integrated with Xero Practice Manager, this integration currently does not synchronise jobs to XPM. This will be resolved in a future update. 

Before you Begin

Before you can complete the steps below, ensure your Zapier account has been connected with FYI and Ignition. Refer to:

• Connecting FYI with Zapier: Integration with Zapier 
• Connecting Ignition with Zapier: Ignition and Zapier (Ignition Help Centre)

Create Billing and Workflow Jobs

This zap is used to create Billing and Workflow Jobs in FYI when a client accepts a service.

Creating a Workflow Job is only available to practices on the FYI Elite plan. Practices on the Pro plan integrated with Xero Practice Manager use XPM Tasks to create XPM Workflow Jobs. Refer to XPM Workflow Jobs.

Note: If practices have integrated Ignition with Xero Practice Manager, ensure that jobs are not created in XPM to avoid creating duplicate jobs in FYI. 

Step 1. Ignition app - Service Accepted by Client

1. From the Zapier Home Page, click + Create and select Zap to begin creating a new zap.
   
   
2. For the Trigger, search for an app and select Ignition.
   For more information on Triggers, refer to the Zapier article Set up your Zap trigger.
   
   
3. Select the Service Accepted by Client event. 
   
4. Click Continue and ensure your account has been connected.
   
   
5. Test the trigger and click Continue with selected record.

Step 2. Formatter by Zapier app - Text (optional)

In this step, the Formatter service helps you extract Service Names from Ignition for use in later steps of your zap, such as naming a Workflow Job.

For instance, you might have multiple bookkeeping services:

• Bookkeeping - services for 100 lines
• Bookkeeping - services for 200 lines

Using the Formatter, you can isolate "Bookkeeping" from the detailed descriptions, making it easier to reference the service names in subsequent zap actions.

Using the separator of a hyphen (-), the formatter tool will be able to separate the text to "Bookkeeping".

1. Select the app Formatter by Zapier, and the Text event.
   
2. In the Action tab, update the fields as per below to separate the Service Name.
   
   Transform
   Select Split Text from the dropdown.
   
   Input
   Select the Service Name from Ignition in the dropdown.
   
   Separator
   A dropdown will be displayed to select data, however you can type directly into the separator field. 
   Depending on your Service Name, select a character that when used will separate the values. For example, if a hyphen is selected as the separator, the service name "Proposal - Accounting services" would be separated into two values, "Proposal" and "Accounting services".
   
   Note: If using spaces before and after hyphen, ensure you include spaces in the separator to ensure only the service name is extracted i.e. " - "
   
3. Click Continue and test the step.

Step 3. FYI app - Create or Update Job (Standard or Billing Job)

This step is used to create a new job in FYI, using details sourced from Ignition. The recommended fields to be populated are discussed below, and practices can update the remaining fields if required.

For Billing Jobs, Budget values are not entered in Zapier, and will be calculated from the linked Workflow Jobs in FYI.

Note: Required fields are indicated in Zapier where (required) is displayed after the field name.

1. Click + to add a new step.
   
   
2. Search and select the FYI app.
   
   
3. Select the Create or Update Job event, and click Continue.
   
4. On the Action tab, update the fields as required.
   
   Name
   The name of the Job will appear in FYI, for example, in the Job List.
   
   Create job if it doesn't exist yet
   Set the option to True to ensure a new job is created in FYI.
   
   Job Type
   Select from Standard, or if using Workflow Jobs, select Billing.
   Note: Workflow Jobs can be created in the next step (covered below) or by assigning Workflow Job Templates to the Billing Job Template in FYI. Refer to Billing & Workflow Job Templates.
   
   Client Email
   Select the Ignition Contact Email field from the dropdown.
   
   Client Name
   This field is optional, and if not provided, the Contact Email will be used to select the job for the client. If preferred, select the Ignition Client Name from the dropdown.
   
   Job Template
   FYI requires all jobs to be linked to a Job Template to define the Billing Information. The selected Template must be the same type as the job i.e. A Standard Job cannot use a Workflow Job template. Refer to Managing Job Templates.
   Note: If not selected in the zap, Custom Fields will be populated from the Job Template. All other fields must be populated in the zap.
   
   Job State
   The current status of the job, for example, Planned. Select an option from the dropdown. Refer to Managing Job States.
   
   Job Code
   A unique number assigned to the job, used when linking the Workflow Job to the Billing Job in a future step (optional). Job Codes are displayed as the Job Number in FYI, for example, on the Job - Summary tab. If a Job Code isn't specified, one will be assigned automatically by FYI.
   
   Select the Proposal Reference from Ignition. This will allow invoices to synchronise to the correct Job. Refer to Can I upgrade to the Elite Plan if I'm integrated with Ignition?
   
   Start Date and End Date
   Select the Ignition Start and End Date fields from the dropdown
   
   
5. All remaining job fields can be populated as required.
   
   
6. Click Continue and test the step. A Billing Job will be created in FYI.

Step 4. Formatter by Zapier - Utilities (optional)

The Formatter app by Zapier transforms data into another format. This step is optional, and used to dynamically select a Workflow Job Template when creating a Workflow Job, depending on the Service from Ignition.

The Formatter step will be used to match the Service Names in Step 2 to a corresponding Job Template code from FYI. 

To find the Job Template IDs:

1. In FYI, click Settings in the top right-hand corner.
   
   
2. Select Practice Settings and then select Jobs.
   
   
3. Click the Templates tab.
   
   
4. The Job Templates will be displayed. Refer to the Template ID column.
   

To create the Formatter Utilities Transform Table

1. Click the + button to add a step.
   
   
2. Select the app Formatter by Zapier.
   
   
3. Select the Utilities event and click Continue.
   
   
4. On the Action tab, select the Transform option Lookup Table.
   
5. In the Lookup Key field select 2. Text (the Formatter - Text step created earlier) and Output. The service name will be displayed as an example.
   
6. In the Lookup Table enter the name of the Service from Ignition on the left, and the Job Template ID on the right.
   
7. Click + to add more rows, until all the required Job Templates for the services have been added.
   
   
8. Click Continue.

Step 5. FYI app - Create or Update Job (Workflow Job) (optional)

This step is used to create Workflow Jobs in FYI.

If a Standard Job was created in Step 3, or Workflow Jobs have been assigned to the Billing Job Template in FYI, this step can be disregarded. Workflow Jobs will be created automatically in FYI when the Billing Job is created in step 3.

Important notes:

• Duplicate jobs will be created if Workflow Job Templates have been assigned to the Billing Job Template, and a step is added in Zapier to create Workflow Jobs.
  
  
• Creating a Workflow Job is only available to practices on the FYI Elite plan. Practices on the Pro plan integrated with Xero Practice Manager use XPM Tasks to create XPM Workflow Jobs. Refer to XPM Workflow Jobs.

To create a zap step to create a Workflow Job:

1. Click + to add a new step.
   
   
2. Search and select the FYI app.
   
   
3. Select the Create or Update Job event, and click Continue.
   
4. On the Action tab, update the fields as required.
   
   Name
   Select the Output from Step 2. Formatter by Zapier app - Text to use the Service Name to dynamically create the Job Name. This will then be used to identify the Job Template.
   
   Create job if it doesn't exist yet
   Select True.
   
   Job Type
   Select Workflow
   
   Billing Job
   Select the Job ID from the output of the Job created in Step 3. FYI app - Create or Update Job (Standard or Billing Job). This will ensure the Workflow Job is linked to the correct Billing Job.
   
   Client Email
   Select the Ignition Contact Email field from the dropdown.
   
   Client Name
   This field is optional, and if not provided, the Contact Email will be used to select the job for the client. If preferred, select the Ignition Client Name from the dropdown. This field is optional, and if not provided, the Contact Email will be used to select the job for the client. If preferred, select the Ignition Client Name from the dropdown.
   
   Job Template
   Select the Output item from Step 4. Formatter by Zapier - Utilities (optional). This will identify the Template automatically depending on the service.
   Note: If not selected in the zap, Custom Fields and Budget Values (Workflow Jobs only) will be populated from the Job Template. All other fields must be populated in the zap.
   
   Job State
   The current status of the job, for example, Planned. Select an option from the dropdown. Refer to Managing Job States.
   
   Job Code
   A unique number assigned to the job. The Job Number is displayed on the Job - Summary tab in FYI. If a Job Code isn't specified, one will be assigned automatically by FYI.
   
   Start Date and End Date
   Select the Ignition Start and End Date fields from the dropdown
   
   
5. All remaining job fields can be populated as required.
   
   
6. Click Continue and test the step. A Workflow Job will be created in FYI.

Create a Web Link when a Proposal is Accepted

This zap recipe allows you to create Web Links in FYI directly to accepted Proposals in Ignition. 

Step 1. Ignition App - Proposal Accepted

1. From the Zapier Home Page, click + Create and select Zap to begin creating a new zap.
   
   
2. Click the Trigger to search for an app, and select Ignition.
   For more information on Triggers, refer to the Zapier article Set up your Zap trigger.
   
   
3. Select the Proposal Accepted event to trigger the Zap when clients have signed and accepted the proposal.
   
4. Follow the prompts to connect your account.
   
   
5. Click Test to test the step and retrieve a signed proposal from Ignition.
   
   
6. Click Continue with the selected record.

Step 2. FYI app - Create Web Link

This step is used to create a link directly in FYI to easily access the proposal in Ignition.

1. If not prompted automatically to select an app, click the + sign in the Workflow, to add another step. 
   
   
2. Select the app of FYI and the Create Web Link event.
   
3. On the Action tab, update the fields as required.
   For more information on creating actions, refer to the Zapier article Set up your Zap action.
   
   The recommended fields to be populated are described below.
   
   Name
   This identifies the Web Link internally in FYI, for example, when viewing the Web Link on lists. The name can be manually entered into the field, or a dynamic value selected from the dropdown. Combine both to create a personalised name each time a Web Link is created, for example, "Accepted Proposal (Client Name)", as shown in the example above.
   
   Web Link
   The URL to the Proposal PDF. Select the Ignition Proposal PDF URL from the dropdown.
   
   Cabinet
   A list of Cabinets from FYI will be available in the dropdown. Select a Cabinet to file the Web Link against. Refer to Managing Cabinets.
   
   Source
   Select Client Name from the dropdown.
   
   Client Email
   Select Contact Email from the dropdown. 
   
   
4. Click Continue and follow the prompts to test the step. A web link will be added to FYI for the client.