Zapier integration (Beta)

Connect MessageDesk to thousands of other apps using Zapier.
Automate workflows by triggering actions when messages are sent or received, or perform tasks like creating contacts, sending messages, and adding comments when events occur in other tools.

Permissions required. To build a Zap that authenticates with your MessageDesk account, your user role needs Editor or Owner on the Developer feature in Team Management. Admins have this by default. Viewers can’t authenticate Zapier under their own account, so any Zap a Viewer builds or owns won’t run.Each Zap runs under the MessageDesk account that authenticated it. If a Zap stops working, check the authenticated user’s role first.

What you can automate

When a message is received → Create helpdesk tickets, send Slack or Teams notifications, or log messages to Google Sheets.
When a message is sent → Update CRM records, trigger a follow-up task, or post delivery updates.
From your CRM, forms, or scheduling tools → Automatically create or update contacts in MessageDesk and send personalized text messages.
From payments or invoicing systems → Send SMS confirmations when a customer pays or when a new invoice is issued.

Requirements:

A Zapier account and a connected MessageDesk workspace.
Outbound texting via Zapier follows the same registration, delivery, and compliance standards as sending directly from MessageDesk.

How Zapier works

Each Zap has two main components:

Type	Description
Trigger	The event that starts your Zap (e.g., a message received in MessageDesk).
Action	The task Zapier performs after the trigger fires (e.g., send a message or create a contact).

Available MessageDesk triggers

Trigger	Description
Message Received	Fires when your workspace receives a new inbound text message.
Message Sent	Fires when a message is sent from your workspace (manual or automated).

Available MessageDesk actions

Action	Description
Create or Update Contact	Adds a new contact or updates an existing one based on phone number.
Send Message	Sends a text message through your MessageDesk workspace.
Create Comment	Posts a new comment in a MessageDesk conversation thread.

Triggers

Message Received

Fires when your MessageDesk workspace receives an inbound message.

Field	Required	Description
Workspace Name	✅	The name of your MessageDesk workspace.

Message Sent

Fires when your MessageDesk workspace sends an outbound message.

Field	Required	Description
Workspace Name	✅	The name of your MessageDesk workspace.

Actions

Create or Update Contact

Creates or updates a contact in your selected workspace. Perfect for syncing leads, form submissions, or new customer signups.

Field	Required	Description
Workspace Name	✅	The name of your MessageDesk workspace.
Contact Phone Number	✅	The contact’s phone number in E.164 format (e.g., `+15551234567`).
First Name / Last Name	❌	Optional contact name fields.
Email	❌	Optional email address.

Send Message

Sends an outbound text message from MessageDesk. Each Zap run sends one message at a time.

Field	Required	Description
Workspace Name	✅	The name of your MessageDesk workspace.
Workspace Number to Send From	✅	The phone number you’ll send the message from (E.164 format).
Recipient Number	✅	The phone number to send your message to (E.164 format).
Message Text	✅	The body of your message.

Messages sent through Zapier count toward your MessageDesk usage and must follow the same carrier and compliance rules as messages sent from your Inbox.

MessageDesk enforces opt-outs automatically. If the recipient has opted out in MessageDesk, the Send Message action fails and no text is delivered, even if the Zap itself runs successfully on Zapier’s side. You can’t bypass opt-out enforcement. See the Compliance Center for how MessageDesk captures and manages opt-outs.

Create Comment

Posts a comment in an existing conversation thread. Use this action to add internal notes, mention teammates, or automate updates from other apps.

Field	Required	Description
Workspace Name	✅	The name of your MessageDesk workspace.
Workspace Number	✅	The phone number tied to the workspace conversation (E.164 format).
Contact Number	✅	The contact’s phone number to identify the conversation.
Comment Text	✅	The text body of your comment.

How to build your first MessageDesk Zap

1. Gain early beta access

Request access here to join the Zapier beta.

2. Accept the invitation from Zapier in your inbox

Go to your email, find an invitation from Zapier, and click accept to gain access to the Zapier integration.

Note: You must be an admin for your Zapier account to accept the invitation and gain access to the MessageDesk Zapier integration.

3. Log in to Zapier

Once you accept the invitation, visit zapier.com to log in or create a new account.

4. Create a new Zap

Click Create Zap on your dashboard.

5. Add MessageDesk

Search for MessageDesk (Invite Only) and select version 1.2.0 from the dropdown.

You can use MessageDesk as either a trigger or an action.

6. Choose a trigger

Select one of the following:

Message Received
Message Sent

Then connect your MessageDesk account and select your workspace.

7. Add an action

Choose from:

Create or Update Contact
Send Message
Create Comment

Map your fields, test your Zap, and turn it on.

Popular Zapier workflows

Use these examples to get inspired and automate common MessageDesk tasks:

Workflow	Connected Apps	Description
New CRM Lead → Add to MessageDesk	HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zoho CRM	When a new lead is created, automatically create or update the contact in MessageDesk and send a personalized welcome text.
Job or Appointment Booked → Send Reminder Text	Calendly, Google Calendar, Jobber	Send automated appointment reminders or confirmations directly from MessageDesk.
New Message in MessageDesk → Notify Teammates	Slack, Microsoft Teams	Post a notification with message details and contact info when a new message arrives in MessageDesk.
Invoice Created or Payment Received → Send Confirmation SMS	QuickBooks, Xero	When a new invoice is issued or a payment is logged, send a text confirmation to the customer.
New Form Submission → Create Comment with Mention	Google Forms, Typeform	Automatically post a comment when a new form or chatbot submission is received.
Email or Message → Comment in Thread	Outlook, Gmail, Teams	Create an internal comment in MessageDesk when an external email or chat arrives, keeping your team aligned.
Customer Review Received → Thank You Text	Google Reviews, Mailchimp	Automatically send a thank-you message when a customer leaves a new review or completes feedback.
New Twilio BYOC Number Added → Notify Slack Channel	Twilio, Slack	Post a message to a Slack channel when a new Twilio BYOC number is connected to MessageDesk so admins and the support team stay in sync on phone-line changes.
New Opted-Out Contact → Update CRM Record as Unsubscribed	HubSpot, Salesforce	When a contact opts out of SMS in MessageDesk, flag the matching CRM record as unsubscribed so marketing automations and sales sequences stop messaging them.
Conversation Closed → Create Follow-Up Task	Asana, ClickUp, Monday.com	When you close a MessageDesk conversation, create a follow-up task in your project management tool so nothing slips through after you resolve the thread.

Best practices

✅ Include opt-out text: “Reply STOP to opt out” for promotional or automated messages.
✅ Always use E.164 format: +15551234567 for all phone numbers.
✅ Test with real data: Before turning on your Zap.
⚠️ Avoid bulk sends: Each Zap run sends one message. Use MessageDesk Broadcasts for larger campaigns.
🧩 Use filters and conditions: Limit your Zaps to relevant events (e.g., only messages containing “Support”).

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Authentication fails when connecting to MessageDesk	Reconnect your account in Zapier and confirm you’re using the correct workspace and Zap version 1.2.0.
Zap fails during testing	Make sure all phone numbers are formatted correctly in E.164.
Message sent but not delivered	Check Delivery Status & Errors for details.
Send Message action fails for a specific contact	Confirm the contact hasn’t opted out. MessageDesk automatically blocks outbound messages to opted-out contacts, so the Zap action fails even though the Zap itself runs. See Compliance Center.
Zap not triggering	Verify the correct trigger and workspace setup. Send a test message to fire the event.
Contact not updating correctly	Check field mappings and confirm the contact’s phone number matches existing records.
My Zap built fine but isn’t firing (or one Zap works and another doesn’t)	Check which MessageDesk user authenticated that specific Zap in Zapier. Each Zap runs under the user whose credentials connected the MessageDesk account. That user must have Editor or Owner on the Developer feature in Team Management. Common cause: an admin authenticated one Zap (works), and a teammate without Developer permission authenticated another (fails). Re-authenticate the failing Zap with a user who has the right permission, or have an admin grant the existing user Developer = Editor.

Getting Started

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Additional resources

MessageDesk Zapier Integration (Beta)

Zapier integration (Beta)

What you can automate

How Zapier works

Available MessageDesk triggers

Available MessageDesk actions