When to use an app trigger  

Use an app trigger when the flow must start from an event in an application.

1. A new lead is created in Zoho CRM
   
2. An order is created in Shopify
   
3. An invoice is paid in an accounting app
   
4. A ticket is closed in a support app
   

App trigger mechanism  

Depending on the application and event, app triggers work in one of the following modes.

Realtime

The flow starts as soon as the event occurs.

Polling

Note: The app trigger mechanism is fixed and cannot be changed. You can identify whether a trigger is polling or real-time from the label shown next to the trigger name.

Before you begin  

Before configuring an app trigger, make sure that:

1. The required application is supported in Zoho Flow
   
2. You have permission to access the required data in the source app
   
3. You have a valid connection for the app
   
   

1. Click Configure in the app trigger block in the builder.
   
2. Select the required application and click Next.
   
3. Choose the trigger event listed under the selected application.
   
4. Click Connect to create a new connection, or select an existing connection from the dropdown.
   After configuring the connection, the variable name is auto-filled. You can edit it if needed. When renaming the variable, note the following:
       The name must start with a letter
       It can contain letters, numbers, and underscores
       Spaces and other special characters are not supported
   
   
5. Configure any additional fields that appear.
   
6. Click Done.
   
7. Test the trigger to fetch sample data.
   

Info:

• Using clear variable names helps make field mapping and flow maintenance easier.

• For real-time triggers, sample data for testing and debugging is shown only when the flow owner tests the trigger.
  

Using trigger criteria  

Trigger criteria lets you control when the app trigger should start the flow. Instead of running the flow for every event, you can define conditions based on the trigger data.

Use trigger criteria when you want to filter events at the trigger level before the rest of the flow runs.

For example, you can configure the trigger to run only when:

1. The deal stage is Quotation
   
2. The invoice amount is greater than a specific value
   
3. The lead source matches a specific channel
   

Using trigger output  

When the trigger runs, it provides output fields as variables that you can use in the rest of the flow.

• Map fields in actions

• Apply conditions using logic elements

• Pass information between connected applications

The fields available in the output depend on the selected application and trigger event.

Controlling flow execution with logic  

By default, a flow runs every time the trigger event occurs. To control what happens after the trigger runs, you can use logic elements such as Decision.

A decision step helps you evaluate conditions and control which path the flow should follow.

For example, you can:

• Continue only if Deal stage = Quotation

• Continue only if Invoice status = Paid

• Take different paths based on lead source

Note: Use AND when the flow should continue only if all conditions are true. Use OR when the flow should continue if at least one condition is true.

Use case: Send a message in Zoho Cliq when a new lead is created in Zoho CRM  

You can use an app trigger to start a flow automatically when a new record is created in an application.

For example, if you want your team to be notified whenever a new lead is added in Zoho CRM, you can create a flow that posts a message in Zoho Cliq with the lead details.

This is useful when your sales or support team wants to stay informed about new leads without checking Zoho CRM manually.

How it works  

New lead (Zoho CRM) → Message in channel (Zoho Cliq)

When a new lead is created in Zoho CRM, the flow posts a message in the designated Zoho Cliq channel with details such as the lead name, company, phone number, and email address. The team can view the message instantly and follow up without switching to Zoho CRM.