Why it matters
Action steps turn a trigger into a useful automation. They can call an API, run custom logic, normalize data, or perform an operation in Whippy or another connected app. Choosing the simplest suitable action makes workflows easier to understand and maintain.
Key Concepts
Action Step: A step that performs work after a trigger or another step.
HTTP Request: Calls an API or web service.
Code Step: Runs custom code for logic that other steps cannot express.
Formatter: Parses or transforms common values without custom code.
App Step: Runs an action or search supplied by a supported integration.
Input: Data provided to the action.
Output: Data returned by the action for later steps.
Credential: The connected account or secret an app uses to perform an operation.
Test: A controlled execution used to inspect the action’s result before publishing.
HTTP Request
Use HTTP Request when you need to call an API that is not covered by a supported app action.
Configure the request method, URL, headers, query parameters, and body required by the receiving service. Insert variables when the request needs data from earlier steps.
Step-by-Step: Configure an HTTP Request
Add HTTP Request.
Select the HTTP method.
Enter the endpoint URL.
Add required headers and authentication details.
Add query parameters or a request body.
Insert variables from earlier steps.
Open Test and send a safe test request.
Review the status, response body, and errors.
Save the step.
Do not paste reusable passwords or private keys into ordinary text fields when a supported credential or secret mechanism is available.
Code Step
Use Code Step for custom calculations, object restructuring, or logic that the Formatter and flow controls cannot handle.
Keep code focused on one task. Clear inputs and predictable outputs make downstream mappings easier to understand.
Step-by-Step: Configure a Code Step
Add Code Step.
Define the values the code should receive.
Insert variables from earlier steps.
Write the code.
Run the step in Test.
Review returned data and console output.
Handle missing or unexpected values.
Save the step.
Use console output for debugging, but avoid logging passwords, tokens, or unnecessary personal data.
Formatter
Use Formatter for common deterministic transformations without an external API or AI model.
Formatter supports presets for:
Parsing an email address and display name
Normalizing phone numbers
Parsing, generating, and formatting dates and times
Cleaning text, stripping HTML, decoding entities, and collapsing whitespace
Mapping fields from JSON objects
Converting XML into an object or mapping selected XML fields
Step-by-Step: Configure a Formatter
Add Formatter.
Select the required preset.
Insert the source value from an earlier step.
Complete the preset-specific options.
Open Test.
Review the normalized output.
Save the step.
Use the Formatter output in later steps.
Choose Formatter before Code Step when it already supports the transformation you need. It is simpler to configure and produces a predictable output.
App Steps
App steps connect workflows to Whippy and third-party products. An app can expose actions that create or update data, searches that retrieve data, and sometimes triggers that start workflows.
Step-by-Step: Configure an App Action
Add a step and open Apps.
Search for the app.
Connect or select an account.
Choose the required action or search.
Complete the app-specific fields.
Insert variables from previous steps.
Open Test.
Run the action with safe test data.
Review the response.
Save the step.
The available apps and actions can change as integrations are added or updated. Use the action list shown in your workflow builder as the current source of truth.
Choose the Right Action
Use Formatter for supported parsing and normalization.
Use an app step when a native integration already provides the operation.
Use HTTP Request when the service has an API but no suitable app action.
Use Code Step for focused custom processing that cannot be expressed another way.
Use flow controls, rather than code, when you only need to filter, branch, loop, or wait.
Test Actions Safely
An action test can create records, send messages, update data, or call a live service.
Before testing:
Check which account and environment are connected.
Use a test contact, record, recipient, or channel.
Avoid destructive actions unless the target is disposable.
Review every inserted variable.
Confirm the expected output fields after the test.
Use Action Output
A successful action can make its output available to later steps. Test the action first, then open the variable picker in a later step and select the exact field you need.
Action results commonly place returned values under a data object. Prefer the variable picker over manually typing a field path.
Tips and Best Practices
Give each action a clear name describing its outcome.
Keep Code Steps small and use Formatter for supported transformations.
Prefer supported app actions over custom HTTP requests.
Use least-privilege credentials with access only to required records and actions.
Test all steps that send messages or modify data.
Add an error path when a supported action needs fallback handling.
Review third-party API limits and response behavior.
Never expose secrets in step names, descriptions, logs, or sample data.
Troubleshooting
Issue | Possible Cause | Fix |
An HTTP request fails | The URL, method, authentication, headers, or body may be incorrect | Compare the configuration with the API documentation and inspect the test response |
A Code Step returns no usable data | The code does not return the expected object or an input is missing | Inspect the inputs and console output, then return a predictable object |
A Formatter test fails | The value does not match the selected preset or required options are missing | Check the source value and preset settings |
An app action is unavailable | The app may not be enabled or may not provide that operation | Search the current app catalog or use HTTP Request when appropriate |
An app action is unauthorized | The credential expired or lacks permission | Reconnect the account and confirm its access in the external app |
A later step cannot find output data | The action has not been tested or returned a different structure | Test the action and select the field again from the variable picker |