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Best answer

Looping: "Cannot unpause Zap with more than one Looping by Zapier step."

  • 10 June 2022
  • 6 replies
  • 109 views
M
Userlevel 1
Badge

Hello. 

I am setting up a Zap to update a number of rows in a Google Sheets spreadsheet. However, it seems that it is only possible to use a single “Looping” component in the Zap.

 

I have set up 4 paths and require looping in two or three of them in order to update a number of rows in Google Sheets with line-item support. But it seems that it is only possible to activate the Zap if I delete other Looping components, as the error message read: “Cannot unpause Zap with more than one Looping by Zapier step.”. 

 

Is it correct that only one looping component can be active in a Zap?

icon

Best answer by christina.d 19 July 2022, 23:17

View original

6 replies

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

Hi @MartinKjeldP 

Good question.

As a workaround, try this…

You can chain Zaps together using Webhooks to achieve the concept of Paths. (Paths have limitations as well)

EXAMPLE

Zap 1

  1. Trigger: ???
  2. Action: Webhook - POST
    1. Triggers Zap 2, 3, etc.

 

Zap 2

  1. Trigger: Webhook - Catch Hook
    1. Use the generated webhook URL in Zap 1, Step 2
  2. Action: Filter
  3. Action: Looping
  4. Action: ???

 

6. Optional: Trigger multiple Zaps with webhooks

 

If you have multiple webhooks you want to trigger from the same event in your app, you can combine their URLs into a single URL. For example, if you have three Zaps, the URLs would look like this:

https://hooks.zapier.com/hooks/catch/123456/zbB61

https://hooks.zapier.com/hooks/catch/123456/kzXC4

https://hooks.zapier.com/hooks/catch/123456/2Ajjn

You can take the last part of each URLs and combine them into a single URL like this:
https://zapier.com/hooks/catch/123456/zbB61,kzXC4,2Ajjn

Requests sent to this URL will trigger all three webhook URLs at once.

 
⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Premier Certified Zapier Expert | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
M
Userlevel 1
Badge

Hi @Troy Tessalone 

Thank you for your response.

However, your proposed workaround is not viable. The whole point of keeping the actions in a single Zap is to easily follow the steps undertaken, to monitor how data is moved, and to minimise the number of steps and automated tasks. 

But thank you nonetheless.

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@MartinKjeldP

I think you may want to reconsider this approach, considering it’s a viable solution and you’ve encountered limitations with your current approach to configuring the Zaps.

 

Paths have limitations.

Max top level Paths: 5

Paths can’t be cloned.

 

Whereas, Zaps can be cloned and easily edited, while being chained together with Webhooks.

Keep in mind Zap trigger steps do NOT count as Tasks.

 

Really comes down to properly labeling the Zaps to trace the data flow in the Zap Runs: https://zapier.com/app/history/

  • 1.0.
    • 2.A.
    • 2.B.
    • 2.C.

 

⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Premier Certified Zapier Expert | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
M
Userlevel 1
Badge

@Troy Tessalone 

Thank you for the message; however, it would be much more simple if it were possible to use more than one Looping component in a Zap. I am not particularly interested in a workaround that requires me to break a Zap into n-number of other Zaps, as all other objectives of the task are achieved using a single Zap with paths. 

So my question remains: Is it correct that only one looping component can be active in a Zap? There seems to be no information available on the limitations of looping components (https://zapier.com/help/create/other-functions/loop-your-zap-actions)

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@MartinKjeldP

Can I create nested loops?

Nested loops are not supported. You won’t be able to turn on a Zap with more than 1 Looping by Zapier Step.

⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Premier Certified Zapier Expert | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
christina.d
Userlevel 7
Badge +9

Hi there, @MartinKjeldP! Thanks for stopping by.

I wanted to confirm that Troy is indeed correct, regarding Nested loops not being supported at this time.

That said, it is an open feature request! I went ahead and added your vote to this. While I can’t offer any estimates on when or if this will be offered, we’ll be sure to you an email if that changes. We’ll also keep this topic updated as well. 

Thanks again for sharing your feedback! 🙂

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