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Question

How are app developers encouraged to support "Find New Records" in the editor?

  • 14 January 2024
  • 5 replies
  • 27 views
bridgman
Userlevel 1

I’ve encountered a couple of apps now that have decided to support “Find New Records” in the editor by always returning the same dummy data rather than an actual recent record from my linked account. How are developers encouraged to support this button? Testing with dummy data is impossible and manually modifying the dummy data to incorporate enough real data to function is tedious time consuming. I’d like to be able to point them to something in the developer docs and say “please do this.”

I did a quick search of the developer docs but didn’t see anything.

5 replies

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

Hi @bridgman 

Can you provide specific examples of the apps and returned data with screenshots to give context?

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

Well, I didn’t want to publicly shame any company, but the current example is Anchor.sh. In the example below, Emily Bookkeeping is dummy data -- does not exist in my Anchor account. Records C, B, A are all identical dummy data. (The modified record is one I created to I can test the Zap.)

The second place I’ve run into this was SimpleTexting.com -- they may have fixed it since; I got my zaps working and have not needed to revisit.

 

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

Hi @bridgman 

Some apps return representative dummy data for triggers/searches so you can configure the Zap action steps.

If the issue with the Find Records when the Zap is ON and running, then that’s a bug.

Best to share this feedback via a ticket to Zapier Support: https://zapier.com/app/get-help

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

Is there discussion in the developer docs or elsewhere about how they should handle “find new records”? Dummy data, representative or no, is only minimally useful when trying to build a zap. If developers aren’t be encouraged to supply real data, then I have a suggestion for Zapier.

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@bridgman 

Some Zapier Developer articles to reference:

https://platform.zapier.com/build/search

https://platform.zapier.com/build/search-or-create

 

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

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