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  • Zapier Custom Event error: Event name can only contain '-', '_', and alphanumeric characters with a length of 2-30
Best answer

Zapier Custom Event error: Event name can only contain '-', '_', and alphanumeric characters with a length of 2-30

  • 5 June 2023
  • 7 replies
  • 177 views
ClintonAtSD
Userlevel 1

Hi guys. I’m relatively new to Zapier. So I want to set up two automations. 
1. I want new subscribers in Stripe to move to Mailchimp so they get an automated email in Stripe (I have done this)

  1. I want current subscribers in Stripe to receive a “Thank you for Payment” email when they renew their subscription(which I chose “add/update subscriber” in Mailchimp & “Updated Subscription” in Stripe) - don’t know if I got that right - please kindly let me know if I did or not. 

The problem now is how to set up the automation email so that when triggers come from Zapier, Mailchimp sends an email. I chose custom automation and chose “API & Integrations” as the starting point then chose Zapier. Mailchimp is asking for a “Zapier Custom event” and I input “Updated Subscription”. I, however, get this error, “Event name can only contain '-', '_', and alphanumeric characters with a length of 2-30.” and can’t proceed. Please how do I set up this automation been at this for days. I’d appreciate any help you provide. Thank you. 

 

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Best answer by SamB 5 June 2023, 11:55

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This post has been closed for comments. Please create a new post if you need help or have a question about this topic.

7 replies

ken.a
Userlevel 7
Badge +6

Hi @ClintonAtSD,

Welcome to the Community! 🎉

Regarding your question:

  1. I want current subscribers in Stripe to receive a “Thank you for Payment” email when they renew their subscription(which I chose “add/update subscriber” in Mailchimp & “Updated Subscription” in Stripe) - don’t know if I got that right - please kindly let me know if I did or not. 

Looking at the screenshot, it looks like you’re on the right track here.

Regarding the error you’re getting from Mailchimp, it looks like the "Zapier Custom Event" field isn't able to handle spaces. It only accepts the specific characters mentioned in the error message. Have you given it a shot by entering the name without any spaces?

Please keep us posted! 😊

ClintonAtSD
Userlevel 1

Hi @ClintonAtSD,

Welcome to the Community! 🎉

Regarding your question:

  1. I want current subscribers in Stripe to receive a “Thank you for Payment” email when they renew their subscription(which I chose “add/update subscriber” in Mailchimp & “Updated Subscription” in Stripe) - don’t know if I got that right - please kindly let me know if I did or not. 

Looking at the screenshot, it looks like you’re on the right track here.

Regarding the error you’re getting from Mailchimp, it looks like the "Zapier Custom Event" field isn't able to handle spaces. It only accepts the specific characters mentioned in the error message. Have you given it a shot by entering the name without any spaces?

Please keep us posted! 😊

Hi @ken.a yes I did and it worked. I was able to choose the automation starting point(that looks too easy) how do I know for sure if it’s the same event?  Below is what it says after clicking on the continue button at the top right. Please take a look at the second image. You can also see the “Turn on” button which means that’s the end. 

Thanks

 

 

SamB
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +11

Hi @ClintonAtSD! 👋

Ah, instead of using an Add/Update Subscriber action I think you’d need to use the Create Custom Event (Mailchimp) action. It’s got a field called Custom Event Name which is where you’d set the name for the custom event:
053601d3b3cbf3e2ff72db885561d69e.png

Then in Mailchimp when setting up the automation, in the Zapier Custom Event field you’d enter the same Custom Event Name that’s used in the Zap. That way you can ensure that only events that trigger that Zap will trigger that specific automation in Mailchimp. 

Can you give that a try and let us know how you get on with this? 

ClintonAtSD
Userlevel 1

Hi @ClintonAtSD! 👋

Ah, instead of using an Add/Update Subscriber action I think you’d need to use the Create Custom Event (Mailchimp) action. It’s got a field called Custom Event Name which is where you’d set the name for the custom event:
053601d3b3cbf3e2ff72db885561d69e.png

Then in Mailchimp when setting up the automation, in the Zapier Custom Event field you’d enter the same Custom Event Name that’s used in the Zap. That way you can ensure that only events that trigger that Zap will trigger that specific automation in Mailchimp. 

Can you give that a try and let us know how you get on with this? 

Hi Sam. Thank you. I already figured it out. Automation is working. Thank you so much. I have last issue. How can I retrieve the subscription name so that when I send an onboarding email to new subscribers, the subscription name would appear in the merge fields in Mailchimp? I have gone through the stripe data and couldn’t find the subscription name - only product and subscription id which is some sort of code. 

SamB
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +11

Yay! I’m so glad you’ve got that Mailchimp automation working now @ClintonAtSD! Great work! 🙌

Ah, the subscription ID will be the unique number that Stripe uses to identify that user’s subscription. Is there any value coming over in the Description field that would help to indicate what the subscription is for? 

If not, the Product fields gives an ID, but it would be unique to the product that is purchased. So I’m thinking that you could potentially create a lookup table that has a list of the product IDs in Stripe and the corresponding name for the product subscription that was purchased. You could use a Formatter (Utilities > Lookup Table) action to automatically convert the Stripe product ID into the relevant product subscription name. More on how to create lookup tables can be found here: Create lookup tables in Zaps

Then in the Properties section of the Create Custom Event action you would select the output from the lookup table so that the subscription name is added to Mailchimp. Does that sound like it could work? 

ClintonAtSD
Userlevel 1

Hi @SamB. Thank you so much. I figured it out and it’s working perfectly. Thanks a bunch!

SamB
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +11

You are most welcome, @ClintonAtSD. 🤗

Fantastic! I’m so pleased that lookup table did the trick. 😁🎉

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