How to automate client document collection with Zapier (step-by-step)
Every time you onboard a new client, the same tasks repeat: add them to your CRM, add them to your document collection tool, send the standard onboarding checklist. If you're doing this manually for 20 or 200 clients a year, you're spending hours on data entry that could be done automatically.
NuDoc's Zapier integration connects your document collection workflow to the tools you already use. When a new contact appears in your CRM, a client is automatically created in NuDoc. When a project moves to the right stage, a document request fires automatically. When a client completes their upload, your team gets notified instantly. No code required, no manual steps.
This guide shows you exactly how to set it up.
What you can automate with the NuDoc Zapier integration
Once connected, Zapier can:
- Create a NuDoc client automatically when a new contact is added in HubSpot, Salesforce, Xero, or any other CRM
- Send a document request automatically when a project reaches a certain stage or a row is added to a Google Sheet
- Notify your team instantly when a client completes a document request or uploads a file
- Log document activity to Google Sheets, Notion, or Airtable in real time
The Zapier integration is available on all plans.
Step 1 - Generate your NuDoc API key
- Log in to your NuDoc account
- Go to Settings - API & Integrations
- Click Generate API key, give it a name (e.g. "Zapier"), and copy it
Keep this key somewhere safe. You'll paste it into Zapier in the next step. If you ever need to revoke access, you can delete and regenerate the key from the same page.
Step 2 - Connect NuDoc to Zapier
- Go to zapier.com and sign in (or create a free account)
- Click Create Zap
- Search for NuDoc in the app picker
- When prompted for credentials, paste your API key and click Test connection
NuDoc confirms your account name and plan. You are now connected and ready to build Zaps.
Step 3 - Build your first Zap
Here are the most useful automation patterns:
Zap A: New CRM contact - create NuDoc client
Trigger: HubSpot - New contact
Action: NuDoc - Create client
Every time your sales team adds a new contact in HubSpot, they immediately appear in NuDoc ready to receive a document request. No manual copy-paste, no lag between systems.
This works with any CRM that has a Zapier integration - HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, ActiveCampaign, and hundreds more.
Zap B: New row in Google Sheets - send document request
Trigger: Google Sheets - New row
Action: NuDoc - Send document request
Useful if your client onboarding is managed in a spreadsheet. When someone adds a new row with a client name and email, Zapier fires off a document request automatically. Combine this with a template so the right checklist goes out every time.
Zap C: NuDoc request completed - notify your team
Trigger: NuDoc - Request completed
Action: Gmail - Send email (or Slack, Microsoft Teams, or any other tool)
When a client finishes uploading all their documents, the right person on your team gets notified immediately so they can start reviewing straight away. No more manually checking which requests are in.
Zap D: Document uploaded - log to spreadsheet
Trigger: NuDoc - Document uploaded
Action: Google Sheets - Create row
Every time a client uploads a file, a new row is added to a Google Sheet with the client name, document name, timestamp, and upload status. Useful for compliance reporting or management oversight.
Available triggers and actions
| Type | Name | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | Request Completed | Fires when a client submits all required documents |
| Trigger | Document Uploaded | Fires when a client uploads any individual file |
| Trigger | Client Created | Fires when a new client is added to NuDoc |
| Action | Create Client | Creates a new client record in NuDoc |
| Action | Send Document Request | Creates and sends a document request from a template |
| Search | Find Client | Looks up a client by email address |
Tips for reliable Zaps
Use Find Client before Send Document Request. If you're triggering a document request based on an event in another app, use the Find Client search step first to look up the NuDoc client ID by email. This avoids creating duplicate clients and ensures the request is linked correctly.
Test each step individually. In the Zap editor, test each step before turning the Zap on. A common issue is field mapping - making sure the right email address from your trigger lands in the right field in the NuDoc action.
NuDoc deduplicates webhook events. If you turn a Zap off and back on, you won't miss or double-process events. NuDoc tracks which events have been sent so you don't need to worry about resync issues.
Name your API key clearly. If you create multiple integrations in future (a custom integration alongside Zapier, for example), named API keys make it easy to see which key belongs to which system and revoke the right one if needed.
Why connect your CRM to NuDoc?
The biggest time saving comes from eliminating the gap between client onboarding and document collection. In most teams, these are separate steps handled by different people - sales adds the contact to the CRM, then tells operations, who then adds the client to the document tool and sends the request.
With Zapier, that gap closes automatically. The moment a new client is confirmed in your CRM, they exist in NuDoc and a document request is already on its way. Clients receive their document checklist faster, which means they upload sooner, which means your team has what they need earlier.
For a team processing 50-100 new clients per year, this automation alone saves several hours a week.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Zapier integration require any coding?
No. Zapier is a no-code automation platform. You connect apps, map fields, and turn Zaps on from a visual editor. No code is involved at any stage.
Which plan includes the Zapier integration?
All plans. Generate your API key in Settings → API & Integrations to get started.
Can I use the NuDoc Zapier integration with Xero?
Yes. Connect Xero as the trigger app and NuDoc as the action. For example: Xero - New contact added - NuDoc - Create client. This keeps your NuDoc client list in sync with your Xero contacts automatically.
What happens if a Zap fails?
Zapier logs errors in your Zap history with details about what went wrong. Common issues are field mapping errors (a required field is empty) or authentication expiry (your API key was regenerated). Fix the issue and replay the failed tasks from the Zapier dashboard.
Can I send different document checklists to different types of clients?
Yes. Use Zapier's Filter or Paths features to branch your automation. For example: if the client type is "Individual", send the Individual Onboarding template; if it's "Business", send the Business Onboarding template.
Is there a limit on how many Zaps I can create?
NuDoc doesn't limit the number of Zaps. Zapier's plan limits apply to how many Zaps and tasks you can run per month on their side.
How do I get help if I can't connect NuDoc to Zapier?
Reach out via the chat in the bottom-right corner or email help@nudoc.io. You can also check the Zapier help documentation for NuDoc-specific setup guides. We reply within one business day.
For more on NuDoc features, see how document requests work or the getting started guide.