Apify - Actions & Triggers in Workflows

Updated 2 min read


Connect workflows with Apify to automate web scraping, run actors, and process external data in real time—without third-party tools. This guide explains what the integration is, key benefits, setup, and best practices so your CRM workflows can leverage external data seamlessly.

What is Apify Actions & Triggers in Workflows?

Apify actions and triggers connect workflows with Apify’s automation platform.

Triggers listen for events in Apify (like completed actor or task runs) and start workflows . Actions allow workflows to execute Apify actors, scrape websites, and retrieve structured data.

Key Benefits of Apify Actions & Triggers

  • Automated data extraction from websites

  • Real-time enrichment of contacts and opportunities

  • No-code scraping using prebuilt actors

Connecting Your Apify Account

  1. Go to Automation → Workflows

  2. Add an Apify action or trigger

  3. Click Connect Now and authenticate

  4. Save the connection

Alternate path: Settings → Integrations → Apify → Connect


Available Triggers (Apify → Workflows)

TriggerWhat it does
Finished Actor RunFires when an Apify actor completes execution
Finished Task RunFires when an Apify task finishes execution



Available Actions (Workflows → Apify)

Core Actions

ActionPurpose
Run A TaskExecutes a predefined Apify task
Run An ActorRuns an Apify actor with custom input
Scrape Single URLExtract structured data from a URL

Data Retrieval Actions

ActionPurpose
Fetch Dataset ItemsRetrieve dataset output
Find Last Task RunGet latest task execution details
Find Last Actor RunGet latest actor execution detail

Storage Actions

ActionPurpose
Set Key-Value Store RecordStore data in Apify
Fetch Key-Value Store RecordRetrieve stored data


How To Setup Apify Actions & Triggers

  1. Open a workflow

  2. Connect Apify

  3. Choose trigger or action

  4. Configure fields

  5. Test action or trigger

  6. Test workflow

  7. Publish

Common Use Cases

Use Case 1: Local Business Lead Generation from Google Maps

Goal: Automatically generate local leads for outreach campaigns

Workflow Setup:

  • Trigger: Finished Actor Run (Google Maps scraper in Apify)
  • Action: Fetch Dataset Items
  • Action: Create/Update Contact
  • Action: Add to Workflow (Email/SMS campaign)

Example:
A marketer runs an Apify actor to scrape dentists in a city → once completed, leads are automatically added → each lead is enrolled into a cold outreach campaign with email and SMS follow-ups.


Use Case 2: Competitor Monitoring & Instant Alerts

Goal: Track competitor updates and react quickly

Workflow Setup:

  • Trigger: Finished Task Run (website/product scraper)
  • Action: Fetch Dataset Items
  • Action: Send Internal Notification
  • Action: Create Task (Workflows)

Example:
An Apify task monitors competitor websites or pricing pages → when changes are detected, the workflow triggers → the marketing team gets notified and a task is created to respond (e.g., update ads or pricing strategy).


Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I handle large datasets?
Use Fetch Dataset Items and process data with array action.

Q: Are there any charges for using Apify actions and triggers?
Yes, usage is based on Apify pricing (compute and storage) and premium workflow usage, as applicable.

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