Automated CRM Lead-to-Invoice Workflow (Zapier)

1. **Authenticate CRM**: Log into Zapier, click 'Create Zap', and select your CRM (e.g., HubSpot, Pipedrive) as the Trigger. Choose the event 'Updated Deal Stage' or 'New Won Deal'. 2. **Set Logic Filter**: Add a 'Filter by Zapier' step. Set it to only continue if the 'Deal Stage' matches 'Closed-Won' and 'Deal Value' exists. 3. **Format Data**: Use 'Formatter by Zapier' (Text) to ensure the 'Customer Name' from the CRM is cleaned of special characters that might break QuickBooks API constraints. 4. **Search QuickBooks**: Add a QuickBooks Online Action: 'Find Customer'. Map the CRM Company Name or Email to the search field. Check the box 'Create QuickBooks Online Customer if it doesn't exist yet'. 5. **Handle Duplicate Names**: In the 'Create' subsection of the 'Find Customer' step, append the CRM ID to the 'Display Name' (e.g., [Company Name] - [CRM_ID]) to ensure uniqueness, as QBO requires unique display names. 6. **Map Billing Details**: In the 'Create Customer' section, map CRM fields to QBO: Email, Billing Address, and Phone Number. 7. **Generate Invoice**: Add a QuickBooks Online Action: 'Create Invoice'. In the 'Customer' field, select 'Use a Custom Value' and map the ID from the previous 'Find/Create Customer' step. 8. **Line Item Mapping**: Map the Deal Title to the 'Product/Service' description and the Deal Amount to the 'Price' field. If using dynamic line items, ensure your CRM provides them in a line-item format compatible with Zapier's loop. 9. **Configure Currency**: Ensure 'Currency' is mapped using the 3-letter ISO code if your QBO account is multi-currency enabled. 10. **Error Path**: (Optional/Pro Feature) Use 'Paths by Zapier' to send a Slack alert if the QuickBooks step fails due to a SyncToken or Tax code error.

| CRM Field (Source) | QBO Field (Destination) | Zapier Transformation | Requirement | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Company Name | Display Name | `Trim()` via Formatter | **Required** (Unique) | | Primary Email | BillEmail | None | Optional | | Deal Value | Line Amount | `Numbers -> Currency` | **Required** | | Close Date | TxnDate | `Date/Time -> Formatter` | Optional | | Customer ID | AcctNum | None | Recommended | | Billing Address | BillAddr | `Formatter -> Combine` | Optional |

* **The Duplicate Name Trap**: QuickBooks will fail if you try to create a customer with a name that already exists. Always use the 'Find or Create' logic and consider appending a Unique ID to the Display Name. * **Standardized Tax Codes**: If you don't map a valid QuickBooks TaxCodeRef, QBO might apply a default tax or throw an error. Use a 'Lookup Table' in Formatter to map CRM 'State' to QBO 'Tax Rate ID'. * **Task Usage**: Each step in Zapier (Filter, Formatter, Search, Create) consumes a task. One sync can cost 4-5 tasks. Monitor your plan limits. * **SyncToken Errors**: If you add an 'Update' step later, be aware that QBO requires the current `SyncToken` version. Zapier handles this in standard actions, but Custom API Requests (Webhooks) require a GET step first.

- [ ] **Test Trigger**: Pull a recent 'Closed-Won' deal in the set-up phase to ensure data fields (Amount, Name) are populating. - [ ] **Test Formatter**: Ensure addresses and names are correctly concatenated/trimmed in the Zapier Task History. - [ ] **Verify Search Step**: Run the 'Find Customer' step for an existing customer to ensure it doesn't create a duplicate. - [ ] **Check Live Invoice**: Check QuickBooks Online 'Sales' tab to ensure the invoice was created with the correct dollar amount and customer link. - [ ] **Audit Task History**: Review the Zapier 'Task History' for any '400 Bad Request' errors related to missing required QBO fields.