Incoming Webhooks

Incoming Webhooks - Complete Guide

Incoming webhooks enable you to receive and act on data sent from third-party platforms directly into your Tadabase app. This powerful automation feature eliminates manual data entry and ensures your app stays synchronized with external services in real-time.

What are Incoming Webhooks?

Incoming webhooks are automated data receivers that listen for information from external services. When an event happens in another platform (like a new customer in Stripe, a form submission in JotForm, or an order in Shopify), that platform can automatically send data to your Tadabase app.

Why Use Incoming Webhooks?

• Real-Time Data Sync: Updates happen instantly, no waiting or polling required
• Eliminate Manual Entry: Automatically capture data without copy-pasting
• Better Performance: Purpose-built for Tadabase, handling larger volumes and faster processing than third-party tools like Zapier
• Cost Effective: Included with your Tadabase subscription
• Reliable Processing: Built-in retry logic and failure notifications

Common Use Cases

• Sync customer data from payment platforms (Stripe, PayPal, Square)
• Receive form submissions from external form builders (JotForm, Typeform, Google Forms)
• Import bookings from scheduling systems (Calendly, Acuity, Appointment Plus)
• Capture leads from marketing platforms (HubSpot, Mailchimp, Facebook Ads)
• Process orders from e-commerce systems (Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento)
• Log support tickets from help desk software (Zendesk, Freshdesk)
• Track project updates from management tools (Asana, Trello, Monday.com)

The Tadabase Webhook Catcher is purpose-built for your apps and can handle larger volumes and faster processing compared to third-party automation tools.

Quick Start

Get started with incoming webhooks in three simple steps:

1. Create Your Account: Visit https://catch.tadabase.io and sign up using the same email as your Tadabase account
2. Connect Your App: Add your Tadabase app by providing your API credentials (Application ID, Key, and Secret)
3. Create a Webhook: Set up your first webhook and get your unique webhook URL to use in external services

For detailed step-by-step instructions, see our Getting Started with Incoming Webhooks guide.

Core Features

Standard Webhooks

Standard incoming webhooks receive HTTP POST requests from external services and automatically create or update records in your Tadabase app.

Key Capabilities:

• Field mapping from incoming JSON/XML data to your Tadabase fields
• Support for nested data structures and arrays
• Create new records or update existing records
• Multi-value webhooks (process multiple records from a single request)
• Static, dynamic, and conditional field values
• Comprehensive logging and error tracking

Email Catchers

Email catchers allow you to receive emails directly into your Tadabase app, automatically parsing email content and attachments as records.

Perfect For:

• Support ticket systems
• Job application processing
• Customer inquiry logging
• Invoice and receipt processing
• Email-based form submissions

Learn More: See our complete Email Catcher Guide for detailed setup instructions and best practices.

Field Mapping Fundamentals

Field mapping connects data from incoming webhooks to specific fields in your Tadabase app.

Choose Your Data Table

Select which data table in your app should receive the incoming data. This is like choosing which filing cabinet to use for organizing information.

Create or Update Records

Decide whether incoming data should:

• Create New Records: Each webhook creates a fresh record
• Update Existing Records: Find and update records based on matching criteria (like email address or ID)

Map Your Fields

Connect incoming data keys to your Tadabase fields. For example:

{
  "customer_name": "John Doe",
  "email": "john@example.com",
  "phone": "555-1234"
}

Map to:
  customer_name → Name Field
  email → Email Field
  phone → Phone Field

Handling Nested Data

For data organized in nested objects, use dot notation:

{
  "customer": {
    "personal": {
      "name": "John Doe"
    }
  }
}

Map as: customer.personal.name → Name Field

Working with Arrays

Access array items using index numbers:

{
  "items": [
    {"product": "Widget", "price": 29.99},
    {"product": "Gadget", "price": 49.99}
  ]
}

First item: items.0.product
Second item: items.1.product

Value Types

• Dynamic Values: Data from the incoming request (changes with each request)
• Static Values: Fixed values you set (same for every request)
• Conditional Values: Different values based on conditions in the incoming data
• Special Values: System values like webhook ID or timestamp

Multi-Value Webhooks

Process multiple records from a single webhook request by specifying an array key:

{
  "customers": [
    {
      "name": "John",
      "email": "john@example.com"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jane",
      "email": "jane@example.com"
    }
  ]
}

Array Key: customers
Result: Creates 2 separate customer records

When using multi-value arrays, you can only access data within the array. Data outside the array key is not available for field mapping.

Security Features

Protect your webhooks with multiple layers of security:

• IP Address Filtering: Allow or block specific IP addresses
• Host Allowlisting: Only accept requests from specific domains
• User Agent Validation: Verify requests come from expected applications
• Signature Verification: Cryptographically verify request authenticity
• Basic Authentication: Require username and password

Security features can be combined for maximum protection. For detailed configuration instructions, see our Webhook Security Features guide.

Advanced Features

Multi-Step Webhooks

Available on select plans

Create multiple records across different tables from a single webhook request. Perfect for complex workflows like creating a customer AND an order simultaneously.

Conditional Values

Set field values based on conditions in the incoming data. For example:

• Set status to "VIP" if order amount exceeds $1000
• Assign different categories based on product type
• Route records to teams based on region or priority

Validation Rules

Ensure incoming data meets your requirements before processing:

• Require specific fields to be present
• Validate data formats (email, phone, URL)
• Check numeric ranges
• Enforce business rules

Custom Endpoints

Available on select plans

Use custom webhook URLs instead of auto-generated IDs for more readable and memorable endpoints.

Learn More: See our Advanced Webhook Features guide for complete documentation on these capabilities.

Organization and Collaboration

Folders

Organize webhooks into folders by integration, environment, department, or any structure that makes sense for your team.

Webhook Sharing

Share webhooks with team members with granular permissions:

• View Only: See configuration and logs
• Edit: Modify settings and field mappings
• Full Access: Complete control including deletion

Duplication

Quickly copy webhooks to create similar configurations or separate development/production setups.

Learn More: See our Organizing and Sharing Webhooks guide for best practices and detailed instructions.

Monitoring and Logging

Comprehensive Logging

Every webhook request is logged with:

• Complete incoming payload
• Processing status and duration
• Records created or updated
• Detailed error messages for failures
• Request headers and metadata

Failure Notifications

Receive email alerts when webhooks fail:

• Immediate notifications for critical webhooks
• Hourly or daily summaries for high-volume webhooks
• Detailed error information
• Quick retry options

Daily Reports

Get automated daily summaries of all webhook activity including success rates, volume trends, and any issues requiring attention.

Retry Failed Webhooks

Manually retry failed webhook calls after fixing configuration issues. For multi-value webhooks, retry only the specific records that failed.

Learn More: See our Webhook Logging and Monitoring guide for complete monitoring and troubleshooting information.

Equation Handling

Control how Tadabase equations are processed when webhooks create or update records:

• Run Equations Immediately: Calculate all equations before responding (ensures data completeness)
• Queue Equations: Process equations in the background (faster webhook response)
• Don't Run Equations: Skip automatic equation processing (fastest option)

If you choose "Don't Run Equations," you'll need to manually trigger equation updates using the Tadabase API.

Plan-Specific Features

Some advanced features are available on select plans:

• Multi-step webhooks
• Custom webhook endpoints
• Email attachment support
• Custom email domains
• Immediate webhook processing
• Custom response messages

Check your account settings to see which features are available on your current plan.

Best Practices

• Test Thoroughly: Use sample requests to test field mapping before connecting external services
• Start Simple: Get basic webhooks working before adding advanced features
• Add Security: Always enable appropriate security features for production webhooks
• Monitor Regularly: Check logs and enable failure notifications
• Document Configuration: Use descriptive names and detailed descriptions
• Use Folders: Organize webhooks as your collection grows
• Separate Environments: Keep development, staging, and production webhooks separate
• Plan for Failures: Set up retry logic and failure notifications

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Webhook Not Receiving Data

• Verify the webhook URL is correctly configured in the external service
• Check security settings aren't blocking legitimate requests
• Review webhook logs to see if any requests arrived

Field Mapping Errors

• Verify incoming data key names match exactly (case-sensitive)
• Check for correct nesting notation (use dots for nested objects)
• Review sample request to see actual data structure

Connection Errors

• Verify API credentials are correct and active
• Ensure the Tadabase app is not suspended
• Check that API credentials have necessary permissions

Performance Issues

• Consider using queue mode for equations
• Simplify complex multi-step webhooks
• Review if large attachments are causing delays

Complete Documentation

For detailed information on specific topics, see our comprehensive guides:

• Getting Started with Incoming Webhooks - Step-by-step setup instructions
• Email Catcher Guide - Complete email catcher documentation
• Webhook Security Features - All security options explained
• Advanced Webhook Features - Multi-step, conditional values, and more
• Organizing and Sharing Webhooks - Folders, sharing, and collaboration
• Webhook Logging and Monitoring - Logs, reports, and troubleshooting

Getting Help

Need assistance?

• Search the Tadabase Community Forums
• Review our video tutorials and examples
• Enable support mode on your webhook and contact Tadabase support
• Check the external service's webhook documentation

Additional Resources

• Webhook Overview - General information about webhooks in Tadabase
• Outgoing Webhooks - Send data FROM your app to external services
• API Documentation - Tadabase REST API reference
• Integrations Guide - Pre-built integrations and connection guides