How to generate visuals with Zapier

Zapier connects Orshot to thousands of apps. With a Zap, any trigger — a new spreadsheet row, a form submission, a schedule — can render an image, PDF, or video from one of your templates automatically, with no code. Here's the template we'll automate:

1. Know your template's parameters#

Open your template in Orshot Studio and press ⌘] (Toggle Parameter View). Every editable element is labelled with its parameter name — kicker_text, headline_top, hero_image, and so on. These names are exactly the fields you'll fill from Zapier, so it helps to know them up front.

2. Grab your Template ID and API key#

On the template's card, click Connect. The sheet gives you the Template ID and API key to paste into Zapier, a Zapier tab with the exact steps, and a Live Preview. New to API keys? See Find your API key and template ID.

3. Add the Orshot action#

Create a Zap and pick a trigger — the event that starts your workflow (any trigger works; here we use a simple Schedule). Add an action step, search for Orshot, and choose Render From Studio Template (use Render From Template for library templates). The first time, connect your Orshot account with your API key.

4. Select your template#

In the Template ID field, pick the template you want to render.

Once a template is selected, the action expands to show one input for every parameter in that template — the same names you saw in Studio.

5. Fill in the modifications#

Modifications are the heart of the automation — they're how each run produces a different image. Every parameter from your template (step 1) shows up here as its own field. For each one you want to change:

• Text fields (Kicker Text, Headline Top, Subheadline…) — type a fixed value, or map in data from your trigger (next).
• Leave any field blank to keep the template's default.

Image fields (Hero Image, Photo Two…) take a public image URL — a brand image, an Unsplash link, or a URL mapped from your trigger.

Map dynamic data into a modification#

To make a field change on every run, click it and use the data button to pull a value from a previous step instead of typing one. The picker lists your trigger's output fields — pick one and Zapier inserts it as a data token. That's how you turn a static template into, say, a personalised image per spreadsheet row or form submission.

6. Set the output options#

Below the parameter fields:

• Response Type — how the result comes back: URL (a hosted link, easiest to use later), Base64, or Binary.
• Response Format — the output format. Everything Orshot renders is here: png, jpg, jpeg, webp, pdf, and mp4, webm, gif for animated templates.

• Scale — the resolution multiplier. 1 renders at the template's size; 2 doubles it for crisp retina or print output (larger file).

7. Test the step#

Click Test step. Zapier sends your settings to Orshot and renders the visual.

A moment later, the Data out panel shows the result — the rendered file as Content (a URL here), plus its Type and Format.

8. The result#

Open that URL and you've got your render — generated entirely from the Zap. With the format set to gif/mp4/webm, an animated template returns video instead:

9. Use it downstream#

Add more steps after Orshot and pass the returned URL along — save it to Google Drive, post it to Slack, attach it to an email, or upload it wherever you need it. Then turn the Zap on.

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