I’m encountering a challenge while using Zapier to process API responses. Specifically, when I send a GET request, it appears that Zapier modifies the response data, flattening it instead of keeping the nested structures intact.
For instance, when my API returns a JSON with embedded objects and arrays, Zapier converts this into a simple flat format with numbered keys. This transformation poses challenges for utilizing the data in later steps of my Zap.
Alternative solution: If you control the API endpoint, configure it to return a flatter data structure from the start. This stops Zapier’s transformation completely. When that’s not an option, I’ve had good luck with the Line Items utility in Formatter - it properly loops through array elements. For your messages array, create a line item for each message object, then use “Transform to Line Item” action. This keeps the individual properties intact while making them accessible in later steps. You can then reference specific fields like text, sender, and thread_id for each message without wrestling with numbered keys. This works great when you need to act on each array element separately instead of processing everything as one chunk.
yeah, zapier’s flattening sucks but here’s a workaround - use the formatter’s utilities action to grab those flattened keys directly. just reference stuff like messages__0__text or messages__1__sender instead of rebuilding the whole thing. it’s messy but gets the job done most of the time.
I faced a similar issue and discovered a few effective approaches. Zapier intentionally flattens responses to simplify data handling, but this can disrupt nested structures. One workaround is to add a Code by Zapier step immediately after your API call. This lets you parse the flattened data and reconstruct it into valid JSON using inputData.raw_body, capturing the original response before it gets altered. Another approach is to utilize Webhooks by Zapier instead of the standard API connector, which provides greater flexibility and allows you to handle the raw JSON response directly. It’s crucial to intercept your data before Zapier’s automatic processing transforms it. Rebuilding nested structures post-flattening can be quite complicated, especially with arrays.