zapier-mcp-workflows

name: zapier-mcp-workflows description: Use when building Zapier MCP automated workflows for Accor Plus (HR, TA, sales ops). Covers auth lifecycle, tool discovery, data privacy explanation, Zapier Enterprise governance features, and planned automation patterns. Triggered when Jared asks to "build a Zap" or "set up an automation". tags: [zapier, mcp, automation, accor-plus, hr, onboarding, governance]

Zapier MCP — Accor Plus Workflow Builder (DEPRECATED)

Deprecated 02 Jun 2026. Zapier MCP and mcporter have been removed. mcporter config (/Users/jc/config/mcporter.json) deleted. Replaced by n8n native Gmail node (OAuth, no rotating tokens) for workflow automation and Google Cloud OAuth for Hermes agent email access. This skill is retained as historical reference only — pricing, enterprise features, and data privacy patterns remain valid.

When to use

DO NOT use this skill for active builds. Zapier MCP is no longer connected. Use n8n-local-setup for automation workflows instead.

Fallback rule: use Zapier MCP first when it is already working

This session (01 Jun 2026) established the workflow lesson: when a better tool (Himalaya for email) is not yet configured and the user wants a result, use the already-working Zapier MCP immediately. Do not spend 20+ minutes debugging setup while the user waits.

Rule: When the user asks for something that works through an already-authenticated Zapier MCP connection, answer via Zapier MCP first. Log the better tool as a follow-up. Do not lead with setup when the user's actual ask is "show me X."

mcporter positional arg syntax — the detail that matters

Every Zapier MCP tool is called as: zapier.<toolname> (namespaced).

Working pattern (always use this):

npx -y mcporter --config /Users/jc/config/mcporter.json call zapier gmail_create_draft \
  'Clear natural language instructions including to, subject, body' \
  'output_hint fields'

• First arg: instructions — full natural language sentence, Zapier's LLM extracts structured params from it
• Second arg: output_hint — comma-separated fields you want back
• Third+ args: optional positional params for search queries, message IDs, etc.

Do NOT use:

• --params '{"key":"value"}' — fails when tools expect arrays (to, cc, bcc). Zapier's resolver handles array inference from instructions text.
• --param key value flags — mcporter parses them wrong for MCP tools

Gmail array inference: Writing "Create a draft to jaredcroxton@gmail.com" in instructions is enough. Zapier resolves to: ["jaredcroxton@gmail.com"] automatically. You do not pass to: separately.

Config and auth

• Config file: /Users/jc/config/mcporter.json
• Base URL: https://mcp.zapier.com/api/v1/connect
• Auth: Bearer token (base64-encoded client_id:client_secret)

Auth lifecycle

1. Token expires → mcporter returns 401 / SSE error: Non-200 status code
2. Fix: Go to https://zapier.com/mcp → re-authorise the connection → copy new token
3. Paste the full client_id:client_secret string into mcporter.json (NOT just client_id)
4. Verify: npx -y mcporter --config /Users/jc/config/mcporter.json list zapier
5. Expected: 77+ tools listed

Adding tools to the MCP server

After auth, only get_configuration_url appears. Jared must add specific actions at https://zapier.com/mcp:

• Gmail: Send Email, Create Draft
• Google Sheets: Lookup Spreadsheet Row, Update Spreadsheet Row, New Spreadsheet Row trigger
• Google Calendar: Create Event, Find Events
• (Optional) Zendesk: Create Ticket, or Email by Zapier: Send Email

MCP tool call pattern

Every Zapier MCP tool requires these parameters:

• instructions (REQUIRED): What to do, in natural language. This is the FIRST positional parameter.
• output_hint (REQUIRED): What data you want back, e.g. "just the row ID and column values"

Omitting output_hint causes call failure. Always include both.

CRITICAL: Zapier MCP tools are conversational, NOT raw API proxies

google_sheets_make_api_mutating_request does NOT execute raw Google Sheets API calls. It is a conversational tool that asks follow-up questions and requires the spreadsheet ID before it will act. You cannot create a new Google Sheet through this tool.

Fallback to create a Google Sheet:

1. Generate a CSV on Desktop: python3 -c "import csv,os; ..."
2. Save to ~/Desktop/[name].csv
3. Jared uploads to Google Drive → opens as Google Sheets
4. Then Zapier MCP tools work on the resulting sheet

Also note: Google Workspace OAuth is not set up on Jared's Mac (no ~/.hermes/google_token.json or google_client_secret.json). The gws CLI cannot create Sheets directly. The CSV fallback is the fastest path unless Jared wants to do the OAuth setup (see google-workspace skill).

Key tool signatures

gmail_send_email(instructions, output_hint, to, subject, body, cc, bcc, file, from, body_type, from_name, ...)

• to must be a real email address — no @example.com, no guesses
• body defaults to HTML

google_sheets_lookup_spreadsheet_row(...) — find a row by column match google_sheets_update_spreadsheet_row(...) — update Status column google_calendar_create_event(...) — schedule induction session

Data privacy reference (for when Jared asks)

• Hermes processes all MCP data in RAM during the conversation only
• Session logs stored locally on Mac (SQLite, encrypted) — on-device only
• Zapier retains what their platform logs (Zapier's privacy policy applies)
• The LLM model does NOT store, learn from, or share the data from tool calls
• No data is sent to any external model provider beyond the active conversation context
• Note: Jared typically asks this twice in different wording. Be patient and answer fully each time with all three points above.

Planned: New Hire Onboarding Zap (pending Jared inputs)

Jared approved this design on 29 May 2026. Needs:

1. Spreadsheet name and exact column headers (build CSV if needed, let Jared upload to Google Sheets)
2. L&D email address (one inbox or per-market?)
3. IT ticket destination (Zendesk or direct email?)
4. Status column trigger word for "hiring finished"
5. Welcome email content (existing or draft new?)

Flow 1 — New row in sheet → email to L&D confirming hire Flow 2 — Same trigger → IT ticket + manager checklist + calendar event Flow 3 — Status change to "finished" → email to Jared (Director)

IMPORTANT: Jared said "yes correct" when asked if column assumptions were right, but this was NOT actual confirmation — he did not provide the details. Do NOT assume the Zap is ready to build. Always get the four inputs listed above before constructing the actual Zap calls.

Pitfalls

• Zapier MCP tools are conversational, not raw API. They ask follow-up questions. Use natural language instructions and always include output_hint. Cannot create spreadsheets — use CSV fallback.
• Google Workspace OAuth is not configured. No gws CLI access to Google Sheets. Use CSV → manual upload path.
• "Yes correct" is not confirmation. Jared often says "yes correct" to acknowledge a framing question ("do you mean X?") without actually answering the follow-up inputs. Always verify you have ALL required data before building. Four unanswered questions = wait.
• Token privacy explanation takes multiple rounds. Jared typically asks "does Hermes save data?" and then asks again in different wording ("what about your brain?"). Be patient and answer fully each time. The three-part answer: (1) Hermes stores conversation locally on Mac, (2) Zapier keeps what their platform logs, (3) the LLM model does NOT store or learn from the data.
• Zapier MCP auth tokens expire silently. When mcporter returns 401 with "SSE error: Non-200 status code", the token has expired. Go to https://zapier.com/mcp and re-auth. Token format is Bearer .

Zapier Enterprise governance features (for enterprise clients)

When pitching to corporate clients with serious security requirements, Zapier Enterprise provides:

• AI Guardrails — safety checks that block sensitive data before AI outputs reach systems
• BYOM (Bring Your Own Model) — run AI through client's own AWS Bedrock infrastructure
• Managed Connections — IT owns app connections, not individuals
• Domain Restrictions — block personal accounts from business systems
• Log Streaming — real-time workflow data to Datadog/Splunk/SIEM
• SCIM Provisioning — auto-provision users through identity provider (Azure AD, Okta)
• Action Restrictions — granular endpoint-level control per app
• SOC 2 Type II/III, GDPR, CCPA — annually audited
• 99.9% uptime SLA

Enterprise is custom-priced (~£500-2,000/mo). Budget £500/mo for planning purposes. This is the client's cost, not PerformOS's.

Easy procurement answers:

1. "How do we control what the AI does?" → Action Restrictions + App Access Controls
2. "How do we prevent data leaks?" → AI Guardrails + Domain Restrictions
3. "Can we see what happened?" → Log Streaming + Asset History API

Zapier Platform pricing (for client cost-of-ownership discussions)

Zapier MCP is now included on ALL plans including Free. Task budgeting: a 3-step Zap running 20x/day across 5 agents = ~9,000 tasks/mo, fitting comfortably on Professional at £15/mo.

Sources: https://zapier.com/pricing + https://zapier.com/enterprise (verified 29 May 2026).

Interaction tier context (for PerformOS client proposals)

The PerformOS 5-agent package targets 200 interactions per agent per day. This equals approximately 30,000 total monthly interactions across 5 agents. This is the standard usage tier for pricing and capacity planning.

For Accor Plus internal use, workloads are typically lower — 20 interactions/agent/day was the original planning estimate. Adjust token estimates accordingly per client.

Reference files

• references/mcp-accorplus-patterns.md — Auth walkthrough, full tool list, data privacy details
• references/zapier-enterprise-features.md — Enterprise governance feature details for proposals

Version

Created 29 May 2026. Updated with: conversational MCP tool behavior pitfall, CSV fallback for sheet creation, Google Workspace OAuth gap note, auth lifecycle notes, and pitfalls.