Custom error handling in Zapier

Custom error handling in Zapier lets you decide how your Zap should behave when something goes wrong, so you can keep important workflows running smoothly and avoid unnecessary interruptions.

This how-to guide walks you through enabling custom error handling, configuring rule groups, and choosing what actions Zapier should take when errors occur, based strictly on the current open beta behavior.

What custom error handling in Zapier does

By default, when a step fails, Zap runs may stop or be marked as errored. With custom error handling, you can override this default and give Zapier specific instructions.

You can set rules that:

Control whether the Zap run should stop or continue.
Determine if the Zap run is marked as successful or errored.
Decide whether to send notifications about the issue.
Apply different behavior to specific types of errors.

This feature is available for Zapier plans starting at Professional and is currently in open beta.

How Zapier custom error handling works

The feature adds a Custom error handling tab to supported steps in the Zap editor. Each step can have its own error handling rules.

You create one or more error handling groups, and inside each group you define:

Conditions that decide when the group should run.
Actions that tell Zapier what to do with the Zap run when those conditions are met.

The groups are evaluated in order, from top to bottom, until Zapier finds a match.

Enable custom error handling in Zapier

The feature is available on many but not all steps. When supported, you will see a dedicated tab in the step editor.

Open your Zap in the editor.
Select the step where you want to control error behavior.
Click the Custom error handling tab.
Toggle the setting to turn it on for that step.

Once enabled, you can add and configure rule groups for that step.

Create an error handling group in Zapier

Each Zapier error handling group defines a set of conditions and a response. You can add multiple groups to handle different scenarios.

In the Custom error handling tab, click Add group.
Give the group a clear name that describes when it should apply, such as “Ignore 404 errors”.
Set the conditions that must be true for this group to run.
Choose the actions you want Zapier to take when the conditions are met.
Save the group.

You can drag and drop groups to change the order in which Zapier evaluates them.

Zapier error handling conditions

Conditions decide when a group triggers. They are based on the error information returned by the step.

You can combine multiple conditions with AND / OR logic so the group runs only in very specific situations.

Common Zapier condition options

Error type: Match on a general category of error.
Error message: Look for specific text within the error message.
Status code: Match HTTP status codes such as 400, 404, or 500.
App-specific fields: Use structured fields included in the error response, when available.

Zapier checks conditions using the order of the groups. As soon as one group’s conditions are satisfied, its actions will run and the remaining groups will not be evaluated for that error.

Zapier error handling actions

After conditions are met, Zapier performs the actions you configure to control the Zap run.

Control Zap run outcome in Zapier

Mark run as successful: Treat the Zap run as a success, even though the step failed.
Mark run as errored: Explicitly keep the run in an error state.

This lets you decide how the run appears in your Zapier task history and reporting.

Control Zap flow in Zapier

Stop the Zap run: End the run after the failed step. Later steps will not execute.
Continue the Zap run: Allow the Zap to move on to the next steps despite the error.

You can use this to bypass non-critical failures and keep more important downstream actions running.

Control notifications in Zapier

Send alert: Notify you or your team when the error occurs and matches the group conditions.
Suppress alert: Avoid notifications for known or low-impact issues.

Careful notification control helps reduce noise while still surfacing critical problems.

Example use cases for Zapier custom error handling

Here are some practical patterns you can apply:

Ignore known non-critical errors in Zapier

Condition: Status code equals 404.
Action: Continue the Zap run and mark it as successful.

Use this when missing data should not block the rest of the workflow.

Stop Zapier runs on critical failures

Condition: Status code is 500 or error type is “server error”.
Action: Stop the Zap run, mark it as errored, and send an alert.

This protects downstream systems from bad or incomplete data.

Customize Zapier alerts by error message

Condition: Error message contains a known phrase, such as a rate limit message.
Action: Mark the run as errored but suppress alerts to avoid notification noise.

You can then use reporting or filters to review these errors later in bulk.

Best practices for Zapier custom error handling

Start simple: Begin with one or two groups for your most common errors.
Name groups clearly: Use descriptive names so teammates understand each rule.
Order carefully: Put the most specific groups first so they match before broader rules.
Test with real errors: Trigger sample runs or use task history to validate that Zapier applies the right group.
Review regularly: As your workflows evolve, adjust rules to keep error handling aligned with your priorities.

Limitations of Zapier custom error handling (open beta)

Because this feature is in open beta, behavior and availability may change. Some steps or apps may not yet support custom error handling, and new condition types may be introduced over time.

For the most accurate, up-to-date details on the beta feature, see the official documentation at Zapier custom error handling open beta.

Next steps and more automation resources

After you configure custom error handling in Zapier, monitor your task history to confirm that runs are marked and routed the way you expect.

To improve your broader automation and integration strategy beyond Zapier, you can explore additional technical and consulting resources such as Consultevo, which focuses on workflow optimization and tooling best practices.

As Zapier continues to refine this open beta, revisit your settings periodically so your workflows stay resilient, predictable, and easier to maintain.

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