What is Zap history in Zapier?
Quick answer
Zap history is Zapier's log of every time your Zaps ran. Each run shows its status, such as success, filtered or stopped with an error, plus the data each step received and sent. You can open a run to see exactly which step failed and why, and on plans that include it, replay a failed run after fixing the problem.
Last updated
Take the free module →Module 2 of the free Make & Zapier Jump Start course, about 10 minutes. No account needed.
Updated · By Robert Breen
Why it matters for a small business
An automation you cannot see into is one you cannot trust. When a client says "I filled in your form and heard nothing", Zap history is where you check whether the Zap ran, what it received and where it stopped. It turns guessing into reading.
It is also the quickest teacher. A filtered run shows which rule stopped it; an errored run shows the app's error message, such as a missing permission or an empty required field. Checking history for the first few days after you publish a Zap catches problems while they are small.
Where you'll use it: in Zapier, open Zap history from the left menu, or from a Zap's own page. Filter by Zap, status or date, then click a run to see each step's data in and data out. Errored runs show a reason and, where your plan allows, a replay option.
In a real lesson: Never Miss a New Client Inquiry using Zapier
In the free Your First Zap lesson, Northgate Accounting tests its Zap in the editor: Test trigger finds a recent form response, and Test step sends a real row to the Client Inquiries sheet. The last step of the lesson, Publish, is left for your own account.
Once the Zap is published, test runs give way to real ones, and Zap history is where each new inquiry's run appears. If a row is ever missing, open the run for that inquiry: it shows the form answers that arrived and the reply Google Sheets sent back.
Try this lesson free or read the step-by-step guide.
Common confusions
Zap history vs testing a step
A step test in the editor is a one-off check. Zap history records live runs after the Zap is published.
Zap history vs n8n Executions
They are the same idea. n8n lists runs on its Executions tab, where you can also retry a failed run.
Tips
- Check Zap history daily for the first week after publishing.
- Fix the cause before you replay, or the replay fails the same way.
- Turn on Zapier's error notification emails so you do not have to look.
Related terms
More n8n and automation terms
Where you use it: free lessons
- Never Miss a New Client Inquiry using Zapier (Zapier, 10 min)
- Zapier: ChatGPT Drafts Every Reply, Signatoro Signs It (Zapier, 12 min)
- Get Alerted When an n8n Automation Fails, and Let It Retry by Itself (n8n, 10 min)
Frequently asked questions
- What does a "filtered" run mean?
- A filter step's rules did not match, so the Zap stopped on purpose. It is not an error.
- How long does Zapier keep Zap history?
- It depends on your plan; Zapier's help center lists the retention period for each. Export or note anything you need to keep longer.