How to trigger a GravityExport Save Feed

You can trigger a GravityExport Save feed in two ways: by scheduling it to run automatically at a set interval, or by calling a public trigger URL (webhook).

How to configure

When creating a new "GravityExport Save" feed, choose an option under "Export Trigger":

Scheduled — Runs automatically at a set interval (hourly, twice daily, daily, weekly, or a custom interval in hours). After saving, the feed settings will show when the next export is scheduled and the status of the last export.
Webhook — Runs only when a public trigger URL is accessed. After saving the feed, a "Public trigger URL" will be generated. Click the button to copy it to your clipboard.

Scheduled exports also generate a trigger URL for on-demand use.

When the URL is accessed, the export will be run and the file will be saved, as you have configured.

Ways to trigger your export

Option 1: Schedule regular exports

Select the "Scheduled" trigger when configuring your feed, then choose an interval (hourly, twice daily, daily, weekly, or custom). Exports will run automatically in the background — no external services or plugins required.

You can monitor the next scheduled run and last export status directly in the feed settings. If a scheduled export fails, enable "Failure Alerts" to show a dashboard notice until the next successful export.

Ensuring scheduled exports run reliably

Scheduled exports use WordPress background processing (not WP-Cron), which checks for pending jobs on each page visit. This means scheduled exports will still work even if WP-Cron is disabled on your site.

To ensure exports run reliably, use an external service like FastCron (www.fastcron.com) to visit your site at regular intervals. These services send a request to your site on a schedule (e.g., every hour), which keeps WordPress background processing active. Simply point the service at your site's homepage, you do not need to use the export trigger URL for this.

Option 2: Trigger via Webhooks

Webhooks let you trigger exports automatically when something happens. No coding required with these tools:

Zapier (No-Code Automation)

Create a "Zap" to trigger exports when:

A row is added to Google Sheets
A payment is completed in Stripe
An order is placed in WooCommerce
Any of 5000+ app events occur

Setup:

Choose your trigger event
Add "Webhooks by Zapier" as the action
Set it to GET request
Paste your trigger URL
Turn on the Zap

Make

Similar to Zapier with visual workflow builder:

Select a trigger (form submission, schedule, etc.)
Add HTTP "Make a request" module
Enter your trigger URL
Activate the scenario

Manual Use

Save the trigger URL as a browser bookmark to run the export anytime.

Common use cases

Daily reports

Schedule a daily export using the "Scheduled" trigger with the "Daily" interval
Automatically email or save to Dropbox using Zapier

After each submission

Use Gravity Forms Webhooks Add-On
Or create a Zapier workflow triggered by new entries

Weekly summaries

Schedule regular exports using a weekly or custom interval
Combine with email automation for distribution

On-demand exports

Add bookmark for quick webhook exports
Create Slack command for team access

Best practices

Test your setup: Run the trigger URL manually first to ensure it works
Monitor your exports: Check the feed settings for next run time and last export status
Enable failure alerts: Turn on dashboard notifications so you're aware if a scheduled export fails
Keep URLs secure: Don't share trigger URLs publicly
Document your automations: Keep track of what triggers your exports
Keep background processing active: If your site has low traffic, use an external service like FastCron to visit your site regularly so scheduled exports run on time