How to trigger a GravityExport Save Feed with a webhook or cron job

You can manually trigger a GravityExport Save feed by calling a public URL. If you want to trigger the feed to run on a schedule, you can do so using a "cron job", an automated script (more on this below).

How to configure

1. When creating a new "GravityExport Save" feed, select the "Manual trigger" option under "Export trigger".
2. After saving the feed, a "Public trigger URL" will be generated.
3. Click on the button to copy this URL to your clipboard.

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

If you want to schedule exports to run at certain times, you'll need to call the generated public trigger URL using a cron service. This will ensure that your Save feed is executed at defined time intervals.

Using WordPress:

If your website receives a decent amount of traffic, we recommend using the free WP Crontrol plugin. This allows you to manage cron schedules through your WordPress website.

• Install the WP Crontrol plugin
• Add your trigger URL to run on a schedule
• Note: WordPress cron depends on site visits and may not always be reliable

Using external services (more reliable):

• Cron-job.org - Free, reliable scheduling
• EasyCron - User-friendly interface
• Cronitor - Advanced monitoring included

Provide the "Public trigger URL" to one of these services, set how often to run it (daily, weekly, etc.), and they will fetch your page on that schedule.

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:

1. Choose your trigger event
2. Add "Webhooks by Zapier" as the action
3. Set it to GET request
4. Paste your trigger URL
5. Turn on the Zap

Make

Similar to Zapier with visual workflow builder:

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

Option 3: Manual Triggers

Browser Bookmarks

Save the trigger URL as a bookmark, click to export anytime.

Common use cases

Daily reports

• Schedule a daily export at 6 AM using a cron service
• 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

Monthly summaries

• Schedule monthly exports on the 1st of each month
• Combine with email automation for distribution

On-demand exports

• Add bookmark for quick manual exports
• Create Slack command for team access

Best practices

1. Test your setup: Run the trigger URL manually first to ensure it works
2. Use external schedulers: More reliable than WordPress cron for critical exports
3. Keep URLs secure: Don't share trigger URLs publicly
4. Document your automations: Keep track of what triggers your exports