Webhook.

A webhook is like a digital doorbell between two programs. As soon as something happens in one system—for example, a contact form is submitted, a payment is confirmed, or an order is placed—it automatically sends the relevant data to a pre-configured web address. The receiving program responds to this without anyone having to type a single thing. For small businesses, webhooks are often the easiest way to automate processes that are still handled manually today.

How a Webhook Works

Instead of constantly checking to see if there’s anything new, the receiving system is notified. Shopify describes webhooks exactly this way: as an alternative to continuous polling, where an app receives data in near real time when something happens in the store, such as a new order. Technically, this is an HTTP request sent to an address that you specify. The data is usually in JSON format.

According to its own documentation, the payment service Stripe sends events such as a confirmed payment or a chargeback via HTTPS to a registered recipient. If the recipient does not acknowledge receipt, Stripe will attempt to resend the message up to three days in a row during live operation, according to the documentation. Slack takes the opposite approach: Through an incoming webhook, you receive a dedicated address to which other programs can send messages for a specific channel.

What Your Business Should Keep in Mind

Start with a workflow that takes up your time every day. A typical example is a new inquiry submitted through the website: A webhook automatically creates the entry in the CRM and notifies the team via chat, instead of someone having to manually enter the information from an email. We describe which workflows are worth tackling first in “The 5 Processes Where AI Pays Off First.”

Treat the webhook address like a password. Slack explicitly states that the address contains a secret and should not be shared publicly. Stripe and Shopify sign their messages so that the recipient can verify that they actually came from the sender.

Expect messages to arrive twice. Shopify recommends using a unique identifier to identify duplicate deliveries. Otherwise, an order will suddenly appear twice in the accounting system. In projects, we often see that this very issue is overlooked during the initial setup.

Keep track of where personal data is sent. Form data includes names and contact information. Any service that receives this data via webhook should be identified and listed in your privacy policy.

Frequently Asked Questions About Webhooks

Do I need programming skills to set this up? Not necessarily. In Shopify, according to the help section, you create a webhook directly in the admin panel under "Settings" and "Notifications." On the recipient's end, however, you'll need a program or an automation service to process the data.

What is the difference between a webhook and an API? With an API, your program actively retrieves data. With a webhook, the other system notifies you on its own as soon as something happens. Many automation processes use both.

Does a webhook have anything to do with AI? Not directly, but it often serves as the trigger. The new request arrives via a webhook, and an AI agent categorizes it or drafts a response. Learn more at Agentic AI.

If you want to connect forms, calendars, your online store, and CRM without having to manually transfer data, check out our AI automation.