Formatter (Zapier)

Zapier Formatter is a built-in tool that changes data between steps in a Zap. Data from a trigger often isn't in the shape the next action needs. A date may be in the wrong format, or an amount may arrive in cents. Formatter changes the value, and later steps use the new value. Formatter steps don't use a task.

What Zapier Formatter can do

In the Zap editor the app is called Formatter by Zapier. You pick one of four action events, then a transform inside it.

• Text. Split text, such as a full name into first and last. Extract emails, URLs, or patterns. Find and replace, change case, and encode or decode HTML.
• Numbers. Do math, convert number formats, format phone numbers, pick a random number, and format a number as currency.
• Date/Time. Reformat dates, add or subtract time, compare dates, and convert time zones.
• Utilities. Lookup tables, line items, CSV import, and picking an item from a list.

Formatter utilities functions

Formatter utilities are the transforms under the Utilities action event. Zapier documents five.

• Lookup table. Maps one value to another, such as a product ID to a product name.
• Pick from list. Picks the first, last, or a random item from a list that an earlier step returned.
• Create line items. Builds line items, a set of values grouped in one field, for apps that accept them.
• Line-item to text. Turns line items into a text string for apps that don't support line items.
• Import CSV file. Reads a CSV file so the Zap can pass each row to another app.

Does Formatter use tasks?

No. Zapier doesn't count Formatter steps toward task usage. You can add several Formatter steps to a Zap and only the regular actions count.

Which plans include Formatter?

Formatter is on the Professional, Team, and Enterprise plans. The Free plan doesn't include it.

Example

A Stripe payment arrives with amount in cents, such as 2400. A Numbers step divides it by 100, then the Format Currency transform turns it into $24.00. A Slack action posts the result. Format Currency only changes how the number looks. It doesn't convert between currencies.

Formatter in Stripe Slack alerts

If your Formatter steps exist to clean up Stripe data before a Slack message, ChargeBell does that formatting itself. Amounts show as currency, not cents. Payment alerts can show the Stripe fee and what you keep when Stripe reports them, and subscription alerts include the MRR change. The ChargeBell vs Zapier comparison covers what each one does, and when to replace a Zapier Stripe alert workflow helps you decide whether the Zap is worth keeping.