What Is a Clay HTTP API Integration?
A Clay HTTP API integration sends a configured web request from Clay to another service and makes the response available to a workflow. It can retrieve data, create or update a record, or perform another operation supported by the destination API. Its behavior depends on the endpoint, method, authentication and mapped inputs.
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The parts of a request
The endpoint identifies the service resource. The HTTP method describes the requested operation. Headers can carry authentication and content information; query parameters and a request body carry inputs. A response usually includes a status and data that must be interpreted using the service's documentation.
Clay can use HTTP API as an enrichment on existing rows or as a source for importing data. Those are different jobs. Decide whether you need to enrich a known record or bring a collection into a table before configuring pagination and output mapping.
A conceptual CRM lookup
Imagine a row with a CRM account ID. A read request asks the CRM for that account and returns its owner and status. The ID is the lookup key; the response fields are mapped into the table for later decisions.
A create request would have different consequences. Repeating it could create duplicate records unless the API and workflow have appropriate protection. Check whether the destination supports an idempotency key, upsert or another documented duplicate-control mechanism before enabling repeated writes.
A successful response needs readback
A 2xx status means the request succeeded according to that endpoint's HTTP behavior. It does not automatically prove the correct person was updated, that every requested field persisted, or that asynchronous work has finished. Inspect the returned identifier and read the destination when the operation affects shared data.
For errors, preserve the status, response details and mapped inputs without exposing secrets. Authentication failure, rate limiting, invalid JSON and missing permissions require different fixes. Repeatedly retrying the whole table can multiply writes or exhaust limits without addressing the cause.
Configure access and execution deliberately
Use Clay's supported connection management for credentials and grant only the permissions the workflow needs. Do not put secret keys in ordinary text columns, exported data or prompts. Check the destination's authentication requirements rather than copying a token from an unrelated endpoint.
Require the necessary inputs with a run condition, test one controlled row, and verify the result in the receiving system. Then review repeat behavior and the current usage estimate before scaling. Document the request and field mapping so a future operator can understand what the integration changes.
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