REVSET LABS · EXPERT GUIDE·Integrations & API
Separate Multiple File URLs from GoHighLevel Webhooks in Zapier
1,168 words·5 min read·Updated 28 April 2026·beginner· Quick Answer
To separate multiple file URLs from GoHighLevel webhooks in Zapier, use the Formatter by Zapier app with the 'Text' event and 'Split Text' transform. This allows you to process each URL individually for further automation. This process typically takes 10-15 minutes to configure.
Key Takeaways
- ✓Always use the 'Formatter by Zapier' with the 'Split Text' transform to break down bundled URLs.
- ✓Correctly identify the delimiter (e.g., comma, semicolon) used in your GoHighLevel webhook payload for accurate splitting.
- ✓Test each step of your Zap individually to quickly identify and resolve any data transformation issues.
- ✓Map the output of the 'Split Text' step, which is an array, to subsequent Zapier actions that can handle multiple items.
- ✓Ensure your GoHighLevel workflow is published and actively sending webhooks for successful Zapier trigger setup.
Why You Need to Separate File URLs from GoHighLevel Webhooks
When you upload multiple files within GoHighLevel, such as through a form submission or a custom field, GHL often bundles all the file URLs into a single string when sending them via a webhook. This single string might look like 'url1.jpg,url2.pdf,url3.png'. While convenient for sending, this format poses a challenge for Zapier, which typically needs individual URLs to process each file separately. You must split this combined string into distinct URL entries to automate tasks like uploading each file to cloud storage or attaching them to specific records.
Step 1: Set Up Your GoHighLevel Workflow and Webhook
Your GoHighLevel workflow is the starting point for sending file attachment data to Zapier. You need a workflow that triggers based on an event where files are uploaded, such as a form submission, and includes a 'Send Webhook' action.
1
Create or Edit a GoHighLevel Workflow — Go to Automation → Workflows in your GoHighLevel account. Click Create workflow or edit an existing one where file uploads occur.
2
Choose a Trigger Event — Select a trigger that activates when a file is uploaded. Common triggers include Form Submitted, Survey Submitted, or Contact Updated (if files are attached to custom fields).
3
Add a 'Send Webhook' Action — Click the '+' icon to add a new action in your workflow. Search for and select Send Webhook from the action list.
4
Keep the Webhook URL Empty for Now — Leave the Webhook URL field blank for this step. You will get this URL from Zapier in the next section after setting up your Zapier trigger.
5
Save and Publish Your Workflow — Click Save to apply your changes. Ensure your workflow is Published to allow it to send data when triggered.
⚠️ Do not publish your GoHighLevel workflow until the Zapier trigger is ready to catch the webhook. Publishing it too early might send test data that Zapier cannot properly interpret.
🔥 Pro Tip
Use a dedicated custom field in GoHighLevel for file uploads if you need to manage multiple attachments per contact. This provides a consistent field to map in your webhook payload.
In this step, you will create a new Zap that listens for the webhook sent from your GoHighLevel workflow. This will capture the raw data, including the bundled file URLs.
1
Create a New Zap — Log in to your Zapier account and click Create Zap in the top left corner. This starts building your automation.
2
Choose 'Webhooks by Zapier' as the Trigger — Search for and select Webhooks by Zapier as your trigger app. This app allows Zapier to receive data from custom webhooks.
3
Select 'Catch Hook' as the Event — Under 'Trigger Event', choose Catch Hook. This tells Zapier to wait for incoming data from any configured webhook URL.
4
Copy Your Custom Webhook URL — Click Continue and Zapier will provide you with a unique Custom Webhook URL. Copy this URL to your clipboard.
5
Paste the URL into GoHighLevel — Return to your GoHighLevel workflow (from Step 1). Paste the copied Zapier URL into the Webhook URL field of your 'Send Webhook' action. Click Save Action and then Save the workflow.
6
Send Test Data from GoHighLevel — Trigger your GoHighLevel workflow by performing the action that sends the webhook (e.g., submit the form with file uploads). This sends real data to Zapier for testing.
7
Test Your Zapier Trigger — Go back to Zapier and click Continue. Then click Test trigger. Zapier will attempt to find the webhook data sent from GoHighLevel. Verify that the test data includes the field containing your bundled file URLs.
⚠️ If Zapier doesn't catch the hook, double-check that your GoHighLevel workflow is published, the webhook URL is correct, and the trigger event was actually performed.
🔥 Pro Tip
Always send real test data from GoHighLevel, including multiple file uploads. This ensures Zapier catches the exact format of the bundled URLs you need to split.
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This is the crucial step where you transform the single string of bundled URLs into an array of individual URLs. Zapier's Formatter app is designed for this type of data manipulation.
1
Add a New Action Step — After your 'Webhooks by Zapier' trigger, click the '+' icon to add a new action step. This will be your data transformation step.
2
Choose 'Formatter by Zapier' — Search for and select Formatter by Zapier as your action app. This powerful tool handles various data formatting needs.
3
Select 'Text' as the Event — Under 'Action Event', choose Text from the available options. This indicates you want to manipulate text data.
4
Choose 'Split Text' as the Transform — Under 'Transform', select Split Text. This specific function will break a single text string into multiple parts based on a delimiter.
5
Input the Bundled URL Field — In the Input field, click and select the field from your 'Webhooks by Zapier' trigger that contains the bundled file URLs. This is the string you want to split.
6
Define the Separator — In the Separator field, enter the character or string that separates your URLs. Typically, this is a comma (`,`). If your URLs are separated by spaces, use a space (` `), or by semicolons, use a semicolon (`;`).
7
Test the Formatter Step — Click Continue and then Test step. The output should now show an array of individual URLs, separated as line items. Verify that each URL is distinct.
⚠️ An incorrect separator will lead to either no splitting or incorrect splitting, resulting in broken URLs or an incomplete list. Always confirm the exact delimiter used by GoHighLevel in your webhook payload.
🔥 Pro Tip
If your URLs sometimes contain commas within the URL itself (which is rare but possible), consider using a less common delimiter in GoHighLevel when setting up the custom field, such as a pipe `|` or a double comma `,,` to avoid incorrect splitting.
Step 4: Utilize the Separated URLs in Subsequent Actions
With your URLs now split into individual items, you can use them in any subsequent Zapier action. This allows you to process each file independently, enabling powerful automations.
1
Add a New Action Step for File Processing — Click the '+' icon to add another action step. Choose an app that can handle file URLs, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Slack, or even another GoHighLevel action.
2
Select Your Desired Action Event — For example, if uploading to Google Drive, select Upload File. If sending in a message, choose Send Channel Message.
3
Map the Split URLs to the File Field — In the configuration for your new action, find the field where you need to input the file URL. Map the output from your Formatter by Zapier (Split Text) step (e.g., 'Output' or 'Result') to this field.
4
Understand Zapier's Line Item Handling — When you map an array of items (like your split URLs) to a field that expects a file URL, Zapier often processes each item separately. For some apps, it will automatically create a separate task for each URL in the array.
5
Test Your Final Action Step — Click Continue and then Test step. Verify that each individual URL from the split list is correctly processed by your chosen app, confirming the successful separation and utilization.
⚠️ Ensure the subsequent app or action you choose can accept a URL as a file input. Some apps might require a different file format or direct file upload, not just a URL.
🔥 Pro Tip
If your subsequent action doesn't automatically loop through the split URLs, you might need to add an 'Iterator by Zapier' step before your action. This explicitly tells Zapier to run the following steps for each item in the array.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
⚠️ Zapier isn't catching the webhook from GoHighLevel.
Check if your GoHighLevel workflow is published and active. Verify the webhook URL in GoHighLevel exactly matches the Zapier custom webhook URL. Ensure you triggered the GHL event (e.g., submitted the form) after publishing.
⚠️ The Formatter 'Split Text' step isn't separating the URLs.
Re-examine the raw data from your Zapier trigger to confirm the exact separator used by GoHighLevel (e.g., `,`, `;`, ` `). Input this exact separator into the Separator field of your Formatter step. A mismatch will cause the split to fail.
⚠️ Only one URL is being processed by my subsequent action, even after splitting.
Some Zapier actions do not automatically iterate over arrays. You might need to add an Iterator by Zapier step immediately after your Formatter step. This forces subsequent actions to run for each individual item in the array.
⚠️ The split URLs are broken or incomplete.
This often means the wrong delimiter was used or the original data field was not correctly mapped. Review the Input field in your Formatter step to ensure it's mapping the correct GoHighLevel field containing the full URL string. Also, re-check your separator.
⚠️ I'm seeing 'No Data' in the Formatter step after testing.
This indicates that the input field you selected for the Formatter was empty during the test. Go back to your Zapier trigger, pull in a new test record that definitely contains file URLs, and then re-test the Formatter step.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- →Not accurately identifying the delimiter (e.g., comma, space) used by GoHighLevel in the webhook payload.
- →Forgetting to publish the GoHighLevel workflow after adding the webhook action, preventing data from being sent.
- →Mapping the original bundled URL field directly to a subsequent action instead of the Formatter's split output.
- →Not testing each Zapier step individually, making it harder to pinpoint where the data transformation fails.
- →Assuming all subsequent Zapier actions automatically loop through arrays without needing an explicit Iterator step.
Frequently Asked Questions
QWhat if my URLs use a different separator than a comma?
GoHighLevel typically uses a comma (`,`) to separate multiple file URLs in a webhook. However, if you observe a different character in your Zapier trigger's raw data, such as a semicolon (`;`) or a space (` `), you must use that exact character in the **Separator** field of your Formatter by Zapier 'Split Text' step. Always inspect your raw webhook data to confirm the delimiter.
QHow do I handle files with spaces or special characters in their names within the URL?
GoHighLevel automatically URL-encodes file names when generating URLs, replacing spaces with `%20` and handling other special characters. The 'Split Text' formatter works on the string as-is. You generally do not need to do anything extra. The resulting split URLs will remain correctly encoded and functional for subsequent actions like uploading or downloading.
QCan I upload these separated files directly back into GoHighLevel contacts?
Yes, once the URLs are separated, you can use a subsequent Zapier action to update a GoHighLevel contact. You would map each individual URL from the Formatter output to a file upload custom field on the contact. If you have multiple file fields, you might need an Iterator step to handle each URL one by one, updating the contact for each file.
QWhat if there's only one URL in the GoHighLevel webhook? Does the splitter still work?
Yes, the 'Split Text' formatter still works correctly even if there's only one URL. If the input field contains a single URL without any delimiter, the Formatter will simply output that single URL as a one-item array. Subsequent steps will then process this single URL as expected, ensuring your Zap is robust whether one or many files are uploaded.
QWhy do I need Zapier for this? Can't GoHighLevel do this internally?
GoHighLevel's native automation capabilities are powerful but do not currently include a built-in function to parse or 'split' a single string of multiple URLs into individual items for separate processing within a workflow. Zapier acts as an essential bridge, providing the data transformation tools (like the Formatter app) necessary to manipulate webhook data before passing it to other applications or back into GoHighLevel.
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Start your 30-day GoHighLevel free trial
Everything in this guide is in your free trial. 30 days, no credit card — the platform behind 78+ revenue systems.
Some links are affiliate links — if you sign up we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend GoHighLevel because we build on it every day.
Arsalan Zaffar
Revset Labs · Revenue Systems · 78+ GHL Builds
Arsalan writes GHL guides from real build experience — 78+ systems, $9.2M in client pipeline. Wharton, CXL & Google certified.
Connect on LinkedInTags:GoHighLevelZapierWebhooksFile UploadsAutomationData Transformation
