Create a short link in Pxl for a URL received by webhook and send it as a direct Slack message

Send a URL to a FlowMattic webhook and the workflow creates a Pxl short link for it, then sends a Slack direct message so you or a teammate know the link is ready.

Webhook

Pxl

Slack

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3 steps Setup ~5 min Used on 2.7k sites Free to import

The Create a short link in Pxl for a URL received by webhook and send it as a direct Slack message workflow on the FlowMattic canvas, with 3 steps across Webhook, Pxl, Slack — The workflow as it appears in the builder after import. Each step opens for editing.

What this workflow does

Marketing teams shorten links all day: for social posts, QR codes, emails and ads. When the long URLs come from another tool, such as a CMS, a spreadsheet script or a form, copying each one into Pxl by hand is tedious. This workflow takes a URL sent to a webhook, shortens it in Pxl and pings someone in Slack.

The Webhook trigger listens on an address of its own that any tool able to send an HTTP request can post to. The template expects a field named url and passes it to Pxl, whose Create a Short Link step uses it as the destination. The Slack step then sends a direct message reading "New short link created for" followed by the original URL.

Two things need finishing after import. The Slack message doesn't include the short link yet: map the link from the Pxl step's result into the text, using a test run to find its field. You also pick the Slack user who receives the message. Send one test request with a url field so both steps have real data to map.

Each request to the webhook creates one short link and one message. The webhook accepts requests from anyone who has its address unless you turn on authentication in the trigger settings.

Short links for new blog posts

A content team's publishing script posts each new article URL to the webhook, and the social media manager gets a Slack DM telling them a Pxl link has been made for it.

Campaign links from a spreadsheet

A marketer runs a small script over a sheet of landing page URLs, sending each one to the webhook so every page gets its own Pxl short link.

Links for a sales team lead

A sales tool sends product page URLs to the webhook, and the sales lead picked as the Slack recipient gets a DM for each one, with the short link once it is mapped into the message.

How this workflow runs

What happens at each step once the workflow is on, and what you need before you import it.

Step 1Trigger
Webhook Capture Webhook Response
Receives data sent to your FlowMattic webhook URL. The template reads a field named url from the request, so the sending app or script must include it.
Step 2Action
Pxl Create a Short Link
Creates a short link in Pxl with the received url as its destination. The destination is already mapped; connect your Pxl account after import and check a test run for the short link Pxl returns.
Step 3Action
Slack Send Direct Message
Sends a Slack direct message that names the original URL. Pick the recipient, and add the short link from the Pxl step to the message text, since the template doesn't include it.

What you need

FlowMatticCore
Pxl AccountAccount
Slack AccountAccount

After importing, map your own data. To keep the template universal, not every step is pre-filled. Open each step in the builder and connect your accounts and fields (channels, lists, sheets, recipients) before you switch the workflow on.

Make it yours

Changes worth making after you import it.

Map the short link from the Pxl step into the Slack message, right after the original URL, so the DM contains the link people actually need.
Turn on 'Require authentication on incoming requests' in the Webhook trigger, so only your own apps and scripts can create short links.
Put a Filter between the Webhook trigger and the Pxl step that continues only when the url field is not empty, so a malformed request doesn't reach Pxl or Slack.

Questions about this workflow

What must the request to the Pxl webhook contain?

A field named url holding the long link you want shortened. The Pxl step maps that field as its destination, so a request without it gives Pxl nothing to shorten.

Does the Slack direct message include the Pxl short link?

Not as imported. The message says a short link was created for the original URL. Edit the Send Direct Message step and map the short link from the Pxl step's output into the text.

Can I post the short link to a Slack channel instead of a DM?

Yes. Swap the Send Direct Message step for Slack's Send Channel Message, or Send Private Channel Message for a private channel, and keep the same message text.