In This Article
Introduction
Many organizations run existing automations on Zapier, Make, or rule-based chatbots. Migrating to OpenClaw can unlock more flexible, intelligent workflows — but migration requires planning. Here's what we're covering: migration patterns, a week-by-week execution plan, and how to avoid the pitfalls that derail migrations.
You'll see exactly how to map Zapier Zaps to OpenClaw workflows, transfer chatbot knowledge bases, run parallel systems safely, and cut over without downtime. One company migrated 47 Zaps to a single OpenClaw agent in 6 weeks — we'll show you the approach.
Why Migrate to OpenClaw?
Cost at scale. Zapier charges per task. At 10,000+ tasks/month, bills hit $200-500+. OpenClaw's API costs are typically 50-70% lower for equivalent volume. Make has similar economics.
Flexibility. Zapier/Make are trigger-action. If the trigger fires, the action runs. OpenClaw can reason: "Is this email actually a support request or a newsletter?" It handles ambiguity. You consolidate many Zaps into one intelligent workflow.
Proactive behavior. Zapier waits for triggers. OpenClaw's Heartbeat can check conditions on a schedule: "Any orders stuck in processing > 48 hours?" No trigger needed — the agent goes looking.
Chatbot limitations. Rule-based chatbots break on unexpected phrasing. OpenClaw understands intent. You get better handling of edge cases and multi-turn conversations.
From Zapier/Make: Detailed Migration
Zapier and Make use trigger-action logic. OpenClaw uses intent-based logic. Migration means: identify the trigger (new email, form submit, etc.), identify the desired outcome, design an OpenClaw workflow that achieves it. Often you'll consolidate multiple Zaps into one agent. Document current workflows before migrating. Test thoroughly in parallel.
Step 1: Export and document. List every Zap. For each: trigger (what starts it), actions (what it does), filters (conditions), and volume (how often it runs). Export Zapier history if available — see what actually runs. Many teams discover Zaps that haven't fired in months; deprecate those.
Step 2: Group by outcome. "New form submit → add to CRM + send confirmation + notify sales" is one workflow, not three Zaps. OpenClaw can do all three in one task. Group Zaps by shared triggers or outcomes. You'll often reduce 20 Zaps to 5-7 OpenClaw workflows.
Step 3: Build OpenClaw equivalent. For each workflow, configure: Heartbeat or webhook trigger, Skills needed (HTTP for CRM API, email for sending), memory for templates and logic. Test with sample data. Don't migrate until the OpenClaw version produces correct output.
Step 4: Parallel run. Run both Zapier and OpenClaw for the same triggers. Compare outputs for 1-2 weeks. Fix discrepancies. When OpenClaw matches or exceeds Zapier 100% of the time, you're ready to cut over.
Step 5: Cut over. Disable the Zap. Enable OpenClaw. Monitor for 48 hours. Keep Zapier paused (not deleted) for 2 weeks in case you need to roll back.
From Chatbots: Knowledge Transfer
Rule-based or simple AI chatbots have limited capabilities. OpenClaw offers: proactive behavior, Skills (browsing, APIs, shell), persistent memory, and multi-channel support. Migration: export your FAQ/knowledge base, design system prompt and memory structure, configure messaging channels. Expect improved handling of edge cases and ambiguous queries.
Export your content. Get every Q&A pair, FAQ entry, and script from your current chatbot. Format as structured documents: question, answer, category. Clean up outdated or contradictory entries. This becomes OpenClaw's memory.
Design the system prompt. "You are [brand] support. Answer from the knowledge base. If unsure, say 'Let me connect you with the team.' Never make up information." Include tone, escalation rules, and channel-specific guidance (e.g., "On WhatsApp, keep responses under 3 messages").
Configure channels. Your chatbot likely lives on website chat, Facebook, or a specific app. OpenClaw supports WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord. Add the channels you need. Test each.
Handle the transition. Run both during transition. Route 10% of traffic to OpenClaw, 90% to old chatbot. Compare resolution rates and satisfaction. Gradually increase OpenClaw's share. When it outperforms, retire the old bot.
Migration Steps: Week-by-Week Plan
Week 1: Audit. Document all Zaps/chats. Prioritize by business impact. Choose 2-3 highest-value workflows for first migration.
Week 2: Build. Create OpenClaw workflows for chosen items. Test in isolation. No production traffic yet.
Week 3: Parallel. Run Zapier and OpenClaw for same triggers. Compare. Fix. Validate 100% match.
Week 4: Cut over. Disable Zapier for migrated workflows. Monitor. Expand to next batch.
Weeks 5-6: Repeat. Migrate remaining workflows. Deprecate Zapier/Make when done. Document new architecture.
Don't big-bang migrate. Incremental reduces risk. One workflow at a time.
Parallel Running & Validation
Run old and new systems in parallel for a period. Compare outputs. Fix discrepancies. Gradually shift traffic or volume to OpenClaw. Keep rollback option. Parallel running catches edge cases before full cutover.
What to compare. For each trigger event: Did OpenClaw produce the same (or better) outcome as Zapier? Check: data written to CRM, emails sent, notifications triggered. Log differences. Investigate every mismatch.
Duration. Minimum 1 week. For critical workflows (payments, customer-facing), 2 weeks. For low-volume (< 10/day), 2 weeks to get enough data.
Success criteria. 100% match on critical fields. No missed triggers. No duplicate actions. When you hit that, cut over.
Common Migration Mistakes
Mistake 1: Migrating everything at once. One failed workflow blocks the whole migration. Migrate in batches of 2-5. Prove each batch before moving on.
Mistake 2: Not testing edge cases. Zapier might have filters that handle "empty email" or "duplicate submit." OpenClaw needs equivalent logic. Test with bad data, not just happy path.
Mistake 3: Forgetting dependencies. Zap A feeds Zap B. If you migrate A first, B might break. Map dependencies. Migrate in order, or migrate A+B together.
Mistake 4: Deleting Zapier too soon. Keep Zaps paused for 2 weeks post-cutover. Something will come up. Have rollback ready.
Rollback Plan
Before cutover: Document how to re-enable Zapier. Keep API keys and credentials. Have a rollback trigger: "If OpenClaw error rate > 5% in first 24 hours, revert." Assign someone to monitor. One team had to roll back when OpenClaw missed a timezone edge case; they were back on Zapier in 30 minutes because they'd planned for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run Zapier and OpenClaw simultaneously long-term? Yes. Some teams keep Zapier for simple, high-volume pipelines (e.g., form → CRM) and use OpenClaw for complex, judgment-requiring workflows. Hybrid is fine.
What about Make (Integromat)? Same principles. Make has more complex visual workflows — map each scenario to OpenClaw logic. Make's error handling and retries need equivalents in OpenClaw.
How do I migrate n8n or other self-hosted automation? n8n is closer to OpenClaw (self-hosted, flexible). Migration is often easier — you're moving logic, not changing deployment model. Export workflows, recreate in OpenClaw.
What if my Zap uses 10 steps? OpenClaw can often do it in one. The agent reasons through the steps. Map the outcome, not the steps. Let the agent figure out how.
Do I need to migrate all at once? No. Many teams migrate 20% of workflows (the most valuable) and leave the rest on Zapier. ROI comes from the high-value items.
Wrapping Up
Migration to OpenClaw is manageable with an incremental approach. Document, prioritize, build, parallel-run, cut over. Expect 4-8 weeks for a typical migration of 20-50 workflows. OpenClaw Consult helps plan and execute migrations from Zapier, Make, and legacy chatbots — we've done dozens of migrations and can shortcut the learning curve.