TriggerPayPalReal-timeUpdated May 2026
When does PayPal fire on order approval?
Short answer: Drop the "PayPal → PayPal Order Approved" trigger on your workflow canvas, add filters if you want them, and publish. It fires within seconds of the event in PayPal, not on a polling schedule.
Anatomy
What this trigger looks like in a workflow.
Drop it on the canvas. Configure a couple of fields. Publish.
In the builder
Trigger
PayPal Order Approved
When the matching event happens
new order approvedwhen a paypal checkout order is approvedwatch for order approvedwhen order approvedon order approved
What this trigger returns
for the curiousYou don’t need to read this. Tiny Command auto-maps every field into the visual picker so downstream nodes can pull values by clicking. We show it here for power users who want to know what’s on the wire.
{"id": "order_123","payer": {"email_address": "buyer@example.com"},"status": "APPROVED","purchase_units": [{"amount": {"value": "150.00","currency_code": "USD"},"description": "Order #456"}]}
Output shape
Fields available to downstream nodes.
Every field below can be referenced by name in any action or filter that comes after this trigger.
| Field | Type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| id | string | "order_123" |
| payer | object | { … } |
| payer.email_address | string | "buyer@example.com" |
| status | string | "APPROVED" |
| purchase_units | array | [{"amount":{"value":"150.00","currency_code":"USD"},"descrip |
Pairs with
Drop these actions after PayPal Order Approved.
FAQ
Questions about PayPal Order Approved.
How does the PayPal Order Approved trigger work in PayPal?
Fires when the buyer approves an order (but before capture). For "buyer approved → trigger auto-capture" workflows.
Is the PayPal Order Approved trigger real-time?
Yes. PayPal Order Approved uses webhooks or push subscriptions, not polling. Your workflow fires within seconds of the event happening in PayPal.
What data does PayPal Order Approved return?
The full event payload from PayPal. The output shape table on this page lists every field, its type, and an example value so you can map fields into downstream nodes.
Can I filter PayPal Order Approved so only some events start a workflow?
Yes. Add a Filter node right after the trigger and match on any field, whether that's subject, sender, status, or anything else in the payload. Workflows only continue when the filter passes.
Do I need PayPal admin permissions to use PayPal Order Approved?
For most PayPal accounts a standard user can authorize the trigger. Some PayPal plans require an admin to enable third-party webhooks. Check PayPal's docs if the trigger fails to register.
More triggers
Other PayPal triggers.
Trigger
PayPal Payment Completed
Fires when a payment is captured. Payload includes amount, currency, payer info. The revenue-event hook for fulfilment, accounting sync, customer-onboarding.
TriggerPayPal Payment Refunded
Fires when a refund is processed. For "revoke product access on refund", "update customer record", "log to refund tracking" workflows.
TriggerPayPal Subscription Cancelled
Fires when a PayPal recurring billing agreement cancels. For churn-tracking workflows and for revoking subscription access.
TriggerPayPal Subscription Created
Fires when a new subscription/billing agreement is created. For "auto-provision subscription access" customer-onboarding workflows.
Build a workflow on this trigger.
One trigger. 4+ downstream actions. Zero glue.
