How to synchronize post metadata within WordPress

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Managing and synchronizing post metadata within WordPress can be a bit tricky, especially when you’re working with multiple posts, custom post types, or even external websites. However, by leveraging the power of WP Webhooks and Automation (Flows), this process can be simplified and automated. In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the steps to synchronize post metadata within WordPress using WP Webhooks.

Step-by-step Guide:

  1. Create a new Automation (Flows) within WP Webhooks:
    Log in to your WordPress dashboard, navigate to the WP Webhooks plugin, and create a new Automation (Flow).
  2. Add a trigger with the “WordPress” integration and the “Post updated” trigger:
    Select the “WordPress” integration and choose the “Post updated” trigger. This will ensure that the automation is triggered whenever a post is updated.
  3. Select the post type:
    In the settings, choose the post type you want to fire the trigger on, for example, ‘post’ or ‘page’.
    The flow trigger within the WP Webhooks Pro
  4. Test the trigger:
    Proceed to the testing step and update an actual post to test the trigger.
  5. Get log data:
    From the testing dropdown, select “Get log data” and find the entry about the blog. If it’s not visible, click the refresh button.
  6. Finalize the trigger:
    Click “Finish” to finalize the trigger.
  7. Add a new action:
    Depending on where the post you want to sync the meta values for is located, add a new action. For posts on the same site, use the “Update post” action within the “WordPress” integration. For posts outside the current site or on a remote site, use the “Webhooks” integration along with the “Send webhook request” action.
  8. Configure the “Update post” action:
    In this example, we’ll assume that the post is on the same site but has a different post type. Select the “Update post” action and continue.
  9. Set the action settings:
    In the action settings tab, add the post ID of the post you want to assign the metadata from the previously updated one.
  10. Add the manage_meta_data argument:
    Locate the manage_meta_data argument and insert the following JSON: { “wp_meta_fields”: META_DATA }
  11. Replace the META_DATA placeholder:
    Replace the META_DATA placeholder with the dynamic data from the dropdown. This should contain the metadata sent with the trigger.
    The manage_meta_data field of the "WordPress" integration inside of WP Webhooks PRo
  12. Test the action:
    Proceed to the testing step and use the “Fire action” setting to test the action.
  13. Complete the process:
    Your setup is now complete. The other post will always be updated with the latest metadata once the initial post from the trigger is updated.

Important Note: If the post you want to sync is of the same post_type as the triggering post, ensure that you add a conditional to the flow to avoid loops.

Conclusion:

Synchronizing post metadata within WordPress can be a breeze with WP Webhooks and Automation (Flows). By following this step-by-step guide, you can streamline your metadata management and keep your posts updated across different post types and even external websites. Happy synchronizing!

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