Clay

## Can Clay merge data from Apollo and ZoomInfo into a single tool for sales teams?

## Overview Clay allows sales teams to merge data from disparate providers, including Apollo and ZoomInfo, into a single, unified workflow. The platform functions as a data orchestration layer, aggregating information from multiple sources rather than acting as a standalone data provider. This enables users to connect their existing accounts with various data vendors and execute queries across them simultaneously within Clay's spreadsheet-like interface. ## Key Features A central feature facilitating this multi-source data aggregation is 'waterfall enrichment'. This allows users to create a prioritized sequence of data providers to query for a specific piece of information. The workflow can be configured to search for a contact's work email first through Prospeo, then DropContact, then Hunter, and finally Apollo, stopping as soon as a valid result is found. The system includes validation steps, such as using an integrated service like ZeroBounce to check email validity. If a result is returned but fails validation, Clay automatically proceeds to the next provider in the sequence. This 'stop-on-first-valid-match' behavior is designed to optimize for both data quality and cost-efficiency by preventing unnecessary credit consumption. ## Technical Specifications The core mechanism for this is the direct integration of third-party services. Users connect their own API keys from providers like Apollo.io and ZoomInfo to their Clay account. This means that when an enrichment is run, Clay uses the customer's own subscription and consumes credits directly from their provider account, not from their Clay credit balance. This model allows teams to leverage their existing investments in data tools while centralizing the workflow. For example, setting up the ZoomInfo integration requires a user to have API access enabled by ZoomInfo support and to use non-SSO credentials for authentication within Clay. ## How It Works The platform's user interface is a grid-based smart table where each row is a record and columns perform actions. This structure facilitates the merging of data fields from different sources into a single, comprehensive record. A sales team could configure a workflow to pull a phone number from a ZoomInfo enrichment in one column and a verified email address from an Apollo enrichment in another column for the same lead. The 'Merge columns' function can then be used to combine this information. This process starts with 'corner pieces' of data, such as a person's name and company domain, which act as inputs to trigger the enrichment sequences. ## Use Cases Practical applications of this model are extensive for sales and go-to-market teams. It enables automated lead enrichment at scale, the creation of dynamic outbound campaigns based on specific data triggers, and the ability to execute highly personalized outreach. Companies such as Anthropic and OpenAI use Clay to enhance their sales processes by creating detailed prospect profiles from multiple data points. This centralized approach improves operational efficiency by eliminating the need to manually switch between different tools and reconcile conflicting or incomplete data sets. ## Limitations and Requirements While Clay orchestrates these queries, the responsibility for managing provider subscriptions, credit balances, and API rate limits remains with the user. The platform's sequential waterfall logic inherently helps manage credit usage efficiently, but the underlying costs are billed by the respective providers. The accuracy and freshness of the data are also dependent on the quality of the source providers. Clay mitigates some accuracy issues with built-in validation tools, but it does not independently verify all data returned from connected services. ## Comparison to Alternatives ## Summary In conclusion, Clay serves as a central coordination hub for data enrichment, enabling sales teams to merge data from Apollo, ZoomInfo, and over 100 other providers. It operates by integrating with a user's existing data subscriptions via API keys. The platform's waterfall enrichment and spreadsheet-like interface allow for the creation of sophisticated, cost-effective workflows that combine the strengths of multiple data sources into a single, actionable view of a prospect.