Embeds vs links
Both bring a third-party tool into Assembly, but they surface it differently. For how the three kinds of apps fit together, see Apps.How embeds work
An embed renders the third-party tool’s URL inside an Assembly Studio app surface. Your team sees it in the Dashboard, your clients see it in the Portal. Authentication, data, and state live on the third-party platform — Assembly Studio is just the frame. Some embeds are read-only (a Loom video, a Google Doc you’ve shared). Others are interactive (a Calendly booking flow, a Typeform). The interactivity depends on what the third-party tool supports inside an embed.Setting one up
The flow is roughly the same for every embed:1
Install the embed app
Click Add App in the sidebar, switch to the Explore tab, find the embed, and install it.
2
Connect or configure
Most embeds need a URL or an account connection. Paste the link or sign in to the third-party service.
3
Set visibility
Decide which internal users and which clients see the embed. Same model as custom-built apps.
Embed setup type
Client embeds can be configured to be available to all clients or to specific clients only. When adding a client embed, you’ll select the setup type from the dropdown. Automatic setup means the embed is visible to all of your clients and can be set up in a single step. For example, if you want all your clients to be able to schedule a call with you using Calendly, you’ll probably want to use an automatic app. Manual setup requires manual setup for each client, group of clients, or company. For example, if you are sharing a project status dashboard from Airtable, you’ll probably want to use a manual app because each client would have their own project status dashboard. For manual setup, you won’t be able to embed the content during the initial setup. You’ll need to manually connect the content for each client after creating the app.Embeds vs custom-built apps
The two solve different problems.- Embed
- Custom-built app
The external tool is the source of truth. Assembly Studio is the wrapper.Choose when: you already use the tool, it works well, and you want clients to access it from the Portal.Trade-off: no CRM integration, no Assembly Studio notifications, no Assembly Studio auth. The tool’s auth model applies inside the embed.
When you might use both
Common: an embedded Calendly for booking + a custom-built app that tracks what happens after the booking. The booking lives in Calendly; the post-booking workflow lives in your custom app, scoped to the client. Custom-built apps can call external APIs, so an app that integrates with a tool (rather than embedding it) is a third option when the surface needs more than what an iframe allows.Frequently asked questions
What if my app does not embed?
What if my app does not embed?
Restricted embeds. Some websites or applications have a policy that restricts link or iframe embeds in external applications. If you encounter this, you can connect these apps as Partner apps using the Connect as link setting. The content will open in a new browser tab instead of embedding directly.Unsupported embeds. Some apps cannot be supported by Assembly because the embed code contains JavaScript or other unsupported HTML tags. This occurs commonly with widgets or other interactive embeds.
How can I customize my apps?
How can I customize my apps?
Navigate to the App Library page and click Edit on any app to delete or disable the app, change the app’s icon, update the content of Partner apps, or change the global settings for Assembly apps. You can also reorder the apps directly from the App Library page by dragging and dropping.
When apps are reordered, changes are not visible to internal users but will be visible to clients in their sidebar.
How can I disable or delete apps?
How can I disable or delete apps?
You can disable core Assembly apps and delete Partner and Custom apps on the App Library page. Click the ellipsis next to the app, then click Disable for Assembly apps or Delete for Partner and Custom apps.
Find a specific integration
Each integration has its own page with setup instructions. Pick a category to browse the tools in it:Productivity & project management
Airtable, Notion, ClickUp, Monday.com, Trello, Google Workspace, OneDrive, Squarespace
Scheduling
Calendly, Acuity Scheduling, Zoom Scheduling
Forms & surveys
Typeform, Jotform, HubSpot Forms, HubSpot Meetings, Google Forms
Analytics
Power BI, Looker Studio, Databox
Design & media
Figma, Miro, Canva, Loom, YouTube