Automate It with Zapier. E-Book

Kelly Goss

• Herausgeber: Packt Publishing
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 748

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Zapier is an emerging no-code workflow automation technology that enables organizations to connect their cloud-based and web applications and automate data transfer between them. Zapier's built-in features and flexibility allow users to integrate thousands of business applications and create simple to complex automation to reduce time spent on repetitive tasks, thereby increasing productivity. This book is a must-have for business owners, their employees, and independent freelancers and contractors looking to use Zapier for business process automation.
The book takes a hands-on approach to implementation and associated problem-solving methodologies that will have you up-and-running and productive in no time while leveling up your automation skills. You'll discover how to plan your automation building for optimal results, what are the native features available in Zapier, and the applications that connect with it, as well as how to optimally configure your workflows to automate your processes in as few steps as possible. Finally, you'll find out how to create advanced workflow automation from scratch and learn how to troubleshoot issues.
By the end of this Zapier book, you'll be able to build your own advanced workflow automation using Zapier, addressing the key pain points encountered in businesses with manual and repetitive tasks.

Leseprobe

Automate It with Zapier

Boost your business productivity using effective workflow automation techniques

Kelly Goss

BIRMINGHAM—MUMBAI

Automate It with Zapier

Copyright © 2021 Packt Publishing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews.

Every effort has been made in the preparation of this book to ensure the accuracy of the information presented. However, the information contained in this book is sold without warranty, either express or implied. Neither the author, nor Packt Publishing or its dealers and distributors, will be held liable for any damages caused or alleged to have been caused directly or indirectly by this book.

Packt Publishing has endeavored to provide trademark information about all of the companies and products mentioned in this book by the appropriate use of capitals. However, Packt Publishing cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

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First published: July 2021

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ISBN 978-1-80020-897-1

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To my father, Eugene, and in loving memory of my mother, Winnie, for their love, sacrifice, and wisdom. You taught me to work hard, challenge myself, and follow my dreams.

To my loving partner, Dawn, for always being present and supportive in our journey together. You are my rock.

To my mentors, David Feldman, Giuseppe Salvati, and Eric Wood, for their unwavering guidance, encouragement, clarity, and insight.

To my fellow consultants, contractors, and freelancers, who work tirelessly to help small businesses succeed and drive our economy.

To women in business, everywhere.

– Kelly Goss

Foreword

Here at Zapier, we're just some humans that think computers should do more work. This was the founding belief of our software, and today we see millions of people automating their tedious tasks with Zapier so they can spend more time on what they love.

Just like playing with Lego, Zapier will allow you to create anything. However, sometimes it is helpful to have a step-by-step guide to ensure you build what you want. That is why we are so excited about Kelly's book.

As one of our Zapier Certified Experts since 2018, Kelly Goss is at the core of what automation and process mapping can do for businesses. She makes it easy for readers to grasp the concepts of process and automation, enabling them to harness the power of Zapier for their needs. Whether businesses are just starting out or have established complex operations, this book will guide them through setting up their first "Zaps" all the way through building advanced workflows.

We appreciate how committed Kelly is to working alongside the Zapier brand and hope you enjoy her perspective on how to make automation work for you!

Cody Jones

Head of Global Partnerships & Channels at Zapier

Contributors

About the author

Kelly Goss is a business process automation specialist and founder of Solvaa, an agency that helps businesses systemize and increase productivity with simpler, more efficient automated processes. She started her process improvement career as a microbiologist in pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing, leading projects that contributed to improving the quality and sterility of blood collection needles, syringes, tubes, and injectable vaccines. She then co-founded and ran a veterinary practice, and as managing director was responsible for overseeing marketing, sales, operations, and finance functions. This role gave her first-hand experience of the efficiency struggles small businesses can face, and how they can thrive by embracing the right technology. She thereafter founded Solvaa, and as a passionate advocate of business automation and continuous improvement, she helps businesses make light work of manual and repetitive tasks to achieve their productivity goals. Kelly is a Zapier Certified Expert, Pipedrive CRM Certified Expert, Xero Certified Advisor, speaker, and head trainer of the Solvaa Automation Academy. She is a self-taught artist, a lover of travel and adventure, animals, urban art, and ethnic street food.

To the amazing project team at Packt, thank you for your patience and dedication to make this book possible.

To the technical reviewers, Heather and Sergiy, thank you for your guidance and input.

To my family and friends, who have shown constant support during this writing process.

About the reviewers

Sergiy Bondarenko is an experienced marketing and business operations professional. He has extensive experience in building, operationalizing, and automating processes at large multinational companies, as well as smaller high-growth start-ups. He is a Zapier and Adobe Marketo Engage Certified Expert with deep expertise in Salesforce and similar enterprise platforms.

Heather Satterley is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and founder of Satterley Accounting Services. She is also the founder of Satterley Training & Consulting, LLC – a consulting firm focused on helping businesses define, design, and automate their processes by employing innovative strategy and cloud-based technology. Heather is an Advanced Certified ProAdvisor, member of the exclusive Intuit Trainer/Writer Network, and a Zapier Certified Expert. She holds a master's degree in innovation from Northeastern University in Boston, MA.

Heather is also the co-host of the QB Appy Hour with Liz and Heather, a webinar series devoted to building awareness in the accounting community about the latest technology trends and best practices in a fun, relaxed environment.

Table of Contents

Preface

Section 1: Getting Started with Zapier

Chapter 1: Introduction to Business Process Automation with Zapier

Technical requirements

How process automation helps businesses to increase productivity

Introducing business process automation

How your business applications communicate with each other

The options available for businesses to connect their tools

The "no-code revolution" and workflow automation with Zapier

Understanding the key terms used by Zapier

What is an app?

What is a Zap?

What is a trigger?

What is an action?

What is a task?

What is the Zap editor?

What is the update time/syncing interval?

What is a filter?

What is a formatter?

What are paths?

What is a multi-step Zap?

What is Zap history?

What is Autoreplay?

Choosing the right Zapier plan

Which is the right Zapier plan to use for your business?

Creating a Zapier account

Familiarizing yourself with navigation on the Zapier platform

Icons in the left sidebar

Icons on the top right

Footer menu

Changing your settings and preferences

My Profile

Important settings to customize in My Profile

Email Notifications

Advanced

Data Management

Account

Billing and Usage

Members

Summary

Chapter 2: Preparing to Automate Your Processes

Technical requirements

Simplifying your processes and assessing what can be automated

Assessing your top-level management goals

Involving your team

Brainstorming your processes and prioritizing them

Analyzing and simplifying your processes

Identifying what can be automated

Documenting your processes

Establishing how your business apps integrate with Zapier

Searching for your app

Reviewing information on the app profile page

Assessing how to use your app with Zapier

Getting the most out of the Zapier app ecosystem directory

Navigating the app ecosystem directory

A brief guide to choosing new apps for your business

Summary

Chapter 3: Building Your First Automated Workflow (Zap)

Technical requirements

Strategizing your first workflow

Reviewing your process and app information

Creating a step-by-step workflow plan

Connecting your apps to Zapier

Connecting your apps in My Apps

How to create your first Zap in the Zap editor

Navigating in the Zap editor

Setting up your trigger step

Setting up your action step

Naming your Zap and turning it "On"

Using Zapier's guided workflows (Zap templates)

Understanding field data types

Date/time

Number (integer)

Boolean (true/false)

File

Decimal

Ensuring your processes and automations stay current

Summary

Chapter 4: Managing Your Zaps

Technical requirements

Keeping your Zaps organized

Labeling your Zaps adequately

Using folders in the Zap management area

Managing your Zaps

Managing your Zaps using the top navigation bar

Managing your Zaps from within their specific Zap boxes

Utilizing the Zap Settings tab in the Zap editor

Understanding Zap statuses

Managing your connected apps

Sharing your connected apps

Sharing your Zaps and folders

Sharing a copy of your Zap

Sharing Zaps and folders in your Team or Company account

Summary

Chapter 5: Troubleshooting and Handling Zap Errors

Technical requirements

Managing Zap error alerts

Adjusting your email notification settings

Setting up an error alert workflow with the Zapier Manager built-in app

Managing app status alerts

Monitoring the Zapier Status page

Setting up an app status alert workflow with the App Status by Zapier built-in app

Utilizing Zap history information for troubleshooting

Understanding the Zap history page

Understanding task statuses

Viewing detailed Zap run information

Managing Zap history data

Finding help: help center, customer support, community, and experts

Finding app-specific help in app profiles

Utilizing the Zapier help center

Engaging with the Zapier community

Reaching out to Zapier customer support

Hiring a Zapier Certified Expert

Summary

Section 2: Customizing Your Zaps with Built-in Apps by Zapier – Functionality and Practical Uses

Chapter 6: Creating Multi-Step Zaps and Using Built-In Apps

Technical requirements

Creating Zaps with multiple action and search steps

Adding a search step using the + icon

Adding a Search step in a Choose value… field

Exercise – Creating a multi-step Zap with a search action

Introducing apps by Zapier

Setting run conditions and using logic with apps by Zapier

Using apps by Zapier for communication

Extracting and compiling data with apps by Zapier

Other useful apps by Zapier

Advanced apps by Zapier

Managing your Zapier account with apps by Zapier

The powerful Formatter by Zapier app

Summary

Chapter 7: Getting Started with Built-In Apps

Technical requirements

Filter by Zapier – applying conditional logic to your Zaps

Setting up the Filter by Zapier app

Understanding filter conditions

Paths by Zapier – adding branching logic to your Zaps

Setting up the Paths by Zapier app

Delay by Zapier – adding delays to your Zaps

The Delay For action event

The Delay Until action event

The Delay After Queue action event

Schedule by Zapier – scheduling your Zaps to run at intervals 

The Every Hour trigger event

The Every Day trigger event

The Every Week trigger event

The Every Month trigger event

Exercise – creating a multi-step Zap with a scheduled trigger, search action, filter, path, and delay

Summary

Chapter 8: Built-In Communication Apps

Technical requirements

SMS by Zapier – sending text messages

Setting up SMS by Zapier

Email by Zapier – sending and receiving emails

The New Inbound Email trigger event

The Send Outbound Email action event

The New Read Receipt trigger event

SMTP by Zapier – sending emails through mail servers

Setting up the SMTP by Zapier app

IMAP by Zapier – retrieving emails from mail servers

Setting up the IMAP by Zapier app

Customizing and using the New Email trigger event

Customizing the New Mailbox trigger event

Summary

Chapter 9: Exploring Built-In Apps for Extracting and Compiling Data

Technical requirements

Email Parser by Zapier – extracting data from emails

The New Email trigger event

The New Mailbox trigger event

RSS by Zapier – using RSS feed readers

The New Item in Feed trigger event

The New Items in Multiple Feeds trigger event

The Create Item in Feed action event

Digest by Zapier – compiling data in digests

The Append Entry and Schedule Digest action event

The Release Existing Digest action event

The Find Digest search action event

Exercise – creating a multi-step Zap with an RSS feed digest

Summary

Chapter 10: Other Useful Built-In Apps by Zapier

Technical requirements

Zapier Chrome extension – triggering one-off automations from any web page

Setting up the Google Chrome extension on your browser

The New Push trigger event

URL Shortener by Zapier – shortening URLs in your Zaps

Setting up the Shorten URL action event

Translate by Zapier – translating text

The Translate Text action event

The Detect Language action event

Lead Score by Zapier – scoring and retrieving lead information

The Find Person and Company Information search action event

Weather by Zapier – using weather conditions in your Zaps

The Will It Rain Today? trigger event

The Today's Forecast trigger event

The Get Current Weather search action event

The Tomorrow's Forecast search action event

Retrograde by Zapier – using astrological predictions in your Zaps

Setting up a Retrograde by Zapier trigger event

Summary

Chapter 11: Advanced Built-In Apps by Zapier

Technical requirements

Webhooks by Zapier – Using webhooks in your Zaps

Code by Zapier – Using JavaScript or Python code in your Zaps

Storage by Zapier – Saving and storing data

Summary

Chapter 12: Managing Your Zapier Account with Built-In Apps

Technical requirements

App Status by Zapier – Getting notifications of integration incidents

Zapier Manager – Managing errors and account changes 

Events for managing Zap errors and alerts

Events for managing app, Zaps, and folders

Events for Zapier account administration

Events for Team and Company account user management

Use cases

Summary

Section 3: Using the Features of the Formatter by Zapier Built-In App

Chapter 13: Formatting Date and Time

Technical requirements

An introduction to the Formatter by Zapier built-in app

The basics of adjusting date and time values using Zapier

Using the date and time your Zap runs in fields

Manipulating dates and times with Formatter by Zapier

Using custom date formats

Adding or subtracting time

Formatting dates and times

Summary

Chapter 14: Formatting Numbers

Technical requirements

Using Zapier to transform numerical values

Formatting numbers with Formatter by Zapier

Setting up the Numbers action event with the Format Number transform option

Formatting currencies with Formatter by Zapier

Understanding country locales and currency formatting

Setting up the Numbers action event with the Format Currency transform option

Formatting phone numbers with Formatter by Zapier

Setting up the Numbers action event with the Format Phone Number transform option

Performing mathematical operations with Formatter by Zapier

Setting up the Numbers action event with the Perform Math Operation transform option

Using spreadsheet-style formulas with Formatter by Zapier

Setting up the Numbers action event with the Spreadsheet-Style Formula transform option

Summary

Chapter 15: Text Formatting Functions in Zapier – Part 1

Technical requirements

Using Zapier to transform text values

Capitalizing the first letter of every word

Applying title case to a string of words

Setting up the Text action event with the Titlecase transform option

Converting all the characters in a string of text to uppercase

Converting all the characters in a string of text to lowercase

Pluralizing words

Setting up the Text action event with the Pluralize transform option

Finding the first position of specified text

Setting up the Text action event with the Find transform option

Replacing characters, words, or phrases

Setting up the Text action event with the Replace transform option

Counting the number of characters in a string of text

Setting up the Text action event with the Length transform option

Counting the number of words in a string of text

Setting up the Text action event with the Word Count transform option

Removing whitespace

Setting up the Text action event with the Trim Whitespace transform option

Summary

Chapter 16: Text Formatting Functions in Zapier – Part 2

Technical requirements

Converting a name into the name of a superhero

Setting up the Text action event with the Superhero Name transform option

Splitting characters or words into segments

Setting up the Text action event with the Split transform option

Truncating text to a specified character length

Setting up the Text action event with the Truncate transform option

Removing HTML to leave plain text

Setting up the Text action event with the Remove HTML transform option

Assigning a default value

Setting up the Text action event with the Default Value transform option

Extracting data from blocks of text

Extracting an email address from a block of text

Extracting numbers from blocks of text

Extracting URLs from blocks of text

Extracting phone numbers from blocks of text

Advanced text formatting features

Summary

Chapter 17: Zapier's Utilities Functions

Technical requirements

Introducing the Formatter by Zapier Utilities action event

Importing data from CSV files

Using lookup tables

Setting up the Utilities action event with the Lookup Table transform option

Picking data from a list

Setting up the Utilities action event with the Pick from List transform option

Manipulating line-items

Understanding line-items

Converting text to line-items

Converting line-items to text

Using a line itemizer to create, append, or prepend line-items

Summary

Section 4: Getting the Most Out of Zapier – Business Automation Examples

Chapter 18: Automating Your Marketing Processes

Technical requirements

An introduction to automating your marketing processes with Zapier

Understanding what marketing processes can be automated with Zapier

Where to start with automating your marketing processes with Zapier

Automating social media marketing processes with the Facebook Pages integration

Facebook Pages trigger events

Facebook Pages action events

Setting up a multi-step Zap with the Facebook Pages integration

Summary

Chapter 19: Automating Your Sales Processes

Technical requirements

An introduction to automating your sales processes with Zapier

Understanding what sales processes can be automated with Zapier

Where to start with automating your sales processes with Zapier

Automating lead management processes with CRM integrations, illustrated with Pipedrive

Pipedrive trigger events

Pipedrive action events

Pipedrive search action events

Tips for using the Pipedrive integration

Setting up a multi-step Zap with the Pipedrive integration

Summary

Chapter 20: Automating Your Operations Processes

Technical requirements

An introduction to automating your operations processes with Zapier

Understanding what operations processes can be automated with Zapier

Where to start with automating your operations processes with Zapier

Automating online Word document processes with the Google Docs integration

Google Docs trigger events

Google Docs action events

Google Docs search action events

Setting up a multi-step Zap with the Google Docs integration

Summary

Chapter 21: Automating Your Finance and Reporting Processes

Technical requirements

An introduction to automating your finance processes with Zapier

Understanding what finance processes can be automated with Zapier

An introduction to automating your reporting processes with Zapier

Understanding what reporting processes can be automated with Zapier

Where to start with automating your finance and reporting processes with Zapier

Automating accounting processes with the Xero integration

Common fields in Xero trigger, action, and search action events

Xero trigger events

Xero action events

Xero search action events

Tips for using the Xero integration

Setting up a multi-step Zap with the Xero integration

Summary

Chapter 22: Tips, Tricks, and Best Practices to Enhance Your Productivity

Technical requirements

Best practices for using Zapier effectively

Start with the basics

Prepare before you automate

Get to grips with steps, fields, and data mapping

Manage your Zaps effectively

Stay on top of your task usage

Set up alerts and understand how to troubleshoot

Understand the different built-in Zapier apps

Get inspired

Review your processes and automations regularly

Tips and tricks to enhance your use of Zapier

Trigger data not pulling through

Extra Fields alerts

Refresh fields when you make adjustments in your app

Improving the Zapier integration

Think outside of the box

Use the Zapier community as a resource

Summary

Chapter 23: Challenge Your Problem-Solving and Zap-Building Skills

Technical requirements

Introduction and guidance

Scenario 1 – novice

Scenario 2 – intermediate

Scenario 3 – advanced

Guidance on suggested solutions for each scenario

Scenario 1 – one possible solution

Scenario 2 – one possible solution

Scenario 3 – one possible solution

Summary

Why subscribe?

Other Books You May Enjoy

Preface

Zapier is an emerging no-code workflow automation technology that enables organizations to connect their cloud-based/web applications and automate data transfer between them. Its built-in features and flexibility allow users to integrate thousands of business applications and create simple to complex automations to decrease the amount of time spent on repetitive tasks, therefore increasing productivity.

The purpose of this book is to teach business owners, their employees, and independent freelancers and contractors how to use Zapier for business process automation. The book takes a hands-on approach to implementation and associated problem-solving methodologies that will have you up and running and productive in no time while leveling your advanced skills. Complete with step-by-step explanations of essential concepts, expert tips, practical examples, and self-assessment challenges, you will begin by exploring how Zapier works, including an overview of strategy in problem-solving. We will teach you how to plan your automation building for best results, what the native features available in Zapier are, and the applications that connect with it, as well as how to optimally configure your workflows to automate your processes in the fewest steps. You will learn how to create advanced workflow automations from scratch and learn how to troubleshoot issues.

By the end of this book, you will be able to build your own advanced workflow automations using Zapier, addressing the key pain points encountered in many businesses with manual and repetitive tasks.

Who this book is for

If you are an owner or employee of a micro-, small- or medium-sized business and you want to learn how to increase productivity using workflow automation with Zapier, then this book will teach you how to get to grips with Zapier and use it optimally. Freelancers and contractors that provide digital process improvement, systemizing, and automation services will also find the content in this book useful to gain key skills to leverage themselves as more advanced users. This may include solution architects, process consultants, business analysts, virtual assistants, digital marketers, CRM consultants, online business managers, technical consultants, bookkeepers, and accountants. No experience with business process automation or Zapier is required to get started.

What this book covers

Chapter 1, Introduction to Business Process Automation with Zapier, initially focuses on the basic principles of business process automation with Zapier and then covers features, functionality, and key terminology used to help familiarize you with the Zapier platform.

Chapter 2, Preparing to Automate Your Processes, explores how to brainstorm your processes, simplify them and assess what can be automated. We cover the process to establish how your apps work with Zapier and explain how to use the Zapier app ecosystem directory.

Chapter 3, Building Your First Automated Workflow (Zap), dives into how best to strategize and plan your workflows ahead of working through a step-by-step process of creating your first Zap. We explore how to connect your apps to Zapier, use the Zap editor, work with different field types, and use pre-built workflows.

Chapter 4, Managing Your Zaps, takes you through the best ways to keep your Zapier account organized. We discuss how to keep your Zaps and folders organized, how to manage your connected apps, and help you to understand Zap statuses. Lastly, we cover some collaboration tips for users working in teams.

Chapter 5, Troubleshooting and Handling Zap Errors, covers typical Zap behavior and the best ways to handle and troubleshoot errors. We discuss how to set up Zaps to report on Zap issues and app status changes, how to use Zap History information effectively, and we explore the various channels of support available.

Chapter 6, Creating Multi-Step Zaps with Built-in Apps, teaches you how to set up and customize multi-step Zaps using multiple action and search steps. We also introduce you to all the built-in Apps by Zapier. You will be able to test your knowledge by building your first multi-step Zap.

Chapter 7, Getting Started with Built-in Apps, explores the most commonly used built-in Zapier apps and covers specific functions such as using conditional logic (filtering and paths) and delays in your Zaps, as well as scheduling your Zaps to run as intervals. You will be able to test your knowledge by building a multi-step Zap using some of these built-in apps.

Chapter 8, Built-In Communication Apps, introduces communication-specific built-in Zapier apps such as for sending and receiving emails and sending SMS messages.

Chapter 9, Exploring Built-In Apps for Extracting and Compiling Data, covers how to extract data from emails, use RSS feed readers in your automations, and compile data into digests. You will be able to test your knowledge by building a multi-step Zap using some of these built-in apps.

Chapter 10, Other Useful Built-In Apps by Zapier, describes how to initiate workflows from web pages, shorten URLs, translate text, score lead information, and use weather and astrological predictions in your Zaps.

Chapter 11, Advanced Built-In Apps by Zapier, briefly explores the more advanced functionality in some of the built-in Apps by Zapier, such as using webhooks and code in your Zaps, as well as saving and storing data.

Chapter 12, Managing Your Zapier Account with Built-in Apps, teaches you how to get notifications on integration issues, manage errors with your Zaps, and monitor Zapier account changes.

Chapter 13, Formatting Date and Time, introduces the versatile Formatter app and covers how to format date and time values and add or subtract time. We provide practical tips on how to use each of the date and time formatter functions.

Chapter 14, Formatting Numbers, dives into the functionality available to format numbers, phone numbers, currencies, and to use spreadsheet-type formulas and math operations.

Chapter 15, Text Formatting Functions in Zapier – Part 1, describes the extensive functionality available to format text. We cover a range of text formatting actions, such as capitalizing and pluralizing text; applying title case, uppercase, and lowercase; finding and replacing text; trimming whitespace; and counting characters and words.

Chapter 16, Text Formatting Functions in Zapier – Part 2, covers more functionality available to format text. We explore how to split and truncate text; remove HTML; assign default values; extract data such as patterns, URLs, and email addresses; and use a superhero name. We also briefly cover more advanced text manipulation features such as how to convert Markdown to HTML, URL Encode and Decode, and converting text to ASCII.

Chapter 17, Zapier's Utilities Functions, explores the Utilities functions within the Formatter app. We cover line-item creation and customization, converting text to line-items and vice versa, using lookup tables and picklists, and importing CSV files.

Chapter 18, Automating Your Marketing Processes, explores some examples of marketing processes that can be automated using Zapier. We will provide practical tips on how to get started with automating these processes. We will also cover how to automate marketing processes with Facebook Pages integration.

Chapter 19, Automating Your Sales Processes, covers some examples of sales processes that can be automated using Zapier. We will provide practical tips on how to get started with automating these processes. We will also cover how to automate sales processes with Pipedrive integration.

Chapter 20, Automating Your Operations Processes, dives into some examples of operations processes that can be automated using Zapier. We provide practical tips on how to address automating these processes. We also cover how to automate operations processes with Google Docs integration.

Chapter 21, Automating Your Finance and Reporting Processes, takes you through some examples of finance and reporting processes that can be automated using Zapier. We provide practical tips on how to tackle automating these processes. We also explore how to automate accounting processes with Xero integration.

Chapter 22, Tips, Tricks, and Best Practices to Enhance Your Productivity, focuses on best practices for utilizing Zapier effectively and builds on the tips and tricks we have presented in each chapter.

Chapter 23, Challenge Your Problem-Solving and Zap-Building Skills, presents you with three scenarios that describe a specific problem that can be solved by using Zapier. We will work through each example practically with tips being given along the way. The scenarios are classified by skill level and you will have the opportunity to test your knowledge while adapting your problem-solving and Zap-building skills.

To get the most out of this book

Each chapter in this book builds on the knowledge and information presented in the previous chapters. If you don't have experience of business process automation with Zapier, we recommend you start with Chapter 1, An Introduction to Business Process Automation with Zapier, and complete each chapter in the order they are presented. If you have experience with Zapier, feel free to jump to the chapters that cover topics that interest you and will further your knowledge. To get started, we recommend you sign up for a Zapier account. To work through the content and exercises in Chapter 1, An Introduction to Business Process Automation with Zapier, to Chapter 5, Troubleshooting and Handling Zap Errors, the Zapier Free plan will be suitable. From Chapter 6, Creating Multi-Step Zaps with Built-In Apps by Zapier, onwards, a Starter plan will be required, and for some topics, higher price plans will be necessary.

Before you start working through the content in this book, we recommend that you get access to all the Zap templates used as examples in this book, as well as the systems and process audit templates, and other supporting materials here: https://bit.ly/3e5BUkn.

Download the color images

We also provide a PDF file that has color images of the screenshots and diagrams used in this book. You can download it here: https://static.packt-cdn.com/downloads/9781800208971_ColorImages.pdf.

Conventions used

There are a number of text conventions used throughout this book.

Code in text: Indicates code words in text, database table names, folder names, filenames, file extensions, pathnames, dummy URLs, user input, and Twitter handles. Here is an example: "For example, we could give the digest a title of New Sales Invoice Summary."

Bold: Indicates a new term, an important word, or words that you see onscreen. For instance, words in menus or dialog boxes appear in bold. Here is an example: "Let's take a look at the different Frequency field options."

Tips or important notes

Appear like this.

Get in touch

Feedback from our readers is always welcome.

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Section 1: Getting Started with Zapier

In this section, you will gain an understanding of the fundamentals of the Zapier platform, how to build and manage workflows, and how to troubleshoot issues.

This section comprises the following chapters:

Chapter 1, Introduction to Business Process Automation with ZapierChapter 2, Preparing to Automate Your ProcessesChapter 3, Building Your First Automated Workflow (Zap)Chapter 4Chapter 5, Troubleshooting and Handling Zap Errors

Chapter 1: Introduction to Business Process Automation with Zapier

Before you get started with building your first automated workflow, you should understand the basic principles of business process automation (BPA) and how it can make light work of manual and repetitive processes. We'll cover how applications connect with others to transfer data and how Zapier has impacted the no-code revolution to automate tasks without the need for developers. This background information will put you in a better position to grasp the terms and concepts used by Zapier and will help you to understand the features and functionality of Zapier, as well as how the platform works.

If you have only just started using Zapier, you may not know which pricing plan is most suitable for your business and when the right time to upgrade is. We cover the features available for each pricing plan in this chapter and explain the pros and cons of choosing one over another. Then, we describe how to set up a Zapier account, and we provide an overview of how the platform is structured to enable you to find your way around effectively. We conclude this chapter by working through how to customize your settings and preferences.

We will cover the following key topics in this chapter:

How process automation helps businesses to increase productivityThe "no-code revolution" and workflow automation with ZapierUnderstanding the key terms used by ZapierChoosing the right Zapier plan Creating a Zapier accountFamiliarizing yourself with navigation on the Zapier platform Changing your settings and preferences

Once you have worked through each of these topics, you will be ready to get stuck in with building your first workflow automation.

Technical requirements

To get started, we recommend that you sign up for a Zapier account, which will give you access to a 14-day free trial. We will discuss how to set up an account in the Creating a Zapier account section. The Zapier Free plan will be adequate to work through the content in this chapter.

How process automation helps businesses to increase productivity

Whether you are a solopreneur or your business has a team, every successful business strives to make the most of its resources and improve productivity so that there is more time for increasing revenue. Many companies have systems that may not communicate with each other, and as a result will have processes that are manual, time-consuming, and error-prone.

We live in a time where technology is continually evolving to help us make our work easier, and it is now more straightforward and cost-effective than ever to implement and run this technology ourselves. By introducing appropriate business technology tools, connecting those tools, and automating manual and repetitive tasks, businesses can significantly increase productivity.

Introducing business process automation

BPA is all about using technology to improve the way we work by automatically performing repetitive tasks that would typically require human intervention. It ultimately focuses on the human element in the process rather than the actual applications that are in use. Of course, the tools you use are fundamental and need to be the right ones for their jobs; however, the real goal is to help the people using those systems to be more productive and focus on the tasks that truly matter for the success and growth of an organization.

Here are a few examples of when BPA can help you get rid of manual tasks and increase productivity:

Posting the same information on multiple social media channelsInputting new webform leads into your customer databaseManually importing sales invoices and payment information from your e-commerce store into your accounting softwareCollating reporting information from numerous sourcesProcessing feedback and testimonials from customersAdding meeting events to your calendarSending documents for signingFollowing up with leads

It does take time to learn and adequately implement the principles of BPA; however, the resulting value far outweighs the time investment. These are just some of the benefits of using BPA:

Reduced manual data entry and errors Reduced operational costsMore time for growing salesBetter customer serviceIncreased employee engagement and job satisfaction

The most significant benefit of using BPA is the overall time savings. Automation platform users report time savings of a few hours a week by automating certain tasks such as social media posting, to more than 160 hours a month being saved by automating entire sales cycles or operation functions. The value of time savings is relative to the individual case. For example, a time saving of 2 or 3 hours a week may be of significant value to a solopreneur, whereas a 160-hours-per-month saving equates to having a full-time employee working for free. These savings in hours would translate to savings of thousands of dollars in resource time.

Zapier has several case studies and customer success stories published on their website, https://zapier.com/customers. Here are a few examples of successful use cases of automation that help businesses to become more efficient and grow:

A real estate agent reduces lead management by 40%.A digital agency saves 30 hours a week with messenger funnel automation.A coffee shop powers online ordering with automation.A home entertainment company automates its entire sales cycle.A freelancer automates client onboarding and grows their business.

BPA essentially allows companies of all sizes and in any industry to innovate by using cloud-based technology to work better and more efficiently and stay ahead of the competition. The possible improvements you can make to your business with BPA are endless.

Although automation functions to make processes work better, it is essential to bear in mind that applying automation to an already inefficient operation will increase the inefficiency. As a whole, BPA requires you to take specific steps to look at your processes holistically, understand and simplify them, identify what systems can be connected, and only then decide on which tasks can benefit from automation. In Chapter 2, Preparing to Automate Your Processes, we will work through the steps required to map out our business processes and streamline them by identifying what can be simplified, digitized, and automated.

Important note

In this book, we will use the term workflow automation interchangeably with BPA.

Before we can focus on the practical aspects of improving and automating our operations, we need to understand how web applications communicate with each other and what options are available for businesses to connect their tools.

How your business applications communicate with each other

Allowing your business applications to communicate with one another and then automating tasks where possible is key to increasing productivity. Before we can explore how automation with Zapier comes into this picture, we need to understand how business applications can be connected using API integrations.

An API (short for application programming interface) is a means by which multiple software programs can communicate with each other. It essentially acts to allow data from different systems to pass between them. When two software programs are connected in this way by an API, they are said to be "integrated."

When an integration exists, this allows specific requests to be sent by one application, producing a response by another. The information requests are usually in the form of creating new (create), retrieving existing (retrieve), editing/updating existing (update), or deleting existing (delete) resources. Upon receipt of a request, the application will try to fulfill the request and send back a response in the form of a three-digit status code (success or error). If, for example, you type a website URL into your browser and the page is displayed, this would be a success response. If the page does not exist, an error message would be displayed, The requested URL was not found on this server, depicting a 404 error response. How API integration is created and customized defines what range of information can be requested.

As the goal of API integration is to share data efficiently between two connected apps, there must be a way to identify changes in these resources. For example, if you want a new row to be created in your spreadsheet app when a new subscriber is added to your email marketing app, you need to know that the new contact has been created in the first place. The two most popular methods for identifying changes are currently polling and webhooks.

With the polling method, requests for new events (for example, creating, retrieving, and deleting resources) are repeatedly sent at pre-defined intervals, waiting for a response. If there is no response, this signifies that there are no new events. So, in the example, the polling method would periodically search for new occurrences of contact records being created, say every 15 minutes.

With webhooks, however, instead of sending requests, you provide the app with a URL that your originating app monitors for new events, thus receiving information in real time. So, in the example, when a new contact record is created, the information would be provided instantly. Webhooks are an instant and much more efficient way of communicating event information. We will discuss webhooks in more detail in Chapter 11, Advanced Built-In Apps by Zapier – Part 2.

The options available for businesses to connect their tools

Building API integrations requires software programming and development skills and can be a lengthy and costly process. Most applications that you are currently using for your business processes are likely to have a section on their website containing a list of the other applications with which they integrate. These applications listed in these app marketplaces, or app ecosystems, have integrations created using APIs to enable the two apps to communicate with each other. Software providers invest time, money, and technical skills in building and maintaining these native integrations. Generally, these providers will create an integration that satisfies the highest-priority needs of most users to automate the most frequently used types of activities. They may also prioritize integration development resources on other more commonly used applications rather than smaller, less popular apps.

In some cases, a user of certain software might need to connect another tool that is not listed in the app ecosystem or may need to accomplish a specific task that is not available with the existing native integration. Under these circumstances, a business could employ a programmer to write code to create a custom integration with the API provided by the software provider. For most companies, the process of developing a custom integration is not a financially viable option. Therefore, there is often a reliance on what integrations are available in these app ecosystems and how flexible they are.

You now have a better understanding of what the basic principles of BPA are and how process automation helps to increase productivity. Next, we explore how this relates to Zapier.

The "no-code revolution" and workflow automation with Zapier

Thankfully, as technology has developed, it is now possible to create digital processes without the need to write any code. Therefore, anyone can learn how to build a website, create email templates, and connect their systems using, in many cases, visual drag-and-drop editors. These editors give you the ability to add and remove blocks in templates rather than writing code in a computer programming language. Instead of needing to use a developer to write this code, the average person with basic IT skills can create these processes themselves. These advances are described as a "no-code revolution," as software providers have pushed forward to develop solutions that will help the non-IT workforce to execute tasks that could previously only be done by software engineers.

Zapier is one of these technology solutions and allows you to automate and manage your business processes without writing code. Zapier essentially acts as a connector or translator between thousands of cloud-based applications that may not have direct native integrations with each other or for which the event requests are more limited, allowing them to communicate with each other. The platform enables users to build business-specific workflow automations with a visual editor using pre-built integrations to seamlessly perform manual and repetitive tasks without human intervention.

Zapier is the brainchild of forward-thinking founders Wade Foster, Bryan Helmig, and Mike Knoop. Wade, Bryan, and Mike recognized the productivity struggles that plague small and medium-sized businesses where many repetitive tasks are handled manually and with an ever-increasing chance of errors occurring. They developed a powerful solution to help businesses with their efficiency struggles, allowing them to connect their web applications together and automate their mundane and repetitive tasks using custom-built workflows. Most importantly, the solution allows the average business owner and their team to use the software without the need for writing code or having specialist help involved. The first release of the Zapier platform was in 2012, and since then, they have grown their integration marketplace to over 3,000 app connections. Zapier is based in California, USA, and as a company that actively supports an ethos of remote working, they have grown their global team to over 300 people located in the US and over 20 other countries around the world.

As well as allowing the less technical user to build custom workflows, the Zapier platform also has an open API, thereby allowing app developers to build integrations with Zapier to connect their apps to the platform. This, in turn, allows their customers to then create custom integrations with thousands of other apps, using Zapier as the connector. In essence, the Zapier user then becomes the developer without needing to use code. Using no-code technology, we no longer need advanced technical skills to harness the power of integration automation.

To help you understand a bit more about BPA and the "no-code" revolution, you can get access to a free masterclass here: https://bit.ly/3e5BUkn.

You now have a better understanding of how Zapier and BPA work hand in hand to help businesses increase productivity. In the next section, we cover the key terms that are used by Zapier and throughout this book.

Understanding the key terms used by Zapier

Zapier uses specific terminology throughout the platform. We will use these terms frequently throughout this book. It is useful to know and understand the most commonly used terms before we discuss the features available in each Zapier pricing plan.

What is an app?

An app (application) is a technology tool or cloud-based web service. Zapier integrates with thousands of apps to allow you to transfer data between them and automate your manual and repetitive tasks. Most apps are available for use regardless of which Zapier pricing plan you use, except for premium apps, such as Salesforce, Facebook lead ads, and Xero, which are only available on paid plans. Zapier has an app ecosystem of over 3,000 app integrations listed in a directory. We cover Zapier's app ecosystem directory in more detail in Chapter 2, Preparing to Automate Your Processes.

What is a Zap?

A Zap is a step-by-step automated workflow that allows a user to create a flow of data between two or more apps. When an event occurs in one app, this produces an activity such as an action or event in another app. Zaps allow you to connect your different apps and automate repetitive tasks between them. We cover how to create a Zap in Chapter 3, Building Your First Automated Workflow (Zap).

What is a trigger?

A trigger is an originating event that starts an automated workflow. The trigger is always the first step in the workflow, and only one trigger step will ever exist in a Zap.

What is an action?

An action is the resulting activity that happens once a trigger starts an automated workflow. Zaps can have one or multiple actions. Actions can also include searches.

What is a task?

Once a Zap is built, tested, and turned on, a trigger in one app will cause an action to happen in another app. A task is an activity that the Zap successfully completes. Your Zapier pricing plan defines your monthly task limit. Successfully completed actions, searches, and passed filters count toward your monthly task limit.

Tip

Use BPA principles to strategize your workflows in advance of actually building your Zaps. Doing this will allow you to reduce the number of steps in your workflows and minimize task usage. Every task counts toward how much you spend on your Zapier pricing plan. Having simple processes from the start will enable you to use Zapier most cost-effectively. You can set up a workflow with the Zapier Manager built-in app to alert you on task usage related to your monthly allowance. We will discuss this is in more detail in Chapter 12, Managing Your Zapier Account with Built-In Apps.

What is the Zap editor?

The Zap editor is a visual editor that allows you to create and alter your Zaps using simple drop-down lists and a systematic process. The Zap editor enables you to add your trigger app and action app(s) and run conditions in your workflows. We will discuss the Zap editor in more detail in Chapter 3, Building Your First Automated Workflow (Zap).

What is the update time/syncing interval?

The majority of app triggers use the polling method to retrieve new data on events. The update time (or syncing interval) refers to how quickly your automated workflow triggers and depends on how often the polling runs to check the triggering app for new information. Zapier checks for new activities to trigger an automated workflow every 1 to 15 minutes, and your Zapier pricing plan defines this time interval. Triggers using the polling method are denoted by the word scheduled.

Important note

Some app triggers use the webhooks (instant) method and allow an automated workflow to run as soon as new event information is available. These triggers are denoted by the word instant.

What is a filter?

A filter is a condition that you can add to a Zap to prevent the workflow from moving on to the next action step. Filters are only available on paid Zapier pricing plans. We cover using filters in detail in Chapter 7, Getting Started with Built-In Apps.

What is a formatter?

A formatter is a function that allows you to alter numbers, text, dates, and times, as well as performing tasks such as looking up data from a list. Formatters are only available on paid Zapier pricing plans. We comprehensively cover the various formatter apps built by Zapier in Chapter 13, Formatting Date and Time, Chapter 14, Formatting Numbers, Chapter 15, Text Formatting Functions in Zapier – Part 1, Chapter 16, Text Formatting Functions in Zapier – Part 2, and Chapter 17, Zapier's Utilities Functions.

What are paths?

Paths allow you to create complex Zaps that use "if this, then that" conditional logic to perform different actions based on multiple conditions. For instance, if X happens in the trigger app, then do Y in one or more action steps. Paths are only available on the Professional, Team, and Company plans. We comprehensively cover paths in Chapter 7, Getting Started with Built-In Apps.

What is a multi-step Zap?

A multi-step Zap is a workflow that involves one trigger and multiple actions, as opposed to a single-step Zap, which contains one trigger and only one action. With multi-step Zaps, you can also add filters, formatter steps, searches, and complex paths to your workflows, which allow you to create flexible automated workflows. Multi-step Zaps are only available on paid Zapier pricing plans. We cover how to build multi-step Zaps in detail in Chapter 6, Creating Multi-Step Zaps and Using Built-In Apps.

What is Zap history?

The Zap history shows a detailed log of activity for each of your Zaps. You can view data that has passed through each step of your workflow and use this to troubleshoot errors. We cover Zap history in more detail in Chapter 5, Troubleshooting and Handling Zap Errors.

What is Autoreplay?

Sometimes tasks will fail due to app downtime or temporary errors. If this happens, you can enable the Autoreplay feature, which allows Zapier to retry running these tasks immediately, and repeat this a few times if the error still exists. The Autoreplay feature is available on Professional, Team, and Company plans, and it can be found in your Task History. This feature is handy if you use a large number of tasks. We cover the Autoreplay functionality in more detail in Chapter 5, Troubleshooting and Handling Zap Errors.

You now have a better understanding of the key terminology used on the Zapier platform. Next, we discuss the different Zapier pricing plans, what is included in each, and how to choose the right plan for your needs.

Choosing the right Zapier plan

Zapier offers five pricing options to suit your business requirements, as follows:

Free planStarter planProfessional planTeam planCompany plan

The following figure gives a summary of the features available for each Zapier pricing plan:

Figure 1.1 – Summary of features available for each Zapier pricing plan

Important note

All prices and plan structures are correct at the time of publishing this book. You may also find that depending on your region, the pricing and plan structure may vary slightly.

Each pricing plan varies in features; however, primarily, the plans are categorized according to the number of tasks you have available monthly, the number of Zaps you can set up, and how short the syncing interval is. On most plans (except for the Free plan), you can retain features and add additional tasks for an extra fee. The availability of Zap history data and access to online customer service and technical support is included in all plans.

The Free plan is free forever, and all paid Zapier plans are available to be paid monthly or annually.

Zapier offers a 14-day trial plan, which gives you access to the majority of features on the Professional plan with 1,000 tasks, except for Autoreplay.

You can view a detailed list of the features and pricing for each plan and change your plan as needed by clicking on the links in the following navigation options:

Billing and Usage (Settings)Wallet (expandable left sidebar)Pricing (top menu on information pages)Pricing (footer menu)

Important note

Your monthly task allocation does not carry over to the next month. Toward the end of each billing period, if you have unused tasks left over and you are using fewer tasks than you need to, you may be able to downgrade to a lower subscription and still retain your pricing plan features.

Next, let's take a look at different Zapier plans that will be suitable for your business.

Which is the right Zapier plan to use for your business?

Zapier is ideal for any size business that wants to automate their processes. It can be used by solopreneurs or companies with small or large teams. It can also be used by freelancers and consultants to manage their clients' processes.

The needs of your business will determine which price plan is best to use. How many processes you would like to automate and how complex these processes are will impact your decision.

Free plan

For businesses with one user that only have a few simple tasks to automate, this plan is the most appropriate. You will be able to build up to five single-step workflows using the majority of apps that Zapier integrates with (excluding premium apps). Zapier will search for new data in your trigger apps every 15 minutes and run your Zaps, allowing up to 100 tasks per month to be processed. The Free plan is the best plan to get started with while you get to grips with how Zapier works on a basic level.

Starter plan

If you still only have one user and a relatively small number of processes to automate, but you need to automate multiple activities in one or more apps (including up to three premium apps), try the Starter plan. You can take advantage of additional features, such as using conditions in filters, formatting text, numbers, and dates, as well as creating custom integrations with webhooks. You can build up to 20 Zaps and will have access to 750 tasks per month (1,500 for a higher subscription payment). The update time remains at 15 minutes.

Professional plan

The Professional plan is for single users that want to level up and use Zapier optimally. This plan is best for you if you have a large number of complex, multi-step processes that require conditional logic and you use more than three premium apps in your business. All Starter plan features are included, as well as paths and task Autoreplay. You can take advantage of unlimited premium apps, unlimited Zaps, a quicker update time of 2 minutes, and access to between 2,000 and 2,000,000 tasks per month (depending on subscription payment).

Team plan

Businesses with two or more team members that are responsible for automating and managing processes should take advantage of the features available on the Team plan. All elements of the Professional plan are included, with the added benefits of a faster update time of 1 minute and a much higher task allocation compared to the Professional plan (50,000 to 2,000,000 based on subscription payment). The Professional plan allows teams to collaborate and automate their processes securely and in an organized way. Team members can securely access multiple apps without the need to share passwords and API keys between them, share workspaces, and select who has access to specific folders. An additional bonus of this plan is access to a dedicated premier support team with faster, prioritized responses.

Company plan

The Company plan is for organizations that require enterprise-grade security considerations and want to separate their users into teams. You still have access to all the features of the Professional plan, between 100,000 and 2,000,000 tasks per month (depending on subscription payment), plus access to multiple workspaces. Security features include user management, app access control, secure Single Sign-On (SSO), and top-level account management.

An additional bonus of this plan is the ability to customize Zap history data retention for shorter periods than the standard 30 days to fit with your company's regulatory requirements.

You now have a better understanding of what features and functionality are included in each Zapier plan and which plan would suit your business most. Next, we cover how to set up your Zapier account.

Creating a Zapier account

For you to get started with Zapier, the first thing you will need to do is create a Zapier account.

Important note

The Zapier team are very proactive with trying to create the best experience for the user and often test different User Interface (UI) changes on user groups. UI updates, new features, and changes to navigation are released regularly, so don't be surprised if as you work through this book, the screenshots we have used differ slightly from the current, live state.

Work through the following steps to create your new Zapier account:

Open your web browser and navigate to the Zapier website home page: https://zapier.com/.Create a Zapier account by entering your business email address and your first and last name, and then click on Get Started Free, as shown in the following screenshot. Alternatively, you can sign up using your Google or Facebook credentials:

Figure 1.2 – The sign-up area on the Zapier home page

Add a password and click on Sign Up, as shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 1.3 – Filling in details on Zapier's home page sign-up area

Complete the first step in the onboarding process by identifying your role and clicking Continue, as shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 1.4 – The first step of the Zapier sign-up onboarding process

Complete the second step in the onboarding process by selecting the apps that you use in your business, then choose whether you want to receive marketing emails from Zapier and click Finish Setup, as shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 1.5 – The second step of the Zapier sign-up onboarding process

Important note

By completing this two-step onboarding process accurately, Zapier will be able to customize your user experience and provide you with tailored workflow suggestions. These recommendations will give you ideas of what types of tasks you can automate using your business apps as examples. You can choose to fill this information in as appropriate or skip these steps.

Now that you have set up your Zapier account, you're one step closer to building your first workflow automation. In the next section, we cover navigation on the Zapier platform.

Familiarizing yourself with navigation on the Zapier platform

Zapier has made its UI helpful for navigating easily around the platform. When you sign in to Zapier, the first thing you will see is the main dashboard. The central dashboard area provides you with useful information to help you get started with tutorials, creating your own workflows, and using some pre-built workflow examples.

The dashboard layout is as shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 1.6 – The Zapier main dashboard layout

From the majority of pages within the platform, you have multiple navigation options:

Icons in the left sidebarIcons on the top right