Book Image

Automate It with Zapier

By : Kelly Goss
Book Image

Automate It with Zapier

By: Kelly Goss

Overview of this book

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.
Table of Contents (29 chapters)
1
Section 1: Getting Started with Zapier
7
Section 2: Customizing Your Zaps with Built-in Apps by Zapier – Functionality and Practical Uses
15
Section 3: Using the Features of the Formatter by Zapier Built-In App
21
Section 4: Getting the Most Out of Zapier – Business Automation Examples

Understanding Zap statuses

Now that you know how to manage your individual Zaps, it's useful to know what the different statuses are, and when you are likely to see your Zaps in those statuses. When you view your Zaps in the Zap management area, they will be displayed with one of the following states:

  • ON: As we discussed in Chapter 3, Building Your First Automated Workflow (Zap), once you have built and tested your Zap, you must turn it ON for it to work with live data from your trigger app. Once a Zap is turned ON, Zapier will look for new data in the trigger app to then kick off the workflow and perform the action steps.
  • OFF: If your Zap is turned OFF, Zapier will not actively look for new data in the trigger app. Zapier may automatically turn a Zap that you have ON to the OFF status for the following reasons:

    a) Your Zapier pricing plan is downgraded to the Free plan from a paid plan, and you therefore lose access to paid plan features such as multi-step Zaps or...