Getting started with automation in a no-code way with Zapier

Have you ever felt a need for an assistant to do some of your work?

Have you ever got bored of doing repetitive/monotonous tasks????

Have you ever wanted to find a way to make your work easier and save your time???

The desire for productivity without any extra effort can be incredibly useful in everyday life, right?

Well, now we can take full advantage of the power of programming even if you have no experience or technical skills with the computer. This application will allow you to automate and manage your social media accounts, emails, meetings and much more with the care minimum of setup time.

And this can all be done by Zapier.

Zapier makes you happier!!!!

So firstly, What is Zapier?

To perfectly master the Zapier we first need to understand what are APIs. An API [Application program interface] is a medium through which the computer programs can talk to each other. Don’t worry, we won’t go to the nuts and bolts of the technical detail, instead let’s breakdown it to the layman’s word.

Suppose you are sitting in a restaurant with the menu of choices to order from and the kitchen is the part of the system which will prepare your order. What is missing in this is the critical link to communicate your order from the table to the kitchen and deliver your food back to the table. That's where the waiter or API comes in. He is the messenger who takes the response or order from your table and gives it to the system or kitchen and tells what to do and then delivers the response back to you, in this case, food….

Let's start with zapier!!!!!

So, firstly login to your account and click on Make a Zap.

Wait a minute what is Zap?

Zap is an automated workflow that connects your apps and services together. Each Zap consists of a trigger and one or more actions. When you turn your Zap on, it will run the action steps every time the trigger event occurs.

Now, what are triggers and actions?

A trigger is an event that starts a zap. For example, if we want to send a Trello task every time someone posts a message in the Slack channel then here the trigger will be ‘New message posted to channel in slack’ and action is saving the message in the Trello card.

Setting up your Zap

So, let's start with making your first basic zap.

Click on Make a zap and select your app which you want to trigger. Here I am taking the examples of Slack and Trello. I want to send the message posted in the channel to a Trello board.

1. Choose the trigger event “New message posted to channel” and press continue.

2. Next, we need to give zapier access to the account to your own slack account. For connecting simply click Sign in to slack.

New window pop-ups, simply select your slack account you want to connect with and then press Allow. Your slack is connected with zapier.

3. Select the channel from which you want to configure the messages to Trello and then press continue.

Slack channel #trello_board

4. Next, we need to choose Trello. The trigger is been done. So now let's take the action so in this action will be “Create card”. Press continue.

5. Follow the same steps as slack for giving access to zapier to your Trello account.

6. Choose the board and the list in which the message will be received.

7. Now you can customize the data of slack in the Trello board by choosing the options and then press continue.

8. Check your fields and then click the button test and continue.

Trello board “Slack Task”

9. Last but not the least name your zap and click on start your zap.

If everything goes right your first zap is ready to work…. yeahhhhh!!!!!!!

So now let’s check it……

This was a very basic example of zapier.

Now let’s take a Scenario Example

Many companies use zapier to automate their work. In Twimbit, we use Zapier to resolve their customer queries and reduce time by using mail automation. As whenever a query is been posted on a mail, it goes directly to our Trello board where our tech members can see the query and reply it from there.

Zapier now connects with 2000+ apps.

You can start making your own zap for free!! Zapier provides free automation for 5 zaps!!!!!!!!

Some more examples of zapier automation are:

• Generate Google Calendar events from new Google Sheets rows: Ever need to create calendar events in bulk? Or let others easily add calendar events for you? Or perhaps you just find it easier to manage your calendar in a spreadsheet. If so, this integration makes it easy: it will create new Google Calendar events straight from new rows whenever they’re added to a Google Sheet, so you don’t have to worry about adding them twice.
• Send email via Gmail for new Google Forms submissions: When someone fills out your form or takes your survey, follow up with them via email is a huge part of that process. If someone takes the time to give you information, you’ll want to take the same time to thank them or ask more questions. Automate this process with the help of Zapier, and have that first follow up email go out all on its own. How It Works: Firstly, Someone fills out your Google Form or survey. Second, Zapier sends them an email via Gmail.
• Save Gmail attachments from labeled emails to Google Drive: Save important emails quickly and easily with this Google integration. Set it up, and when you label an email in Gmail, Zapier will save any attachments from that email into a specific Google Drive folder. This automation makes it even easier to keep up with your most important files. How It Works: Firstly, A label is added to a message in Gmail. Second, Zapier copies the file into a folder in Google Drive.

If you want to know more about the automation or what can zapier do you can check out Zapier’s Automation Inspiration book. There, you’ll discover Zaps that can help you automate:

• Project Management
• Note Taking
• Email
• News and RSS Feeds
• Files
• eCommerce
• Notifications
• Customer Support
• Backups
• Human Resources
• Video
• Forms and Surveys
• Social Media
• Meeting Management
• and more

Conclusion

Zapier is that one friend who brings the group together — the organizer, the one that makes sure everybody is getting along. I have only mentioned a sprinkling of Zaps in this blog (in comparison to how many there actually are!), so I’d encourage you to search Zapier’s database to see how you can automate the gap between the services that you use.