Automate Your Beta Testing Process: How ChatGPT, Docusign and Synthesia Improved Efficiency in 10 Steps

A magnifying glass over the word Beta with computer ones and zeros

As we techies know, beta testing is an essential part of the software development process. It allows developers to collect feedback from users and improve their product. However, managing a beta testing program can be time-consuming and complex. That’s why I decided to automate my beta testing process using Zapier, Mailchimp, Smartsheet, Twilio, EZ texting, Docusign, and Synthesia.io for our PWA app. A lot I know on the front end, but once it was in place, it easily automated my process. In this blog post, I will share my experience and provide a step-by-step guide on how to automate your beta testing process.

Here are the high level steps I used:

1. Create a Beta testing campaign in Mailchimp and use an opt-in form to capture email and mobile phone fields. Share the form on socials, and your website for users to sign up.
2. Create a Beta Confirmation Survey and Beta Testing Instructional Dashboard in Smartsheet (or Google Sheets) to confirm Beta testers (just because they sign up doesn’t mean much). This survey allows you to collect additional information unique to your user base outside of the Mailchimp opt-in form (for dashboards and reporting). The survey should also capture both mobile phone and email fields. I like Smartsheet because I can easily create dashboards to review user demographic data and personality characteristics. The Dashboard is where you would add the Synthesia video along with any links — such as the Beta Testing Survey all in one place.
3. Send an email notification to contacts within your Beta Testing audience via Mailchimp and an SMS message notification via EZ texting that includes the Beta Testing Instructional Dashboard in Smartsheet, which includes the link to Beta Testing Screener Survey in Smartsheet. (There is SMS functionality in Mailchimp, but it is limited).
4. Use Zapier to link the mobile number from the Screener Survey in Smartsheet to kick off a series of SMS texts via Twilio to auto-text the 1)Docusign Beta testing agreement link to the user and the 2) Beta App link directly to the user for download.
5. Add a field on the Beta testing agreement that can capture the user’s mobile number for SMS messages in Docusign. The mobile number is the trigger used in Zapier to auto-text the user the Beta App link.
6. The “field” from Docusign is then mapped to Twilio via Zapier, so once the user Completes the Beta Testing Agreement, the user is then sent another text with a link to the app.

Setup Instructions

Step 1: Create a Docusign Document

The first step in automating your beta testing process is to create a Docusign document that your users can sign electronically. Docusign is a popular electronic signature platform that allows you to send and receive signed documents securely. You can use Docusign to create a beta testing agreement that your users must sign before they can participate in the program.

Step 2: Setup Smartsheet Survey and send Text from Twilio

Goal — to send the Docusign Beta Testing Agreement via SMS from the mobile number captured in Smartsheet.

Smartsheet is a cloud-based platform that allows you to create and manage spreadsheets and project management tasks. In this case, we will use Smartsheet to keep track of our beta testers and their signed Docusign documents, and create an instructional dashboard on beta testing expectations.

We created a dashboard that included the Beta Tester Screening Survey link to obtain demographic and personality related details of our user base (of course users had to accept our Terms and Conditions as well as our Privacy Policy when signing up).

We also embedded a video created with Synthesia in the Dashboard to give overall Beta testing instructions and expectations. Next we setup the automations using Zapier.

Zapier is a platform that allows you to automate workflows between different apps. In this case, we will use Zapier to automatically add a user’s mobile number from the Smartsheet survey to send to Twilio. From there, Zapier will send data to Twilio based on the mobile number entered in the survey (after opting in) to send the SMS text that will include a link to the Docusign Beta Testing Agreement.

To connect Smartsheet to Zapier, follow these steps:

1. Click on the “Make a Zap” button on the Zapier dashboard.
2. Connect your Smartsheet account to Zapier.
3. Choose Smartsheet as the trigger app.
4. Select the “New Row” as a trigger.
5. Map the phone number field from your Smartsheet (Screener Survey) to the Twilio action. *You will add the link to the Docusign Beta Testing Agreement as a link to send via the SMS through Twilio at this step.
6. Test the connection.

Step 3: Setup Mailchimp

Goal — to send a notification to your Beta Testers to review the Beta Testing instructions as well as complete the Beta Tester screening survey.

Mailchimp is an email marketing platform that allows you to create and send newsletters and promotional emails. In this case, we will use Mailchimp to create a mailing list of beta testers to send them an email to complete 1) Review the Beta Testing Instructional Dashboard (includes a short video) in Smartsheet and 2) Complete the Beta Tester Screening Survey as well as notify them of any reminders. This step will allow users to kick of the automation mentioned in Step 2.

Step 4: Beta Testing Agreement signed in Docusign, then App sent via text

Goal — to update the Signed Beta Testing Agreement (Docusign) to Smartsheet, confirm tester agreement

Once the user completed the survey, it kicked off a series of automated events.

In Zapier, connect your Docusign account and make sure a “new envelope” has been added.

1. Click on the “Make a Zap” button on the Zapier dashboard.
2. Choose Docusign as the action app.
3. Select the “Event sent or Completed” action.
4. Select “Completed” as the status.
5. Connect your Smartsheet account to Zapier.
6. Select “Add Row to Sheet in Smartsheet”
7. Map the phone fields from the Docusign action to the Smartsheet action. In this case make sure to at least map the phone number field, with other items you would like to track to confirm Beta Tester Agreement completion.
8. Test the connection.

Step 5: Connect Smartsheet to Twilio

Goal — Send a text with a link to the App from Smartsheet (using user’s number)

To connect Smartsheet to Zapier, follow these steps:

1. Click on the “Make a Zap” button on the Zapier dashboard.
2. Choose Smartsheet as the action app.
3. Select the “Add Row” action.
4. Access your Twilio account.
5. Map the fields from Smartsheet survey to the Twilio action and add the link to the App for download.
6. Test the connection.

Basically when the user accesses the Docusign link for the Beta Testing agreement, (from the text message kicked off by the Beta Tester Screening Survey), once they sign, it will update the Smartsheet as Completed along with the field with the mobile number. Use that field to kick off the next action, which is to send an SMS from Twilio with the link to the app.

Step 6: Connect EZ texting

EZ texting is a platform that allows you to send and receive SMS messages in bulk. In this case, we will use EZ texting to send SMS reminders to beta testers who have not signed the Docusign document from the Mailchimp Beta Tester audience.

To connect EZ texting to Zapier, follow these steps:

1. Click on the “Make a Zap” button on the Zapier dashboard.
2. Choose EZ texting as the trigger app.
3. Select the “New Subscriber” trigger.
4. Connect your EZ texting account to Zapier.
5. Map the fields from the Mailchimp action to the EZ texting action.
6. Test the connection.

Step 7: Take a Deep Breath

This took me a while to figure out, and omg I am sure there may be an easier way, but because I wanted specific insights about my audience, it took it to Smartsheet to perform data analysis.

Step 8: Use Synthesia.io and ChatGPT to Create a Beta Testing Instruction Video

Synthesia.io is a video generation platform that allows you to create videos using artificial intelligence. In this case, we will use Synthesia.io to create a beta testing instruction video that our beta testers can review before starting the testing process. We created a script to follow using ChatGPT.

To create a beta testing instruction video using Synthesia.io, follow these steps:

1. Create a script for your beta testing instruction video using ChatGPT.
2. Choose a template for your video.
3. Pick an avatar and add the script.
4. Customize the visuals of the video using the Synthesia.io editor.
5. Generate the video.

Step 9: Add the Beta Testing Instruction Video to a Smartsheet Form

Now that we have our beta testing instruction video, we want to make sure our beta testers can easily access it. We will add the video to a Smartsheet form that beta testers can review before starting the testing process.

To add the beta testing instruction video to a Smartsheet form, follow these steps:

1. Open the Smartsheet form you want to add the video to.
2. Click on the “Add a New Field” button.
3. Select “Video” as the field type.
4. Upload the beta testing instruction video.
5. Save the form.

Step 10: Launch Your Automated Beta Testing Program

Congratulations! You have now automated your beta testing process using Zapier, Mailchimp, Smartsheet, Twilio, EZ texting, Docusign, ChatGPT and Synthesia.io. To launch your automated beta testing program, follow these steps:

1. Promote your beta testing program through your email list and social media channels.
2. Sit back and wait for your beta testers to sign up.

By automating your beta testing process, you can save time and improve efficiency. Zapier, Mailchimp, Smartsheet, Twilio, EZ texting, Docusign, ChatGPT and Synthesia.io are powerful tools that can help you streamline your beta testing program. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can create an automated beta testing program that will help you collect valuable feedback from your users and improve your product.

If you want to see it in action, I’m currently in Beta Testing for the BU app, so if you are interested in using it as a platform to connect with people, create events or monetize your activities and gigs, support me on Buymeacoffee, and sign up for Beta Testing.