3 Examples of Using Zapier to Automate Tasks

Discover practical examples of using Zapier to automate your daily tasks effortlessly.
By Taylor

Introduction to Using Zapier for Automation

Zapier is a fantastic tool that allows you to connect different apps and automate repetitive tasks without needing to code. Whether you’re a busy professional, a small business owner, or just someone looking to save time, Zapier can help streamline your workflow. Below, I’ve outlined three diverse examples of using Zapier to automate tasks, which will give you a clear understanding of its capabilities.

Example 1: Automatically Save Email Attachments to Google Drive

In this scenario, imagine you receive a lot of important documents via email. Manually saving each attachment can be time-consuming. By using Zapier, you can automate this process and ensure all your email attachments are saved directly to your Google Drive.

To set this up, you would create a Zap that triggers whenever you receive a new email in Gmail with attachments. The action would be to upload those attachments to a specified folder in Google Drive.

The actual setup would look like this:

  1. Trigger: New Attachment in Gmail - Select the specific email account you want to monitor.
  2. Action: Upload File in Google Drive - Choose the folder where you want the attachments to be saved.

This way, every time you receive an email with an attachment, it will automatically be saved to Google Drive, leaving you with more time to focus on important tasks.

Notes: You can further customize this Zap by filtering emails from specific senders or containing certain keywords in the subject line.

Example 2: Create Trello Cards from New Google Sheets Rows

If you manage projects using Trello and keep track of tasks in Google Sheets, manually transferring tasks can be tedious. With Zapier, you can automate the creation of Trello cards whenever a new row is added to your Google Sheet.

To implement this automation, you would set up a Zap that triggers every time a new row is added to your specific Google Sheets document. The action would then be to create a new card in a designated Trello board.

Here’s how to set it up:

  1. Trigger: New Spreadsheet Row in Google Sheets - Select your spreadsheet and worksheet.
  2. Action: Create Card in Trello - Choose the Trello board and list where the new card should be created, and map the columns from Google Sheets to card details like title and description.

This setup ensures that any new task you add in Google Sheets automatically turns into a Trello card, so you never lose track of what needs to be done.

Notes: You can also add a due date or labels to the Trello card based on the information in your Google Sheet.

Example 3: Send Daily Slack Reminders for Upcoming Events

Keeping track of meetings and deadlines can be overwhelming, especially when you’re juggling multiple projects. By using Zapier, you can send yourself daily reminders in Slack for any upcoming events or tasks in your calendar.

In this case, you would create a Zap that checks your Google Calendar for events scheduled for the day. The action would then be to send a reminder message to your designated Slack channel or direct message.

To set this up:

  1. Trigger: Event Starts in Google Calendar - Set it to trigger every day at a specific time (e.g., 8:00 AM).
  2. Action: Send Channel Message in Slack - Choose the channel or person to receive the reminder and customize the message to include event details like title, time, and location.

Now, every day at the appointed time, you’ll receive a message in Slack reminding you of your schedule, helping you stay organized and prepared.

Notes: You can adjust the timing of the trigger and even include a filter to only remind you of certain types of events, such as meetings or deadlines.

By implementing these examples of using Zapier to automate tasks, you can streamline your daily routines and focus on what truly matters. Remember, the beauty of Zapier lies in its flexibility, so feel free to tweak these examples to fit your needs!