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Automate Your Work with Zapier

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What is a Zap?

4:21 with Guil Hernandez

Zapier connects many of the apps you already work with through automatic workflows called Zaps. A Zap allows your existing tools and software to communicate with one another and work together to help perform routine tasks quickly and efficiently.

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    Zapier automates everyday tasks by connecting many of the apps you already 0:00
    work with through automatic workflows called Zaps. 0:04
    A Zap allows your existing tools and software to communicate with one another 0:09
    and work together to perform routine tasks quickly and efficiently. 0:13
    So let's go over what a Zap is, its key components, 0:18
    and the quickest way to create a Zap. 0:21
    Once you've visited Zapier.com and sign up for an account, you're 0:24
    presented with Zapier's dashboard where you can begin creating your first Zap. 0:28
    As you'll realize with many Zaps, the logic is quite simple. 0:32
    When something happens in one app, then perform some action in another app. 0:36
    Before we review some examples, let's go over the core building blocks of a Zap. 0:40
    At the heart of any Zap is a simple command that's based on the words 0:45
    "when" and "do". 0:50
    When this happens, do that. 0:51
    This is the logic model behind any Zap you create. 0:53
    Every Zap starts with a trigger. That's the "when" or 0:56
    the event that starts the Zap kicking off the automation. 0:59
    Then comes the action, the "do". 1:03
    The action is the task the Zap performs after it's triggered. 1:05
    A single Zap can perform many actions from the same trigger. 1:09
    When you turn a Zap on it will run the action steps every time the trigger 1:13
    event occurs. 1:16
    For example, 1:18
    imagine that you're keeping track of what you're learning in a Google Sheet. 1:19
    You want to block off learning time on your calendar for 1:22
    each topic to help keep you focused and on track. 1:25
    Instead of manually creating a calendar event each time you add a new row, 1:28
    you can make a Zap that does it for you. 1:32
    Google Sheets is the trigger app and Google Calendar performs the action. 1:34
    When a new row is added to the spreadsheet, 1:39
    create a Google Calendar event. 1:41
    In the action you can specify additional details like the event description, 1:44
    the link to the lesson, the start date, time, and more. 1:48
    Let's jump back into Zapier's dashboard, 1:52
    which is where you'll build your Zaps using the Zap editor. 1:54
    In the dashboard you can also test Zaps, monitor their usage, and much more. 1:57
    You'll learn more about this in a later video. 2:01
    There are two ways you might create a Zap, with a Zap template or from scratch. 2:04
    You'll notice that your dashboard recommends some workflows for you. 2:09
    These are pre-built Zaps or Zap templates. 2:12
    Your recommendations might look different than mine. 2:15
    For example, I'm seeing workflows that save new Gmail attachments to 2:18
    Google Drive, generate Google Calendar events from new Google Sheets rows, and 2:22
    send new Gmail emails as Slack channel messages. 2:27
    Many of these seem really useful, so if you see a Zap template you like, you can 2:30
    use it to build your Zap or as a starting point by clicking on "Try it". 2:35
    For example, I'm particularly interested in the Google Calendar and 2:40
    Google Sheets workflow. 2:44
    Clicking "Try it" brings up the Zap editor where you can set up and 2:46
    customize the Zap. 2:50
    Notice how in this Zap the trigger is new spreadsheet row in Google Sheets, 2:53
    and the action is create detailed event in Google Calendar. 2:58
    When building a Zap from scratch, 3:06
    Zapier recommends keeping in mind the following as you go. 3:08
    What is the process you want to automate or the problem you want to solve? 3:12
    What apps will you use? 3:16
    What are the rules you want them to follow? 3:19
    This could be your desired automation using the When/Do logic. 3:21
    And what information do you wanna move between the apps? 3:24
    I've posted some information to help you think through and 3:28
    map out yours Zaps in the notes with this video. 3:30
    We'll dive into customs Zaps in the next video. 3:33
    If you're curious about the apps Zapier connects or if you already know exactly 3:36
    what you want to build, you can search for apps here in your dashboard. 3:40
    Since we all use different apps and services throughout our day, 3:45
    Zapier offers integrations with many different apps. 3:48
    So it's very likely that Zapier already works with just about everything you use. 3:52
    And you can review more zap templates that match your selected apps by browsing 3:56
    through the thousands of apps Zapier connects at zapier.com/apps, or looking at 4:02
    recommended automation for specific jobs or industries on the Explore page. 4:07
    All of these resources are posted in the notes with this video. 4:13

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