Introduction

Hi everyone, Kevin here. Today we’re going to learn how to use Make to automate just about anything. If you’re tired of boring and repetitive tasks at work, this guide is for you.

What is Make?

Make is a powerful automation tool that allows you to connect thousands of different apps and automate tasks efficiently. Let’s start with an example from the Kevin Cookie Company.

The Kevin Cookie Company Example

At the Kevin Cookie Company, customers submit orders through a Google Forms order form. Previously, I had to manually add these orders into our tracking spreadsheet and send notifications. This process was time-consuming and often led to mistakes. I realized I could automate this entire workflow with Make, freeing up valuable time.

Getting Started with Make

1. First, head to the Make website. You can set up a free account that allows for 1,000 operations per month. If you decide to go pro, you’ll get additional features and 10,000 operations.

2. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll land on the Make dashboard. Click on the templates section to explore thousands of automation ideas.

Building Your First Scenario

Let’s build a scenario that automates the order process.

1. Click on “Scenarios” and create a new scenario. You’ll be taken to a scenario editor.

2. To start, you need a trigger. This trigger will kick off the automation. For instance, choose “Watch Responses” under Google Forms to track new submissions.

Connecting Applications

After setting up the trigger, you’ll establish a connection with Google Forms to integrate it into your workflow. You’ll need to provide the Form ID to specify which form this automation will work with.

Mapping Data Between Apps

Now that you’re connected to Google Forms, you can map the data to other applications such as Google Sheets. This allows for seamless data transfer from the form to your tracking spreadsheet.

Adding Filters and Conditions

You can set up filters to ensure that only valid orders (like those within the United States) are processed and forwarded to your fulfillment team.

Sending Notifications

Finally, add modules to send a thank you email to the customer and notify your fulfillment team on Microsoft Teams about new orders.

Testing and Scheduling

Once everything is set up, test the automation to ensure it works as expected. After successful testing, you can schedule the automation to run at desired intervals, eliminating the need for manual intervention in the future.

Conclusion

Automation with Make can save you significant time and reduce errors in your workflow. Explore various templates to find automations that suit your needs and make your work life simpler. Let me know in the comments how you plan to start automating your tasks!