# What is no-code automation, and how do Zapier and Integromat work?

Date: 2021-06-08 · Author: Robert Scales · https://guidetoartificialintelligence.com/en/learn/no-code-automation-zapier-integromat-work/

**Answer:** No-code automation means connecting the apps you already use so that an event in one, such as a new form entry, automatically causes actions in others, without writing a program. Zapier and Integromat both work this way: a trigger starts the workflow, and one or more actions pass the data along.

Most office work involves moving information from one place to another. A customer fills in a form, and someone copies the answers into a spreadsheet, then writes a confirmation email. None of those steps needs judgment, but each takes a minute, and the minutes add up. No-code automation tools do this copying for you. You describe the steps once, by picking from menus, and the tool repeats them every time the event happens.

"No-code" means you build the workflow in a visual editor instead of writing software. Behind the scenes, these services talk to each app through its API (application programming interface), the official doorway one program uses to exchange data with another. You never see that part. You choose an app, choose an event, and match up the fields.

## The building blocks: triggers and actions

Every automation has the same basic shape.

- **Trigger.** The event that starts the workflow. Zapier describes it as an event in an app, such as receiving a new lead or a new email.
- **Action.** What happens next. The action takes data from the trigger and does something with it in another app, such as adding a row or sending a message.
- **Data mapping.** The step where you tell the tool which piece of information goes where: the form's "Email" field into the spreadsheet's "Email" column, for example.

Once the workflow is switched on, it runs by itself each time the trigger fires.

## How Zapier and Integromat differ

Both services follow that pattern, but they present it differently.

**Zapier** calls each workflow a *Zap*. You build it as a list: one trigger at the top, then one or more actions below it. Zapier says you can connect more than 3,000 apps, including Google Sheets, Gmail, Slack, Typeform and Google Forms. Its strength is simplicity: Zapier says a Zap takes minutes to create.

**Integromat** calls each workflow a *scenario*. Instead of a list, you build it on a canvas, dragging circles called *modules* and connecting them with lines. A trigger module checks for data that is new or updated since the last run. *Routers* split the flow into branches, so one form entry could be handled one way and another entry a different way, with *filters* deciding what goes down each branch. *Iterators* break a bundle into parts, for example to handle each attachment of an email separately. You can schedule a scenario to run as often as every minute, and incoming webhooks (instant notifications sent by an app) are handled right away. Integromat lists over 650 apps and can reach almost any other web service through its HTTP module.

A third option is **n8n**, a node-based workflow tool you can host on your own server, which keeps your data in your own database. It suits teams that are comfortable running their own software and want more control over where information goes.

## A worked example: form to spreadsheet to email

Say a small yoga studio takes workshop registrations through a Google Form. Here is the workflow, written as steps you would follow in either tool.

| Step | Type | App | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trigger | Google Forms | New response submitted |
| 2 | Action | Google Sheets | Add a row with name, email, workshop and date |
| 3 | Action | Gmail | Send a confirmation to the person's email address |

For step 3, you would write a short email template and drop the form's fields into it:

```text
Subject: You're registered for {Workshop}

Hi {First name},

Thanks for signing up for {Workshop} on {Date}. Please arrive ten minutes early and bring water and a mat if you have one.

See you soon,
The studio team
```

The words in curly brackets are placeholders. Each time the workflow runs, the tool replaces them with that person's answers.

Before switching it on, send yourself a test entry. Check that the spreadsheet row lands in the right columns and that the email reads correctly with real data. Then try an awkward entry, such as a missing first name, to see what the email looks like when a field is empty.

In Integromat, you could extend this with a router: workshops marked "beginner" send one email, and advanced ones send another. In Zapier, you could build a second Zap for the advanced workshops.

> **Try it:** Write down one process you repeat at least weekly. Fill in the table above for it: the trigger, the app, and each action in order. If you can't name the trigger in one short phrase, the process may need simplifying before it can be automated.

## Which repetitive task should you automate first?

Pick the task that is frequent, boring and identical every time. A good first candidate happens at least several times a week, follows the same steps without exceptions, and moves data between apps you already use. Copying form answers into a spreadsheet, saving email attachments to a shared folder, or posting new orders to a team chat are classic starting points.

Avoid tasks that need judgment, such as deciding whether a complaint deserves a refund, or that would cause real harm if they misfired, such as sending invoices. Start with something where a mistake is easy to notice and easy to undo. That lets you learn how the tool behaves before you trust it with anything important.

Keep the first workflow short, with one trigger and one or two actions. Watch it for a week. Integromat logs every operation in each run and lets you run a scenario manually to watch the data move, so check that history to confirm the workflow did what you expected. Once it has run cleanly, add the next step or automate the next task. Small, reliable automations tend to save more time than one ambitious workflow that breaks.

## Sources

- How Zapier Works: https://zapier.com/how-it-works
- Integromat features: https://www.integromat.com/en/features
- n8n documentation: Overview: https://docs.n8n.io/