Preparing to Automate Your Processes

In this chapter, we will use the principles of business process automation to help you prepare to automate your processes. As we discussed in the previous chapter, it is vital to simplify your processes before attempting to automate them. Therefore, we will start by describing how to improve your business processes and then identify what can be automated. We will then explore how to find information about your business apps and how your apps integrate with Zapier. We will expand on this in the Getting the most out of the Zapier app ecosystem directory section of this chapter, where we will cover navigation in the directory of app integrations and how to find new apps to use.

We will cover the following key topics in this chapter:

• Simplifying your processes and assessing what can be automated
• Establishing how your business apps integrate with Zapier
• Getting the most out of the Zapier app ecosystem directory

Once you have...

Technical requirements

To work through the content and exercises in this chapter, you will need access to a Zapier account. The Zapier Free plan will be adequate to work through the content in this chapter. You can get access to the systems and process audit template used in this chapter at https://bit.ly/zapier-book.

Simplifying your processes and assessing what can be automated

Before you look to gain from the benefits of automating your processes, it is essential to analyze, understand, and simplify your existing manual processes. Following this method will ensure that you have more robust processes, as well as help reduce the number of steps you have in your Zaps. This will help lower the number of tasks that will contribute to your monthly Zapier task limit when your workflows run.

When you hear the term process mapping, you might immediately think you will need to employ someone with analytical skills to help you detail your processes in flowcharts and documents. You may also believe that it does not apply to you or your business. The fact is that you most likely already map out your processes in one way or another, such as when you create training documents and checklists for new staff. Having documented procedures allows you, the business owner, the manager, and the team members that...

Establishing how your business apps integrate with Zapier

Before you can start automating any tasks, we need to determine which of your business tools integrate with Zapier, as well as what trigger, action, and search functions have been developed into the integration if one is available.

When working through the exercises in the previous section, you created a list of all of your business apps. You also noted which apps were associated with each step in your mapped-out processes. Starting with your five top-priority processes, we can now go through the list of apps related to those processes one by one to establish which of your apps integrate with Zapier.

The steps you should take to establish how your business apps integrate with Zapier are as follows:

1. Search for information about your app.
2. Review the information on the app profile page.
3. Assess how to use your app with Zapier.

Let’s review each of these.

Searching for information about your...

Getting the most out of the Zapier app ecosystem directory

In the previous part of this chapter, we discussed how to use the magnifying glass icon in the top menu bar to search for your app. Another place to do this is from within the app ecosystem directory. The app ecosystem directory is not only useful for searching for your existing apps but it also serves to direct you if your app does not have an integration with Zapier. Most importantly, the app directory is a comprehensive resource to help you find apps that you may want to start using in your business.

The app directory can be found via the top menu navigation on information pages, as described in Chapter 1, Introduction to Business Process Automation with Zapier. It can also be found at https://zapier.com/apps.

Let’s start by familiarizing ourselves with the app directory.

Navigating the app ecosystem directory

The app directory consists of a left navigation sidebar and a central navigation pane, as shown...

Summary

In this chapter, we started by working through how to improve your business processes and then identify what can be automated. We explored how to find information about your business apps and how your apps integrate with Zapier. We discussed navigation in the app ecosystem directory and how to use it effectively to explore new apps to use in your business. We concluded by briefly describing how to find and assess apps to use in your company.

You now know how to simplify your processes, identify what can be automated, navigate the app directory, and find apps to use in your business.

In the next chapter, we will discuss how to strategize and plan individual workflows before automating them. We will cover the steps required to connect your apps to Zapier, discuss navigation in the Zap editor, and work through an example to help you create your first Zap. We will show you how to find and use pre-built workflows, explain field types and data handling, and, lastly, cover continuous...

Questions

1. What does “5W1H” stand for?
2. What are the three critical questions to ask to determine whether you can consider a process for automation?
3. Where can you find information about how your business apps integrate with Zapier?