Automate a Boring Task with Zapier
- Scott Colenutt |
- 36 steps |
- 3 minutes
Start today's lesson by opening [Google Sheets](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/create)
Create a new spreadsheet called '**daily sales**' populate it with something that looks something like what's below.\ \ In this example, you're going to take on the fictional role of an employee that's often asked by their manager to provide cumulative monthly sales figures. To keep it simple, you're just going to focus on total monthly sales.\ \ In this company, there are lots of spreadsheets and one sheet within a spreadsheet is automatically updated with the cumulative total sales from the month.\ \ Every time you're asked by your manager to provide the up-to-date figure, you have to find the spreadsheet, find the sheet and find this number. It's tedious and boring, but it's inevitable that they're going to ask, as they do this almost every day.
Open [Zapier](https://zapier.com/sign-up?utm_source=100daysofnocode&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=100daysofnocodeday19). \ \ Click '**Create**' and then '**Zaps**'.
You're first going to **add your Trigger.** \ \ In this example, your automation is triggered by when the 'Total Sales' figure automatically updates each day.
Search and select '**Google Sheets**'.
Click the "**Choose an event**" field.
Select '**New or Updated Spreadsheet Row**'.
Click "**Continue**".
You're now in the '**Account**' section where you'll either be prompted to authorise access to your Google account or, if you've connected Google Sheets previously, you'll see your account listed here.\ \ Check everything is as expected and click '**Continue**'.
Click the "**Choose value…**" field.
Search and select your '**daily sales**' sheet.
Click the "**Choose value…**" field under '**Worksheet**'.
Select the sheet containing your sales data.
Click '**Continue**'.
Click "**Test trigger**".
Select the row that contains your cumulative monthly sales figure.
Click "**Continue with selected record**".
Click "**Action**".
You're now going to configure the action. In this example, you're going to automate an email that's sent to you every time the total monthly sales figure is updated.\ \ Search and select '**Gmail**'.\ \ Note: You can use a different email provider if you like, the steps will be similar.
Select the '**Choose an event**' field.
