Part 2 - Using AI to create Zaps and Zap actions

Part 2 of our series of blogs on using AI in Zapier will delve into using AI to create Zaps and Zap actions. If you missed Part 1, which gives an overview of all the places that you can find AI in Zapier, check it out here: Part 1 – An overview of AI in Zapier

In this post, we’ll begin by looking at the AI Zap builder, then look at how AI can help you to decide which information to add to your Zap steps. Finally, we’ll explore the AI actions available in the Zapier Chrome extension.

Reminder: These features are currently in beta and may change. Some are only available to users who are part of Zapier’s Early Access program. Some are available to all users, but you will need to agree to an additional set of terms and conditions to use them.

Building a Zap using the AI builder

You can find the Create a Zap feature on your Zapier dashboard (this is the page that you generally see when you log into Zapier). You’ll also see the Zap AI builder in the Zap editor if you create a Zap from scratch.

In both cases, you’ll see a box at the top of the page that says What would you like to automate? Type a description of what you’d like the Zap to do and click Generate.

Gif of typing in the Zapier AI builder prompt window

After some thinking, you will be presented with a Zap that the AI thinks will do what you’ve described. If you’re starting from the dashboard, click the Try it button to open the Zap as a draft in the Zap editor.

Screenshot of Zap suggested by AI builder shown on Zapier dashboard

With one final trick up it’s sleeve, when you open the editor you’ll find AI generated suggestions for which information to map to different fields. For example, in the Zap above, it suggested that the body of the email should be in the message text of the Slack message.

Tips for using the AI Zap builder

Here are some tips to get the best Zap suggestions from the builder:

Phrase your statement as ‘When x happens in [app], do y in [app], this makes it easier for the AI to understand what you’re trying to do.
Include what should trigger the Zap (e.g. “When I get a new lead, send me a message”)
Mention the apps you want to use (e.g. “When I get a new lead in Facebook Lead ads, send me a Slack message”)
Be specific! If you want something to be included, specify that in the Zap (e.g. “When I get a new lead in Facebook Lead ads, send me a Slack message. Include the name and company of the lead in the Slack message”)
If the Zap doesn’t look right, tweak the wording in the box and click Try again

In the example above, I used the phrase ‘when I get an email’ but I didn’t specify that I wanted the Zap to trigger from new emails in my Gmail inbox, so it suggested using Email by Zapier as the trigger. If I change the prompt to “When I get a new email in Gmail from Solvaa, send myself a slack message.” and click Try again, the suggested Zap uses Gmail for the Zap trigger step.

Things to watch out for

While this is undoubtedly a useful feature, remember that it’s still in beta. It may not generate a Zap that works for you, or it may not generate the most efficient Zap. In my example, it suggests using the New Email (Gmail) trigger and a Filter by Zapier step. You can achieve the same thing and save an action by using the New Email matching search (Gmail) trigger.

Using AI to help complete steps in the Zap editor

I mentioned above that when you use the AI builder, it will make suggestions about which information to add to which fields in the Zap actions, are there’s also a feature that allows you to try this in any Zap action. This can be a great time saver for people who are new to Zapier, or anyone that spends a lot of time setting up Zaps!

You’ll find this option when you open a step in the new visual editor. At the top of the action set up you’ll see a Generate Values button.

Screenshot of action in Zapier editor with an arrow pointing to the AI powered 'Generate' button

When you click on that, after some time to think, the AI provides some suggestions for what to add to the fields of the Zap. These suggestions are shown in boxes underneath the fields (see image below). When you click on a suggestion, it will be added to the field.

Screenshot of a Slack 'Send message' action in Zapier showing AI suggestions for what to add in the message body field

This feature saves you from having to search for and add every field you might need from previous steps. And, as in the example above, it can even provide written text for you. That said, this feature is still in Beta and will definitely not give you a perfect solution every time. I find that it’s best used as a starting point, get AI to start the field mapping for you, then go in and tweak it to fit your needs.

AI actions in the Zapier Chrome extension

To take advantage of this feature, you will need to have installed the Zapier Chrome extension. The Chrome extension allows you to trigger Zaps from within the Chrome browser. It can take information from the webpage you’re on and you can add fields if you want to type in additional information. If you’ve not used it before, this Zapier help guide and Community post are a good introduction.

Using an AI action, you build a Zap action that’s triggered by the Chrome extension, rather than triggering a whole Zap using the extension as a trigger. That action can contain fields that are powered by AI, where you use a prompt to generate text. For example, you could create an action to send an email and use a prompt like “write a thank you email to my friend, Kelly. Say that I am grateful for her help in making my business more efficient”. The AI will generate the text of the email for you, let you preview it and then send the email.

Using the AI action builder

Select the Zapier Chrome extension icon in your browser, click on the Actions (beta) tab, and then click on the Set up action button.
In the new browser window that appears, click the Add a new action button.
Set up your Zapier Chrome extension action by mapping the fields.

For example, we could send a direct message to ourselves in Slack with a random motivational quote. To do that, you would set up the action as shown in the screenshot below:

A screenshot of an AI-powered action in the Zapier chrome extension. It shows the app for the action and the fields needed for the action to work.

To finish the set up of the action and turn it on, click the Enable action button. To use the new action, open the Zapier Chrome Extension and click on Actions (beta).

Select your action from the dropdown list and fill in the field with the prompt you’d like to use. Click the Preview button to see what’s generated by your prompt before sending it, or click Run to run the action without previewing it.

Summary

These AI features make it easier to build Zaps and Zap action, something that will be helpful for automation beginners and experts alike. All of them are currently in Beta and don’t always produce optimal (or occasionally even correct) results. If you use these features, always check them for accuracy and efficiency and make adjustments if you need to. I’m excited to see how this type of AI building improves and evolves as it matures!

If you’d like to learn more about these features and how to use them in more detail, check out Solvaa founder Kelly Goss’ book Automate it with Zapier and Generative AI Second edition.

Use the buttons below to get your copy now!

Buy from Amazon.co.uk

Buy from Amazon.com

Solvaa: Strategy, Solutions, Support, Education

UK-based Solvaa® is a systems, process and automation consultancy specialising in improving business workflows. Solvaa® works with SMEs worldwide to implement digital tools, better processes, use business process automation and generative AI to boost productivity, enhance lead management, and remove unnecessary time, costs and hassles from stretched business owners’ days.

We help you simplify and streamline existing processes, integrate your business tools to make data transfer more efficient, and automate manual tasks. Our business process automation specialists have extensive experience using multiple cloud-based business tools, including Zapier, Pipedrive CRM, SmartSuite, Xero, Google Suite, ClickUp, Asana, Airtable, Hubspot, Active Campaign, Salesforce, Mailchimp, Quickbooks and many more. We are Zapier Certified Experts, SmartSuite Certified Partners, Pipedrive Certified Partners and Xero Certified Advisors. We also educate teams about using AI in their daily roles, mindset, governance and strategy in our Solvaa AI Academy.

Solvaa® was founded in 2016 by Kelly Goss, a no-code solutions architect, business process automation specialist and author of Automate It with Zapier (first edition) and Automate It with Zapier and Generative AI (second edition).

A thought leader on business process automation and digital adoption, Kelly attended an invite-only Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence (AI) with the UK government at No.10 Downing Street, providing insights and recommendations on how SMEs can benefit from productivity gains by using digital technologies, automation and AI. She has also been invited to speak at the House of Lords and at many other events.

Contact us today to find out how Solvaa can help your business make big savings on operational costs and time, and significantly increase productivity.

How to Use Pipedrive CRM: Automation, AI & Smarter Sales Processes

A bad sales system is like a game of Buckaroo. You keep adding things to it - another lead source, another automation, another “quick fix” - and for a while it holds. Eventually, though, it’s going to buckle. When it does, leads get missed, deals stall, and the CRM...

SOLVAA branding graphic showing a handshake icon between the Pipedrive and Zapier logos on a blue background, symbolizing integration and partnership.

Three Best Zapier Automations to Accelerate Sales Process in Pipedrive

Sales teams using Pipedrive already benefit from a clear and visual pipeline. However, as lead volume increases and sales cycles become more demanding, manual tasks quickly slow things down. This is where automation makes a measurable difference. By connecting...

Graphic of a computer screen displaying a game controller with gears above it, five gold stars overhead, and the word ‘SOLVAA’ below on a blue background with abstract shapes.

5 Surprisingly Effective Best Practices for AI and Automation Training in the Workplace

At Solvaa, we believe AI and automation training doesn’t have to be dull or intimidating. When it’s done right, it can spark curiosity, boost confidence, and make work feel a whole lot more futuristic - and fun. Remember when everyone said the future of work was...

Illustration showing a sales funnel and a person using a magnifying glass to highlight problem deals, representing Pipedrive’s Rotting Feature for tracking deal inactivity.

How to Use the Pipedrive Rotting Feature to Track Deal Inactivity and Boost Conversions

Sales processes thrive on momentum. The longer a deal sits idle, the less likely it is to close. That’s where Pipedrive’s Rotting Feature comes into play. It acts like an early warning system for your pipeline, flagging deals that have gone stale so you can take...

Citizen Developer Training: The New Way to Unlock Agility and Growth

Citizen Developer Training has become essential because, once upon a time, “solving a business problem with technology” meant filing a ticket with IT, waiting weeks, and hoping your request wasn’t quietly buried under 1,247 other “marked urgent” tasks. Meanwhile,...

Streamline Your Marketing with the MailChimp-Pipedrive Integration, Boosted by Zapier

We're excited to announce the new two-way sync between MailChimp and Pipedrive, a powerful, automated integration that takes your email marketing to the next level. Currently free and in beta, this integration makes it easier than ever to manage contacts, trigger...

Pipedrive + AI in Sales: The Smart Way to Sell

In today's competitive market, AI in sales isn't just a buzzword—it’s a game-changer. Teams that adopt intelligent tools see faster lead responses, refined prospecting, and streamlined workflows. By automating repetitive tasks and surfacing actionable insights, AI...

Smarter Selling in Pipedrive: 3 AI Agents You Can Build with Zapier

In today’s fast-paced sales landscape, smart automation isn’t just nice to have; it’s a competitive edge. And with the introduction of AI agents that can be easily built in no-code tools like Zapier, sales teams using tools like Pipedrive can finally unlock the next...

Illustration of a person sitting at a desk working on a computer, with elements representing communication and automation (e.g., email notifications, check marks). The image features the Solvaa and Pipedrive logos at the top, symbolizing collaboration or integration.

Streamline your sales with Pipedrive CRM Email Sync

In the fast-paced world of sales, staying on top of email communication is crucial. Yet, managing a flood of messages while keeping everything organised can be overwhelming. That’s where Pipedrive’s CRM Email Sync comes in, transforming how you manage sales-related...

Featured image for Solvaa blog post Run into a Zapier error? Get tips on understanding error codes and troubleshooting when building Zaps.

Run into a Zapier error? Learn how to troubleshoot in the Zapier editor.

It can be frustrating if you run into an error when trying to build your Zaps. While there are lots of different causes of Zapier errors, there are some common ones, and some steps you can take to try and solve them. This post shares some tips to understand Zapier...

A person sits with a laptop in front of a large computer screen, which displays icons for email, user profiles, and analytics graphs. A megaphone on the side symbolizes marketing, while an envelope icon represents email communication.

How Pipedrive Campaigns can supercharge your sales strategy

In today's highly competitive sales environment, aligning your customer relationship management (CRM) with your marketing efforts is crucial to driving growth and boosting conversions. Pipedrive Campaigns is designed to do just that, seamlessly combining the power of...

Zapier Central: AI chat meets the power of Zapier to give you easy, powerful automation.

Zapier Central is the latest Zapier AI feature, which brings the ease of ChatGPT-like AI interactions to the realm of automation. Whether it's drafting an email, summarising webpage content, or triggering sophisticated workflows with simple prompts, this tool is...

Case study: Expert Zapier automation strategy and coaching saves IQ Glass 45 hours per week

“Kelly has been excellent at understanding the problems and quirks of the organisation and identifying solutions or workarounds to achieve the aim,”—Hugo Cox, Operations Manager at IQ Glass Group. Too Long; Don’t Read (or scroll) Find information about how our expert...

Case study: Summerley Recruitment saves £22,500 per year after swapping stress for strategy-led automation

“Working with Kelly gave us the confidence we needed to automate our process using Zapier,” — Sam Hickman, Managing Director of Summerley Recruitment. Too Long; Don’t Read (or scroll) Find information quickly on how we worked with Summerley Recruitment to swap stress...

Feature image for the blog post "Inbox zero? Inbox hero!"

Inbox zero? Inbox hero! Keep your emails under control with these tips and tricks.

I'm going to start off by saying something controversial: I think that aiming for complete 'inbox zero' is a fool's errand. If your only goal is to reach that golden number, you'll spend more time worrying about and optimising your inbox than actually being...

Case study: “Life-changing” Pipedrive optimisation and automation transforms productivity at Ascent Dental

“Meeting Kelly has simply been life-changing for our business and our teams,” — Louise Hatton, Group Operations Manager at Ascent Dental Group. Too Long; Don’t Read (or scroll) Find information quickly on how we transformed Ascent Dental’s productivity with our...

Case study: The Launch Code benefits from streamlined leads process with Pipedrive as the single source of truth

“Solvaa’s service is very helpful for people who understand they need automation to make their lives a little bit easier, especially for solopreneurs who don't have the resources to outsource a bunch of this stuff” — says Zoltan Vardy, Startup Mentor and Founder of...

Case study: Sales process optimisation in Pipedrive brings business health to the forefront at Farnell Clarke

“Kelly is super organised and professional—she’s on it.” — says Frances Kay, Director and Shareholder at Farnell Clarke. Too Long; Don’t Read (or scroll) Find information quickly on how we helped set Farnell Clarke up for success with our business process...

Decorative image - The featured image for the Solvaa blog post "AI-tomation: How Zapier is using AI to make automation easy Part 5 - Wrapping up and looking forward"

AI-tomation: How Zapier is using AI to make automation easy – Wrapping up and looking forward

In this series about AI automation, we've been exploring how Zapier is weaving AI throughout it's product to enhance user experience and power up automation. If you missed our previous posts, you can find them here: Part 1: An overview of AI in Zapier Part 2:...

Mastering Meeting Efficiency: How Automation Can Make Meetings Better

Meetings. A vital yet often frustrating feature in the landscape of business. Not many people look forward to meetings (there's a reason that "This could have been an email" is now a phrase so viral you can find it on mugs, t-shirts and more), and even fewer enjoy...

AI-tomation: how Zapier is using AI to make automation easy

Part 2 - Using AI to create Zaps and Zap actions

Building a Zap using the AI builder

Tips for using the AI Zap builder

Things to watch out for

Using AI to help complete steps in the Zap editor

AI actions in the Zapier Chrome extension

Using the AI action builder

Summary

Related Posts

How to Use Pipedrive CRM: Automation, AI & Smarter Sales Processes

Three Best Zapier Automations to Accelerate Sales Process in Pipedrive

5 Surprisingly Effective Best Practices for AI and Automation Training in the Workplace

How to Use the Pipedrive Rotting Feature to Track Deal Inactivity and Boost Conversions

Citizen Developer Training: The New Way to Unlock Agility and Growth

Streamline Your Marketing with the MailChimp-Pipedrive Integration, Boosted by Zapier

Pipedrive + AI in Sales: The Smart Way to Sell

Smarter Selling in Pipedrive: 3 AI Agents You Can Build with Zapier

Streamline your sales with Pipedrive CRM Email Sync

Run into a Zapier error? Learn how to troubleshoot in the Zapier editor.

How Pipedrive Campaigns can supercharge your sales strategy

Zapier Central: AI chat meets the power of Zapier to give you easy, powerful automation.

Case study: Expert Zapier automation strategy and coaching saves IQ Glass 45 hours per week

Case study: Summerley Recruitment saves £22,500 per year after swapping stress for strategy-led automation

Inbox zero? Inbox hero! Keep your emails under control with these tips and tricks.

Case study: “Life-changing” Pipedrive optimisation and automation transforms productivity at Ascent Dental

Case study: The Launch Code benefits from streamlined leads process with Pipedrive as the single source of truth

Case study: Sales process optimisation in Pipedrive brings business health to the forefront at Farnell Clarke

AI-tomation: How Zapier is using AI to make automation easy – Wrapping up and looking forward

Mastering Meeting Efficiency: How Automation Can Make Meetings Better

Search

Categories

Recent Posts

Get our free ebook

AI-tomation: how Zapier is using AI to make automation easy

Part 2 - Using AI to create Zaps and Zap actions

Building a Zap using the AI builder

Tips for using the AI Zap builder

Things to watch out for

Using AI to help complete steps in the Zap editor

AI actions in the Zapier Chrome extension

Using the AI action builder

Summary

Related Posts

Search

Categories

Recent Posts

Get our free ebook

Thanks! Your ebook is on the way.

Pin It on Pinterest