Therefore, learning how to organise your zaps is vital for all users so that they can be maintained easily and quickly when needed. This includes naming them in a structured way and creating folders to store them in smaller, more manageable groups.
Naming your zaps
Since Zapier lists your zaps in alphabetic order, it makes sense to name your zaps in a meaningful way so that similar ones are grouped together in your dashboard. You should also include keywords that can be used to find them via a search function.
If you include enough detail in the description then you will immediately understand what the purpose of the zap is. The more zaps you create, the more unwieldy the dashboard can become, so adopting good practice from the start will really help as your usage grows. Using naming standards is also vital if you are part of a wider team so that everyone can adopt the same approach.
As you can see in the list below, it helps to have the Asana zaps grouped together, and you can easily understand from each description what the purpose of the zap is.
There are a few different naming standards you can adopt for your zaps, depending on your business and/or how you intend to use Zapier.
Trigger naming
If you start your zap description with the app which triggered it then it’s easy to see which zaps are derived from a particular application, such as in the example above where Asana apps are together.
Another option if your zaps are used to support different clients is to start the description with a client identifier, followed by the trigger name.
If you want to view your zaps in a specific order where the trigger or client names aren’t going to give you what you need then you could prefix the description with numbers or letters of the alphabet to force them into a particular sequence.
Zap descriptions
Once you have decided on the naming convention for your prefix, you can then use the rest of the description to help understand what its purpose is.
It is good practice to include what happens in the trigger and action step, which is ultimately what the zap is going to be used to do.
For example,
- When new email received, create task.
- When new lead created, add row to spreadsheet.
- When appointment is due, send SMS.
- When webform completed, add email subscriber.
- When invoice created, email customer.
- When new blog published, create Facebook post.
Including filter steps
If your zaps include a filter which means they only continue when certain conditions are met then it’s useful to include an abbreviated summary in the description.
For example,
- …if invoice is paid…
- …if sender is XXXX…
- …if XXXX > 0…
Using folders
To the left of your zaps in the dashboard are folders, which you can create to organise your zaps further. This is especially helpful if you’re on a Pro (or above) plan and have dozens (or hundreds) of zaps in your library.
The default folder is ‘Home’, and when you create new ones they are listed in the left-hand column. The number next to them represents how many zaps are in each folder.
You can choose how to use this functionality, creating folders in whatever way seems sensible for your business. One option is to create folders for business functions, such as Admin, Marketing, Finance and Operations. Another is to create a folder for each client, for example if you’re a VA or OBM.
There are also different types of folders that control who can access them. The PRIVATE FOLDERS section is for folders you created with Zaps which are owned by you. If you have a Team or Company plan then these folders (and the zaps within them) will only be visible to you.
The SHARED FOLDERS section is only available if you have a Team or company plan. If you create folders here then you can share them with individual users, or with a Company plan, you can share with specific groups of users.
There is also a TRASH folder that contains zaps that have been deleted. They are only stored in this folder for 30 days though, after which they are permanently deleted.
Searching for a zap
Using the search function will allow you to find zaps in your different folders. You can use keywords to filter the zaps, and any matching results will be presented in a list.
Find out more
If you’d like a guided walkthrough for managing zaps in more detail then our founder, Kelly’s new book, Automate It with Zapier, is out now and is the most comprehensive Zapier guide on the market. You can buy a copy from Amazon: here are links to Amazon (.co.uk) and Amazon (.com) to get yours now.
The book is perfect for new Zapier users as well as seasoned pros.
Once you get started with Zapier there’s so much you can do with it and we have plenty of articles which could spark ideas!
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.
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