How to Get Started with Zapier
Step-by-step guide to getting started with Zapier. Create your account, connect your first apps, and build your first automation in under 10 minutes.
Step-by-step
How to Get Started with Zapier
Create your Zapier account
Go to zapier.com and sign up with your email or Google account. The free plan includes 100 tasks per month and 5 single-step Zaps — enough to test the platform.
Connect your first apps
Click 'My Apps' in the left sidebar and search for the tools you use (Gmail, Slack, Google Sheets, your CRM). Authenticate each app by following the OAuth prompts. Connected apps are saved to your account for reuse.
Create your first Zap
Click '+ Create' then 'Zaps'. Choose a trigger app and event (e.g., 'New Email in Gmail'). Then choose an action app and event (e.g., 'Create Spreadsheet Row in Google Sheets'). Map the fields from trigger to action.
Test and activate
Click 'Test' to run the Zap with sample data. Verify the action completed correctly in your destination app. If everything looks good, click 'Publish' to turn the Zap on. Monitor the first few runs in Task History.
Tips
Pro tips
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Start with a simple single-step Zap to understand how triggers and actions work before building complex multi-step workflows
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Use Zapier's pre-built templates (available on each app's integration page) instead of starting from scratch
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Check your Task History regularly during the first week to catch any errors early
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Name your Zaps descriptively (e.g., 'New Lead to Slack Alert + CRM') so you can find them later
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