Zapier & IFTTT Automation Guide
Connect apps, automate workflows, and create bank triggers without coding
🚀 What Are Zapier & IFTTT?
No-code automation platforms that connect your favorite apps and services to create powerful workflows.
⚡ Zapier
Best for: Business workflows, multi-step automations, complex logic
- Multi-step workflows (Zaps)
- Advanced filtering and formatting
- Thousands of app integrations
- Team collaboration features
🔗 IFTTT
Best for: Personal automation, smart home, simple triggers
- Simple "If This Then That" logic
- Great for IoT and smart devices
- Free tier available
- Easy to set up
💡 When to Use Each Platform
Choose Zapier for business workflows, data processing, and complex multi-step automations.
Choose IFTTT for personal use, smart home control, and simple app connections.
💰 Bank & Finance Automations
Automate your financial life with these powerful bank trigger examples.
1 Bank Transaction Monitoring
Get notified when specific transactions occur.
Example: Large Purchase Alert
Trigger: New transaction over $500 in bank account
Action: Send email/Slack notification
2 Automatic Expense Tracking
Log all transactions to Google Sheets or Airtable.
Example: Expense Logger
Trigger: Any new bank transaction
Action: Add row to Google Sheets with amount, date, description
3 Bill Payment Reminders
Never miss a payment with automated reminders.
Example: Subscription Tracking
Trigger: Monthly subscription charge detected
Action: Send calendar event + email reminder
🔒 Security Note
Both Zapier and IFTTT use bank-level security and read-only access. Your banking credentials are never stored on their servers.
Creating Your First Zap
Zaps are multi-step automations that connect your apps and services.
Sample Zap: New Email to Google Sheets
Trigger: New Email in Gmail
When a new email arrives with specific criteria
Action: Create Row in Google Sheets
Add sender, subject, and date to spreadsheet
E-commerce Order Processor
Trigger: New Shopify Order
When a new order is placed in Shopify
Action: Create Google Sheets Row
Log order details for analytics
Action: Send Slack Notification
Alert team about new order
CRM Lead Manager
Trigger: New Typeform Submission
When someone fills out your contact form
Action: Add to HubSpot CRM
Create new contact in your CRM
Action: Send Welcome Email
Automated follow-up via Gmail/Mailchimp
Advanced Zapier Features
Filters
Only proceed if conditions are met (e.g., amount > $100)
Formatters
Transform data (dates, text, numbers) between steps
Paths
Create conditional logic and branching workflows
Delay
Wait specified time before executing next action
Creating Your First Applet
Applets are simple "If This Then That" automations perfect for personal use.
Sample Applet: Weather to Notification
If: Weather Forecast = Rain
Weather Underground detects rain in forecast
Then: Send Phone Notification
"Don't forget your umbrella today!"
Smart Home Controller
You leave home (GPS)
When your phone location leaves home area
Turn off smart lights
Automatically turn off Philips Hue lights
Social Media Backup
New Instagram Photo
When you post a new photo to Instagram
Save to Google Drive
Automatically backup photos to cloud storage
Popular IFTTT Services
Smart Home
Philips Hue, SmartThings, Nest, WeMo
Social Media
Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest
Productivity
Google Calendar, Evernote, Todoist
Communication
Email, SMS, Push Notifications
Banking & Financial Automations
Secure automations for managing your finances (read-only access).
Expense Categorizer
Trigger: New Bank Transaction
When any transaction appears in your bank account
Action: Categorize in Google Sheets
Auto-categorize based on merchant/vendor
Action: Update Budget Dashboard
Refresh charts and spending reports
Supported Banks
Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Capital One, and many others via Plaid integration
Savings Goal Tracker
Trigger: Paycheck Deposit
When your salary is deposited to bank account
Action: Send Progress Update
"You're 75% to your $5,000 savings goal!"
Action: Update Goal Tracker
Automatically calculate time to reach goal
Bank Security & Privacy
Read-Only Access
Automations can only view transactions, never move money
Bank-Level Security
256-bit SSL encryption and secure data centers
Permission Controls
You control exactly what data is shared
Instant Disconnect
Can revoke access at any time from your bank
Business Workflow Automations
Streamline operations and save hours each week with these business automations.
Customer Support Triager
Trigger: New Help Scout Conversation
When customer submits support ticket
Filter: Check for Urgent Keywords
"urgent", "broken", "not working"
Action: Create Trello Card
Add to "Urgent" board with customer details
Action: Send Slack Alert
Notify support team in #urgent-issues channel
Weekly Report Generator
Trigger: Every Monday 9 AM
Scheduled trigger to run weekly
Action: Pull Data from Multiple Sources
Google Analytics, Stripe, HubSpot
Action: Generate Google Slides
Create presentation with latest metrics
Action: Email to Team
Send report to management and stakeholders
Business Benefits
Time Savings
Automate repetitive tasks saving 5-10 hours weekly
Error Reduction
Eliminate manual data entry mistakes
Better Insights
Connect data sources for complete business picture
Scalability
Handle increased workload without adding staff
Getting Started Resources
Zapier Tutorials
Step-by-step guides for creating your first Zaps and advanced workflows.
View Tutorials →