How to Set Up Your First Zap in Zapier (Step‑by‑Step)

Imagine connecting Gmail, Slack, and Google Sheets, and other apps in your tech stack automatically!

That’s exactly what Zapier helps you do. No coding, no complex setup, just simple automation between the tools you already use every day.

In this step-by-step guide, I’ll show you how to use Zapier and create your first Zap in under 10 minutes. Whether you’re a small business owner, a virtual assistant, or someone trying to make work less repetitive, this tutorial is made just for you.

Zapier acts like the middleman between your apps. It listens for a trigger (like a new form submission or an email) and then tells another app what to do (like adding a row to a spreadsheet or sending a notification in Slack). And the best part? You don’t need to be technical. If you can click, you can Zap.

Why Should You Use Zapier?

Here are three quick reasons you shouldn’t sleep on it:

• Save time on manual tasks: Stop copying and pasting info between tools. Zapier automates data entry, email sending, and more.
  
• Reduce human error: Humans are prone to error, but when you automate your tasks or workflows, they are done accurately every single time.
  
• Work smarter, not harder: Focus your energy on strategic tasks while Zapier keeps the day-to-day flowing in the background.
  

With over 8,000+ app integrations, Zapier is built for businesses of all sizes. And in the next few sections, you’ll learn how to build your first Zap from scratch even if you’ve never used an automation tool before.

Let’s dive in!

What Is Zapier?

Zapier is a cloud‑based automation tool. It connects two or more apps so they work together without you lifting a finger. Think of it as a digital assistant. You tell it exactly what to watch for and what to do next. Then it runs that workflow on its own.

Trigger → Actions = Zap

• Trigger
  A trigger is the event that starts your automation.
  
  • Example: “A new email arrives in Gmail.”
    
  • Example: “A new row appears in Google Sheets.”
    
• Action
  An action is the task Zapier performs after the trigger fires.
  
  • Example: “Post a message to Slack.”
    
  • Example: “Create a new contact in your CRM.”
    
• Zap
  A Zap is the complete workflow. It ties one trigger to one or more actions.
  
  • Simple Zap: Trigger → Single Action.
    
  • Multi‑step Zap: Trigger → Filter → Multiple Actions.

How to Set Up Your First Zap (Google Forms → Monday.com)

Let’s walk through an example. You have a Google Form on your website. When someone fills it out, you want a new lead automatically created in Monday.com. Instead of manually copying responses into Monday.com, Zapier will do the work for you.

Here’s exactly how to build that Zap from start to finish.

Step 1: Sign Up & Log In

Go to zapier.com and sign up for a free account. You only need an email address. Once you log in, you’ll land on your dashboard. You don’t need to explore much. Just look for the “Create Zap” button in the top-left corner.

Step 2: Click “Create Zap.”

Click the “Create Zap” button. Think of a Zap like a rule:

“When this happens in Google Forms, do that in Monday.com.”

The Zap will have two main parts:

• Trigger: A new form response is submitted in Google Forms.
  
• Action: A new item is created in a Monday.com board (your lead list). 

Important: Before setting up your Zap, go fill out your Google Form once with test information. This step is very important because Zapier will use that response to test and pull in sample data. Just open your form, type in some test info like:

• Name: Test User
  
• Email: test@email.com
  
• Phone: 1234567890
  
• Address: Ohio, USA
  

Then submit the form.

Once that’s done, come back to Zapier and continue setting up your trigger. Zapier will now find that test entry and use it to help you map fields later on.

Step 3: Choose Google Forms as the Trigger App

1. In the “Trigger” step, search for Google Forms and click it.
   
2. Under “Trigger Event,” select “New Form Response.”
   
3. Now, connect your Google account.
   
   • A pop-up will appear asking you to sign in and give Zapier permission.
     
   • Choose the account that owns the form and click continue.
     
4. Next, configure the form. Zapier will ask you to select the form you want to use.
   
   • Pick your form from the dropdown.
   • Click continue
     
5. Click “Test trigger.”
   
   • Zapier will look for the most recent form submission.
     
   • If it finds one, it’ll display the answers so you can preview the data. Click on “Form Response” to be sure the answers from the Google form are displayed.
     

💡 Tip: If no responses exist yet, select “Find New Records”. Once the trigger is set, “Continue with selected record”

Watch Video ⏩

(Note: You’ll notice a short pause during the sign-in step. Loom hides sign-in screens for security, so you won’t see my login window—but it’s there! Just follow the prompt to sign in with your Google account, then return to continue setup.)

Step 5: Choose Monday.com as the Action App

Now it’s time to tell Zapier what to do with that form data.

1. In the “Action” step, search for Monday.com and select it.
   
2. For “Action Event,” choose “Create Item.”
   
3. Connect your Monday.com account by clicking “Sign in.”
   
   • It’ll ask for your API key or to authorize access.
   • Go to Monday.com, click on your profile picture, select Developers from the menu, click on API token, and copy the key.
     
4. Once connected, configure the following:
   
   • Board: Choose the board where you want to create the new lead.
     
   • Group: Choose the group inside the board (e.g., “New Leads”).
     
   • Item Name: Choose a title for the lead. Map this from a form field.
     
   • Column Values: Map the rest of the fields from the form to your Monday.com columns.
     For example:
     
     • Email → Email column
       
     • Phone → Phone column
       
     • Address → Address
       

Zapier will show all your Monday.com fields so you can match each one with a form response.

Click Continue when done.

Step 6: Test the Action

Now Zapier wants to run a test to make sure the action works.

Click “Test & Continue.”

What happens now:

• Zapier will send the sample form data to Monday.com.
  
• Check your Monday board; there should be a new item (lead) created with the data you mapped.
  

If the test is successful, you’ll see a green checkmark. If something fails, Zapier will show the error so you can fix it. Click the publish button if the test is successful. Your Zap is now active.

Watch Video ⏩

(Heads-up: There’s a brief pause while I connect my Monday.com account. Loom doesn’t show login screens for privacy reasons. Just get your API token from Monday using the steps I mentioned earlier when prompted, and once connected, you’ll see your Monday boards appear.)

Step 7: Name Your Zap

1. Give your Zap a name like “Google Form to Monday Lead” so it’s easy to recognize later.
   

To turn the Zap off or on, use the toggle switch on your Zaps dashboard.

Conclusion

That’s it! You’ve just learned how to use Zapier to create your very first automation!

Now that you’ve seen how easy it is to connect tools like Google Forms and Monday.com, imagine what else you can automate. From sending emails to updating spreadsheets to using AI to reply to inquiries, Zapier makes it all possible without writing a single line of code.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Try building different Zaps with the tools you already use. Start small, test often, and build up your automation skills one workflow at a time.

Need help setting up more advanced workflows or want someone to automate your business processes from start to finish?

Hire me! Let’s make your work run on autopilot!