Automation for clients cheat sheet (Make)

1. 1How automation worksThe ideas every automation tool is built on: triggers and actions, JSON, data mapping, HTTP, REST APIs, webhooks, authentication and rate limits.10 concepts

   1. 1TriggerThe event that starts a workflow: a form submitted, an email received, a record created or a schedule reached.
   2. 2ActionA step that does something after the trigger: create a CRM contact, send a message, add a row, call an API.
   3. 3JSONThe text format apps use to exchange data: objects in curly braces with named fields, arrays in square brackets, and values that are strings, numbers, booleans…
   4. 4Data mappingChoosing which output of an earlier step fills each input of a later step, often with a small transformation such as trimming, lowercasing or a fallback value.
   5. 5HTTP requestA call to an API with a method (GET reads, POST creates, PUT or PATCH updates, DELETE removes), a URL, headers and often a JSON body.
   6. 6REST APIAn API that exposes data as resources at URLs, such as /contacts/123, and uses HTTP methods to act on them.
   7. 7WebhookAn HTTP request an app sends to your URL when an event happens, carrying the event data as JSON.
   8. 8API keyA long secret string that identifies the caller to an API, usually sent in a header.
   9. 9OAuth 2.0A flow where the account owner approves limited permissions, called scopes, and the tool receives a token that can be refreshed or revoked without sharing a…
   10. 10Rate limitA cap on how many requests an API accepts in a time window, such as 100 per minute.

   10 in this chapterOpen this chapter
2. 2Make in depthHow Make scenarios are built and billed: modules and bundles, mapping functions, routers and filters, iterators and aggregators, data stores, connections and credits.8 concepts

   1. 1ScenarioA Make workflow: a chain of modules on a canvas, started by a trigger module, a webhook or a schedule.
   2. 2Modules and bundlesEach module outputs bundles, one per record, and the next module runs once for every bundle it receives.
   3. 3Mapping and functionsMapped values appear as pills such as 1.email (module 1, field email).
   4. 4Routers and filtersA router splits a scenario into routes; a filter on each route lets through only bundles that meet its conditions.
   5. 5Iterators and aggregatorsAn iterator splits one bundle holding an array into many bundles; an aggregator collects many bundles back into one, such as an array, a text block or a CSV.
   6. 6Data storeA small built-in table in Make with a key per record and a data structure you define, which scenarios can add to, search, update and delete from.
   7. 7Connections and the HTTP appConnections store access to apps through OAuth or keys.
   8. 8CreditsThe billing unit on Make.

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3. Shaping data and logicHandling real data: lists, merges, dates and time zones, messy text, lookups, duplicates, pagination and reusable pieces.8 conceptsOpens with credits
4. Errors, retries and monitoringFailing safely: sorting errors, retrying with backoff, never duplicating side effects, alerting, logging, testing and versioning.8 conceptsOpens with credits
5. AI steps in workflowsUsing language models where they help: choosing tasks and models, prompts for workflows, structured output, agents, human review, cost and the main risks.9 conceptsOpens with credits
6. Common client workflowsThe builds small businesses pay for repeatedly, and what makes each one reliable.9 conceptsOpens with credits
7. Data privacy and securityProtecting client businesses and their customers: least privilege, client-owned accounts, secrets, personal data, retention, webhook security and offboarding.8 conceptsOpens with credits
8. Finding clients and selling the workTurning skill into paid work: a clear offer, finding clients, discovery, scope, value pricing, retainers, handover, payment and referrals.11 conceptsOpens with credits
9. 9Glossary, A to ZEvery concept in the sheet and the smaller terms it uses, in one list.139 terms

Workflows with n8n, Make or Zapier.