Key points

• No code automation = having a process done automatically for you, without knowing how to code

• This is fantastic as it means you can set repetitive tasks to run in the background, and minimise data entry and app switching — maximizing your efficiency

• Cortney gave an overview of how to use Zapier to automate pushing data between different work tools you’re using — as well as to create your own custom chatbot and create forms for RSVPS (and similar) using its Interfaces product.

• She shared some specific ways to use Zapier that are most valuable for EAs:

  • Calendar: cross post calendar items between different calendars

  • Calendar: send a digest of all meetings for the next day including time, person, and any resources included

  • Meeting: auto upload meeting recordings to Drive — and you can take this one step further by sending curated Slack messages to all attendees with the recording, key notes or actions

  • Meeting prep notes: Compile and send meeting briefing with a specific calendar invite. For example, for Zapier’s weekly exec meeting, Cortney uses a specific notes template for the meeting and is now able to automate the creation of this doc each week from a template, and automate sending this around to all attendees via Slack for people to fill in their parts of it

  • Organize virtual files

  • Cortney’s favorite Zap: never miss a message! Anytime she saves a Slack messages (any task that’s more than 2 min job) - her Zap summarises it, and adds it as a task in her Todoist

  • Custom chatbots, like one trained on her boss’ writing style that drafts Slack messages and emails on his behalf

  • Corporate Jargon Translator to define acronyms that might trip you up at work

  • Talent Impact Review bot is one that was built internally for Zapier’s performance reviews, trained on values, goals, etc and guides people through writing their assessment

  • Travel Retreat Q&A bot - for people to ask their Qs about an upcoming offsite to manage noise