Make.com Tutorial: Create Your First Scenario

Make.com (formerly Integromat) is one of the most powerful visual automation platforms available today. Unlike simpler tools, Make gives you granular control over your workflows with its intuitive drag-and-drop interface. In this tutorial, you'll build your first automation scenario from scratch.

What is Make.com?

Make.com is a visual automation platform that connects your favorite apps and services. Think of it as a visual programming language where you create "scenarios" (workflows) by connecting modules (actions) together.

Key Features:

• Visual Builder: See your entire workflow at a glance
• 1,500+ App Integrations: Connect virtually any service
• Advanced Logic: Routers, filters, aggregators, and iterators
• Error Handling: Built-in retry logic and error handling
• Data Transformation: Powerful data manipulation tools
• Generous Free Tier: 1,000 operations/month free

Make.com vs Other Tools

If you're familiar with Zapier, Make offers more flexibility and better pricing. Compared to n8n, Make is easier to use but less customizable (n8n is open-source and self-hosted).

Prerequisites

Before we start, you'll need:

• A free Make.com account (sign up here)
• A Google account (for Google Sheets integration)
• A Slack workspace (or any other notification channel)

Our First Scenario: Lead Capture Automation

We're going to build a practical automation that:

1. Watches for new responses in a Google Form
2. Adds the response to a Google Sheet
3. Sends a notification to Slack
4. Sends a welcome email to the respondent

This is perfect for capturing leads, event registrations, or feedback forms.

Step 1: Create a New Scenario

1. Log into your Make.com dashboard
2. Click the "Create a new scenario" button
3. You'll see a blank canvas with a "+" button

The canvas is where you'll build your workflow. Each circle represents a "module" (a step in your automation).

Step 2: Set Up the Trigger (Google Forms)

Click the "+" button to add your first module:

1. Search for "Google Sheets" (Google Forms responses go to Sheets)
2. Select "Watch Rows"
3. Click "Create a connection" to connect your Google account
4. Authorize Make to access your Google Sheets

Configure the trigger:

• Spreadsheet: Select your form responses spreadsheet
• Sheet: Usually "Form Responses 1"
• Table contains headers: Yes
• Row with headers: 1
• Limit: 1 (process one row at a time)

Click "OK" to save.

Understanding Triggers

The "Watch Rows" trigger checks your spreadsheet every few minutes for new rows. Make will only process rows added since the last check, preventing duplicate processing.

Step 3: Test Your Trigger

Before moving forward, let's test the trigger:

1. Submit a test response to your Google Form
2. In Make, click "Run once" at the bottom
3. The module will execute and show you the data it captured

You should see a bubble with a "1" on your module, indicating it found one new row. Click the bubble to inspect the data structure.

Pro Tip: Understanding data structure is crucial. Make shows you exactly what data each module outputs, which you'll use in subsequent steps.

Step 4: Add Data to Another Sheet (Optional)

Let's add the response to a separate "Leads" sheet for better organization:

1. Click the "+" after your first module
2. Search for "Google Sheets"
3. Select "Add a Row"
4. Use your existing connection
5. Configure:
   • Spreadsheet: Your workbook
   • Sheet: "Leads" (or create a new sheet)

Now map the data fields. Click each field and select the corresponding data from the trigger module:

Name: 1. Name (from trigger data)
Email: 2. Email (from trigger data)
Message: 3. Message (from trigger data)
Timestamp: Timestamp (from trigger data)

The numbers refer to your Google Form question order. Make automatically names fields based on your form structure.

Step 5: Send Slack Notification

Let's notify your team when a new lead comes in:

1. Add a new module after Google Sheets
2. Search for "Slack"
3. Select "Create a Message"
4. Create a connection to your Slack workspace
5. Configure:
   • Channel: #leads (or your preferred channel)
   • Text: Compose your message

Here's a dynamic message using data from previous steps:

New lead received! 🎉

Name: {{1.Name}}
Email: {{1.Email}}
Message: {{1.Message}}

Submitted at: {{1.Timestamp}}

The {{1.Name}} syntax pulls data from module 1 (your trigger). Make's interface lets you click to insert these variables.

Step 6: Send Welcome Email

Finally, let's send an automated welcome email to the respondent:

1. Add a new module
2. Search for "Email"
3. Select "Send an Email"
4. Create an email connection (Gmail, Office 365, or SMTP)
5. Configure:

To: {{1.Email}}
Subject: Thanks for reaching out!
Content:
Hi {{1.Name}},

Thank you for contacting us! We received your message:

"{{1.Message}}"

Our team will review your inquiry and get back to you within 24 hours.

Best regards,
The Team

HTML Template Option: For professional emails, switch to HTML mode and use this template:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <style>
      body {
        font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
        line-height: 1.6;
      }
      .container {
        max-width: 600px;
        margin: 0 auto;
        padding: 20px;
      }
      .header {
        background: #4a90e2;
        color: white;
        padding: 20px;
        text-align: center;
      }
      .content {
        padding: 20px;
        background: #f9f9f9;
      }
      .footer {
        text-align: center;
        padding: 20px;
        font-size: 12px;
        color: #666;
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <div class="container">
      <div class="header">
        <h1>Thank You!</h1>
      </div>
      <div class="content">
        <p>Hi {{1.Name}},</p>
        <p>Thank you for reaching out! We received your message:</p>
        <blockquote style="border-left: 3px solid #4A90E2; padding-left: 15px; color: #555;">
          {{1.Message}}
        </blockquote>
        <p>Our team will review your inquiry and get back to you within 24 hours.</p>
      </div>
      <div class="footer">
        <p>Best regards,<br />The Team</p>
      </div>
    </div>
  </body>
</html>

Step 7: Add Error Handling

Professional automations need error handling. Let's add a safety net:

1. Right-click on the Email module
2. Select "Add error handler"
3. Choose "Ignore" or "Rollback" based on your needs

For our scenario, choose "Ignore" – if the email fails, we still want the lead saved and Slack notified.

You can also add a Slack notification for errors:

1. In the error handler path, add a Slack module
2. Send an error message to a monitoring channel

Step 8: Add Filters (Advanced)

Filters let you create conditional logic. For example, only send Slack notifications for high-priority leads:

1. Click the wrench icon between Google Sheets and Slack
2. Select "Set up a filter"
3. Configure: Message contains "urgent"

Now Slack only gets notified for urgent messages!

Step 9: Test Your Complete Scenario

Time to test the entire workflow:

1. Click "Run once" at the bottom
2. Submit a new test response to your Google Form
3. Watch each module execute in sequence
4. Check:
   • New row in your Leads sheet
   • Message in your Slack channel
   • Email in your inbox

Each module should show a green checkmark if successful.

Step 10: Activate Your Scenario

Once testing is complete:

1. Click the toggle switch at the bottom-left
2. Set scheduling: Real-time or every X minutes
3. Name your scenario: "Lead Capture Automation"
4. Click "OK"

Your scenario is now live! It will run automatically based on your schedule.

Understanding Make's Interface

Key Components:

Modules: Individual steps in your workflow (circles on the canvas)

Routes: Paths your data can take (lines connecting modules)

Routers: Split your workflow into multiple paths based on conditions

Aggregators: Combine multiple items into one (opposite of iterator)

Iterators: Process array items one by one

Data Flow

Make processes data left to right. Each module:

1. Receives data from the previous module
2. Processes it
3. Outputs data to the next module

You can always inspect data by clicking the numbered bubbles on each module.

Advanced Patterns

Router Pattern

Use routers to create multiple paths:

Trigger → Router → Path 1: High Priority (Urgent leads)
                 → Path 2: Normal Priority (Regular leads)
                 → Path 3: Low Priority (Newsletter signups)

Aggregator Pattern

Combine multiple items into one message:

Trigger → Iterator → Process each item
       → Aggregator → Send one summary email

Error Recovery Pattern

Main flow → If error occurs → Send admin alert
                           → Log to spreadsheet
                           → Rollback or continue

Common Use Cases

Now that you know the basics, here are scenarios you can build:

1. Social Media Automation: Post to Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook simultaneously
2. CRM Sync: Keep Airtable, HubSpot, and Google Sheets in sync
3. Invoice Processing: Extract data from emails and create invoices
4. Content Distribution: Publish blog posts to multiple platforms
5. Data Enrichment: Enhance leads with data from Clearbit or Hunter.io

Make.com Pricing

• Free: 1,000 operations/month
• Core: $9/month for 10,000 operations
• Pro: $16/month for 10,000 operations + advanced features
• Teams: $29/month for 10,000 operations + team collaboration

Operations = each module execution counts as one operation.

Make.com vs Alternatives

Make.com vs Zapier

• Make: More affordable, visual builder, advanced logic
• Zapier: Larger app library, simpler for beginners

Make.com vs n8n

• Make: Hosted solution, no setup required
• n8n: Self-hosted, unlimited operations, open-source

Make.com vs Power Automate

• Make: Better UI, more third-party apps
• Power Automate: Better for Microsoft ecosystem

Tips for Success

1. Start Simple: Build basic scenarios before adding complexity
2. Test Each Step: Run modules individually to debug issues
3. Use Filters Wisely: Don't process unnecessary data
4. Monitor Operations: Keep an eye on your monthly usage
5. Document Your Scenarios: Add notes explaining complex logic
6. Version Control: Clone scenarios before making major changes

Troubleshooting Common Issues

"No data found" Error

• Check your trigger configuration
• Ensure test data exists
• Verify API permissions

"Rate Limit Exceeded"

• Add a "Sleep" module between API calls
• Reduce scenario frequency
• Batch operations when possible

"Connection Expired"

• Reconnect your app integrations
• Check API key validity
• Verify app permissions

Next Steps

You've mastered the basics! Here's what to learn next:

1. Webhooks: Trigger scenarios instantly with webhooks
2. HTTP Modules: Connect to any API
3. Data Stores: Create temporary databases in Make
4. Functions: Transform data with built-in JavaScript
5. Scheduling: Advanced scheduling with multiple triggers

Connect Make with Your Stack

Make.com works great with modern backend tools like Supabase, Retool, and Bubble. Create powerful workflows that connect your entire tech stack.

Join the House of Loops Community

Want to master automation and build professional workflows? Join House of Loops to get:

• 200+ pre-built Make.com scenario templates
• $100K+ in startup credits (including Make credits)
• Weekly automation workshops
• Community of 1,000+ automation experts
• Access to exclusive Make.com blueprints

Join House of Loops Today →

Make.com opens up endless possibilities for automation. Start small, experiment often, and before you know it, you'll be automating hours of manual work. Happy automating!