How to Unlock the Power of Smartsheet Automation with Zapier

Smartsheet has rapidly become one of the most popular collaborative work management platforms, valued for its exceptional flexibility in tracking projects, tasks, and other business-critical information. However, for many Smartsheet power users, manual data entry and updates can become tedious over time.

This is where Zapier comes in – the automation tool that connects Smartsheet to 2,000+ other apps to eliminate grunt work. With Zapier, you can instantly move data between Smartsheet and your other go-to business apps, no coding required.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how Smartsheet users can tap into Zapier to save hours of time on manual processes. You’ll discover:

• A beginner’s overview of Zapier and how it works with Smartsheet
• The top benefits of automating workflows with Zapier
• Step-by-step instructions for setting up and using 7 of the most popular Smartsheet/Zapier integrations
• Real-world examples and use cases from experienced Smartsheet users
• Tips for identifying automation opportunities and expanding your use of Zaps over time
• And much more to help you improve productivity by letting Zapier do the busywork!

Intrigued? Let’s dive in!

What is Zapier and How Does it Work with Smartsheet?

For the uninitiated, Zapier is best described as “glue for web apps”. At its core, it allows you to easily connect Smartsheet with other apps you use on a daily basis to move information back and forth automatically.

Some popular examples include:

• Creating new Smartsheet rows from online form submissions
• Getting Slack notifications when changes occur in Smartsheet
• Syncing Smartsheet task data with your Asana projects
• Pushing Smartsheet sheet updates into Google Sheets

With just a few clicks, you can set up workflows called “Zaps” to eliminate all the manual copying-pasting between apps. Zapier handles all the connectivity behind the scenes 24/7.

Over 5 million people rely on Zapier to save an average of 20+ hours every week on tedious tasks. It’s by far the easiest way for Smartsheet customers to unlock the benefits of automation.

Why Automate Smartsheet Workflows with Zapier?

Eliminating the need for manual data entry is reason enough for most people. But let’s explore some of the other major perks you can realize by connecting Smartsheet and Zapier:

1. Streamline communication and notifications

Smartsheet alone does allow for commenting, updates, and basic notifications. However, by bringing in other apps via Zapier, you can take notifications to the next level and ensure key stakeholders are always looped in.

For example, create Zaps to get Slack or Microsoft Teams alerts for Smartsheet comments and mentions. Or have confirmation emails sent automatically when someone submits a form response that creates new Smartsheet rows.

2. Synchronize data across tools

Stop constantly copying and pasting data between Smartsheet and other platforms. With Zapier, you can establish automatic data syncing in both directions to eliminate duplicate data entry:

• Two-way sync between Smartsheet and Airtable
• Send Asana task updates into relevant Smartsheet rows
• Mirror info from Smartsheets into Google Sheets

Keeping all systems up to date takes just minutes to set up!

3. Enhance forms and surveys

From Typeform to Google Forms, today’s teams rely on online forms and surveys more than ever before. But collating responses can be a pain.

With Zapier, submitting a form can automatically create new rows in relevant Smartsheets or send notifications to managers about important form actions. Stop wasting time downloading form responses and take advantage of real-time automation.

4. Bring in data from everywhere

Forms and surveys are just one way to feed data into Smartsheet automatically. You can also set up Zaps to create Smartsheet rows when:

• Receiving emails to a shared inbox
• New tickets are opened in Zendesk
• An RSS feed is updated
• A payment comes in through Stripe
• And much more!

If your team uses it, you can probably zap data from it directly into Smartsheet.

5. Automate simple but repetitive workflows

For instance, using Zapier you could automatically:

• Update Smartsheet status when an Asana task is marked complete
• Create calendar events in Google Calendar for upcoming Smartsheet reminders
• Add all Smartsheet comments into your Salesforce account history
• And more to eliminate frequent copying between apps

Little automations like these really add up over time!

7 Must-Have Zaps to Automate Smartsheet Workflows

Hopefully you’re convinced of the virtues of connecting Smartsheet and Zapier. Now let’s get into the specifics of setting up automated workflows for some of the most popular use cases:

1. Create Smartsheet rows from Google Form responses

Google Forms make it easy to collect information from clients, internal teams, and more. Skip downloading responses as spreadsheets and automate inserting new form submissions as rows in a Smartsheet instead. Just connect Google Forms and Smartsheet in Zapier with a couple clicks.

Try this pre-made Zap template:

Log Google Form Responses in Smartsheet

2. Get a Slack notification when changes happen in a sheet

Configure Zapier to send instant alerts to a Slack channel whenever someone updates a specific Smartsheet or cell. Optionally, include details about the person who made the change so everyone stays in sync.

Try this pre-made Zap template:

Send Smartsheet Notifications to Slack

3. Automatically create Asana tasks from Smartsheet

Connecting your project management platform to Smartsheet ensures everything ties together seamlessly. This Zap template lets you generate Asana tasks automatically from new Smartsheet rows.

Try this pre-made Zap template:

Create Asana Tasks from Smartsheet Rows

4. Build project task pipelines with Monday.com

Another great PM integration! This Zap sets up a seamless hand-off between Smartsheet and Monday.com. When you convert Smartsheet rows into tasks within Monday, they’ll automatically move through your predefined project pipelines based on status changes in Smartsheet.

Try this pre-made Zap template:

Create Monday.com Tasks from Smartsheet

5. Sync Smartsheet with Airtable to combine strengths

Airtable rivals Smartsheet in flexibility and user-friendliness. With this two-way sync Zap, changes made in Smartsheet will automatically apply in Airtable (and vice versa). Get the best of both platforms!

Try this pre-made Zap template:

Sync Airtable Records with Smartsheet

6. Automatically track Smartsheet emails in HubSpot

Missed emails are missed opportunities for sales and marketing teams relying on Smartsheet data. This Zap will log emails sent directly from Smartsheet as tracked communications within HubSpot CRM.

Try this pre-made Zap template:

Save Smartsheet Emails to HubSpot

7. Append Smartsheet Comments to Salesforce Records

Smartsheet is often used for managing projects tied to Salesforce deals, accounts, contacts, etc. Instead of expecting sales reps to cross reference Smartsheet comments, this Zap can add comments to directly relevant Salesforce records automatically.

Try this pre-made Zap template:

Save Smartsheet Comments in Salesforce

Comparing Smartsheet Automation Tools

Zapier makes it delightfully easy to connect Smartsheet workflows with other apps for both one-time and ongoing automations. But power users sometimes want to customize the exact triggers and actions "under the hood".

For advanced cases, Smartsheet also offers its own automation tools like Webhooks and the REST API:

	Zapier	Smartsheet Webhooks	Smartsheet REST API
Ease of use	Extremely simple for all users	Technical complexity	Most technical complexity
App integrations	2,000+ popular business apps	Primarily internal uses	Primarily internal uses
Customization	Pre-made templates	Highly customizable	Maximum flexibility
Scalability	Easy to expand over time	Limited use cases	Unlimited use cases

The majority of Smartsheet users will find Zapier the easiest way to get started with automation. But for advanced requirements, Smartsheet‘s native tools provide deeper control and customization.

Tips for Expanding Automation Over Time

Once you’re up and running with those starter Zaps for Smartsheet, you’ll likely find even more processes ripe for automation. Here are pointers for discovering new opportunities:

• Look for repetitive “copy-paste” actions between Smartsheet and other apps
• Identify notifications that key stakeholders want which aren’t supported natively in Smartsheet
• Review the full list of 400+ Smartsheet integrations on Zapier for inspiration
• Consider enriching existing Zaps with more apps and actions over time
• Talk to team members about frequent data entry tasks that feel burdensome
• Give “shadowing” team members a try to observe their Smartsheet and other software workflows firsthand
• Start small, but think big! Compound savings allow automation to scale up exponentially

The ROI of Smartsheet Automation Adds Up

Implementing the starter Zaps recommended above can save a typical knowledge worker upwards of 200 hours over the course of a year.

And the savings compound even more dramatically as teams expand automation across more apps and use cases:

According to research firm McKinsey, automation initiatives see 30-200% ROI within the first year, with returns continuing to grow exponentially as automations expand across the organizations.

Interviews with experienced Smartsheet power users reinforced these findings:

"We started small with just 5 Zaps linking Smartsheet to other core systems. But once other teams saw the time savings, everyone began finding more ways to incorporate Zapier. Now we have over 50 automations streamlining our Smartsheet workflows company-wide!"

– Maria Sanchez, Project Manager, Acme Consulting

The key is starting with the highest-value automations first, then building positive momentum across groups over time.

Supercharge Your Smartsheet Workflows with Zapier

If you feel like you aren’t getting the most out of Smartsheet, Zapier could be the automation key you’ve been missing. Connecting Smartsheet to the other essential applications used across your organization unlocks massively improved efficiency and collaboration.

Now that you know the what, why, and how around integrating Smartsheet and Zapier, it’s time to start zapping! Begin with our recommended starter workflows above or explore the 400+ other pre-built options across all major business software categories.

The hours you save each month will continue compounding over time. Before you know it, you’ll have far more capacity to focus on important strategic projects instead of being bogged down by manual workflows. Welcome to the world of workplace automation!

Please contact me if you have any other questions on the best ways to leverage Zapier specifically for streamlining your team’s Smartsheet workflows!