5 steps to create a simple automation flow in Zoho Flow

1. Generate ideas

Generating ideas is the crucial first step in building a flow on Zoho Flow. It helps you clearly define the automation objectives and what needs to be achieved, preventing unnecessary time spent on irrelevant configurations.

Moreover, having a clear idea ensures that you build a smooth-running flow while avoiding unnecessary errors.

In this example, I’ll demonstrate a simple idea for better understanding: creating a flow that connects Google Calendar and Google Sheets. Any updates or changes in Google Calendar will automatically be logged in Google Sheets for easy tracking and management.

In the following content, let’s implement the idea through specific activities!

2. Create a flow

Log in to your Zoho Flow account. In the middle of the interface, you’ll find a “Create Flow” button. Click this button to start creating your first flow.

Zoho Flow will then prompt you to fill in some details:

• Flow name: Give your flow a clear and purpose-related name for easy identification. For example, "Automatically update Google Calendar data to Google Sheets" or "Sync data between Google Calendar and Google Sheets."
• Choose folder: Select the folder to save your flow in Zoho Flow’s system. If you already have folders, choose an appropriate one for better management. Otherwise, you can leave it as default or create a new one.
• Description: Provide a brief description of the flow's purpose and function. This helps you or team members understand its purpose without delving into details. For example, "This flow automatically syncs updates from Google Calendar and logs them into Google Sheets."

For this demonstration, I’ll use “BENOCODE Sample” for both flow name and description. Once all information is filled in, click “Create” to proceed.

A guide screen will then appear, explaining how to create a basic flow (to assist beginners). In this case, you can click “Skip” to continue.

3. Add a trigger

A trigger in Zoho Flow is an initial event that activates a flow, automating the process when specific conditions are met. It serves as the first step in a flow, and all subsequent actions will execute based on this event.

In this example, I’ll connect Zoho Flow to Google Calendar and use it as the trigger → select the app to continue.

In the next screen, choose Google Calendar → click “Next.”

Then, select “Event created or updated” (Polling) and click “Next.”

Zoho Flow will prompt you to connect to your Google Calendar account. If you’ve already connected or once the connection is complete, you can skip this step.

Under the calendar section, select your account, and leave other parameters as default → click “Done” to proceed.

4. Create an action

With the trigger in place, the next step is to connect it to another app, specifically Google Sheets, and add an action to the flow.

In the left-hand menu, find and select Google Sheets → choose Create Row, then drag and drop it into the design area in the center.

Similarly, Zoho Flow will prompt you to connect to your Google Sheets account. If already connected or once done, you can skip this step.

Next, set the parameters for Google Sheets. Focus on the “Spreadsheet” field and select the specific sheet you want to log data into. After that, click “Done” to proceed.

5. Test the flow

At this stage, a basic flow in Zoho Flow is created. The final step is to test the flow to ensure no errors occur.

To test the flow, click the green triangle button at the top right corner.

In this example, everything runs smoothly without errors because the flow is relatively simple.

Conclusion

As you can see, creating an automation flow in Zoho Flow is straightforward and user-friendly, even for beginners. By following the instructions and carefully reviewing each parameter, you can effectively create a functional flow.

If any errors occur, Zoho Flow provides detailed notifications to help you identify and resolve them easily. This ensures you can quickly finalize the flow and deploy it in real-world applications.