{
 "schema": "aiblocks-page/1",
 "id": "automation-flow-sketcher",
 "type": "prompt",
 "name": "Automation flow sketcher",
 "summary": "Turn a task you repeat into an automation plan for Zapier or Make. You get each step, filters, and what happens when it fails.",
 "headline": "Automation flow sketcher",
 "subhead": "Paste a task you repeat by hand and the apps involved. It names the trigger, lays out each step with the data it needs, adds filters and failure handling, and recommends Zapier or Make for your size of task.",
 "job": {
  "id": "connect-tools",
  "name": "Connect AI to your tools"
 },
 "level": "beginner",
 "thinking": "low",
 "tested": true,
 "updated": "2026-11-03",
 "first_published": "2026-10-21",
 "inputs": [
  {
   "type": "question",
   "required": true,
   "label": "Question",
   "what": "the problem, decision or piece of work you want help with, and what a good outcome looks like"
  }
 ],
 "outputs": [
  {
   "type": "plan",
   "required": true,
   "label": "Plan",
   "what": "a dated plan: what to do, in what order, with a decision rule for each step"
  },
  {
   "type": "automation_workflow",
   "required": true,
   "label": "Automation workflow",
   "what": "an automation built or designed in a tool such as n8n, Zapier or Make: its trigger, steps, error paths and settings"
  }
 ],
 "you_give": [
  "The task, step by step as you do it now",
  "The apps involved",
  "How often and how many",
  "What must never happen (optional)",
  "Your Zapier or Make plan, since features depend on it (advised)"
 ],
 "you_get": [
  "The trigger and each step with its data",
  "Filters that stop bad runs",
  "What happens on failure, step by step",
  "A tool pick with a reason"
 ],
 "use_when": [
  "You copy the same data between apps every day.",
  "An automation you built keeps failing silently.",
  "You are choosing between Zapier and Make."
 ],
 "skip_when": [
  "You need custom code or a very high volume pipeline: ask a developer, or use plain code instead.",
  "You only move data once: copy it by hand, or use an export and import in the app.",
  "You only want two apps kept in sync: use the sync option built into one of the apps, or use the Zapier and Make automation planner for the full version."
 ],
 "output_sample": {
  "input": [
   "The task, step by step as you do it now",
   "The apps involved",
   "How often and how many",
   "What must never happen (optional)"
  ],
  "output": [
   {
    "name": "TRIGGER",
    "contains": "The event that starts the automation and the app it comes from."
   },
   {
    "name": "STEPS",
    "contains": "Each step as app, action and the data it needs from the step before."
   },
   {
    "name": "FILTERS",
    "contains": "The conditions where the automation stops quietly, such as an empty field or a test order."
   },
   {
    "name": "IF IT FAILS",
    "contains": "For each step, what you will see and what happens, such as an alert, a retry or a log row."
   },
   {
    "name": "AVOIDING DUPLICATES",
    "contains": "How to stop the same thing running twice."
   },
   {
    "name": "TOOL PICK",
    "contains": "Zapier or Make for your size of task, with one reason."
   },
   {
    "name": "MISSING",
    "contains": "Any facts the plan needs that you did not give."
   }
  ]
 },
 "output_shape": "TRIGGER\n<event> in <app>\n\nSTEPS\n1. <app>: <action> using <data from earlier>\n\nFILTERS\n- Stop if <condition>\n\nIF IT FAILS\n- Step <n>: <what you will see and what happens>\n\nAVOIDING DUPLICATES\n<how>\n\nTOOL PICK\n<Zapier | Make> because <reason>\n\nMISSING\n<gaps>",
 "how_to_use": [
  "Copy the prompt, then paste it into your AI chat (Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini).",
  "Under it, paste your details, one item for each line in What you need.",
  "Send it and read the reply against the checks at the end of the prompt.",
  "Answer anything marked MISSING and send it again, or ask for one part to be redone.",
  "Next: build it with three test rows first, then run your test checks before you go live. Zapier and Make are paid tools with free tiers, so check each feature against your plan."
 ],
 "checks": [
  "Each step names its app and action.",
  "You can see what happens on failure.",
  "Duplicate runs are handled.",
  "The tool pick fits your volume."
 ],
 "next": [
  {
   "name": "n8n sub-workflow builder",
   "url": "https://useaiblocks.com/skills/n8n-sub-workflow-builder",
   "why": "n8n sub-workflow builder"
  },
  {
   "name": "n8n failure handler",
   "url": "https://useaiblocks.com/skills/n8n-failure-handler",
   "why": "n8n failure handler"
  },
  {
   "name": "n8n workflow designer",
   "url": "https://useaiblocks.com/skills/n8n-workflow-designer",
   "why": "n8n workflow designer"
  }
 ],
 "source": null,
 "credits": [
  {
   "title": "zapier-make-patterns skill",
   "by": "sickn33",
   "url": "https://github.com/sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills/tree/main/skills/zapier-make-patterns",
   "used": "Trigger, action and filter patterns for Zapier and Make, with error handling, adapted under the CC BY-4.0 licence"
  }
 ],
 "files": [],
 "links": {
  "page": "https://useaiblocks.com/prompts/automation-flow-sketcher",
  "markdown": "https://useaiblocks.com/prompts/automation-flow-sketcher.md",
  "json": "https://useaiblocks.com/prompts/automation-flow-sketcher.json",
  "instructions": "https://useaiblocks.com/skills/automation-flow-sketcher/SKILL.md",
  "api_item": "https://useaiblocks.com/api/v1/items/automation-flow-sketcher",
  "api_document": "https://useaiblocks.com/api/v1/documents/prompt/automation-flow-sketcher",
  "mcp": "https://useaiblocks.com/mcp"
 }
}