4
The adviser technology landscape is quickly evolving as more and more innovative applications come onto the market. A typical financial planner may be running a CRM, accounting software, video conferencing, cloud storage, appointment schedulers, digital signatures and much more. They allow practices to scale their business, maximise efficiency and improve the bottom line. With technology spending on the upswing, practices are also discovering a lack of integration between these technologies. One solution is using automation software, such as Zapier or Power Automate, to fill the gaps. You’ve likely heard of an API; it stands for application programming interface. Both Power Automate and Zapier utilise APIs as they allow two applications to communicate with one another to access data. The aim of Zapier and Power Automate is to: 1. Increase business efficiency; saving time, costs and reducing errors 2. Help gather more clients to grow your business 3. Improve client engagement and service levels 4. Allow you to spend more time in front of clients It does this by connecting your applications so they can work together. They automate tasks in the background, so you can focus on more important work. Zapier is one such tool that connects your favourite apps, such as Outlook, Google Drive, Zoom, Calendly, DocuSign, Mailchimp, and more. You can connect apps How to save time and money automating repetitive tasks Company: Zapier Inc. Product: Zapier Link: https://zapier.com/ Continued overleaf NO YES NO NO YES YES

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Page 1: How to save time and money automating repetitive tasks · Zapier is one such tool that connects your favourite apps, such as Outlook, Google Drive, Zoom, Calendly, DocuSign, Mailchimp,

The adviser technology landscape is quickly evolving

as more and more innovative applications come onto

the market. A typical �nancial planner may be running

a CRM, accounting software, video conferencing,

cloud storage, appointment schedulers, digital

signatures and much more. They allow practices to

scale their business, maximise ef�ciency and improve

the bottom line.

With technology spending on the upswing, practices

are also discovering a lack of integration between

these technologies. One solution is using automation

software, such as Zapier or Power Automate, to �ll

the gaps.

You’ve likely heard of an API; it stands for application

programming interface. Both Power Automate and

Zapier utilise APIs as they allow two applications to

communicate with one another to access data.

The aim of Zapier and Power Automate is to:

1. Increase business ef�ciency; saving time, costs

and reducing errors

2. Help gather more clients to grow your business

3. Improve client engagement and service levels

4. Allow you to spend more time in front of clients

It does this by connecting your applications so they

can work together. They automate tasks in the

background, so you can focus on more important work.

Zapier is one such tool that connects your favourite

apps, such as Outlook, Google Drive, Zoom, Calendly,

DocuSign, Mailchimp, and more. You can connect apps

to automate repetitive tasks and you don’t need a

technical background to use it.

Zapier allows you to connect your apps and automate

repetitive tasks by creating work�ows called Zaps. For

example, when a prospect makes a booking using an

appointment scheduler, a Zap automatically creates a

new contact in your CRM while also setting up an online

video meeting.

You can use automation to replicate client data across

multiple systems or save documents to a shared cloud

storage folder. You can even use Zaps to schedule follow

up meetings with clients within your preferred

timeframe.

Pros

• User-friendly design, especially for beginners

• Allows you to instantly connect with 2,000+ apps

• Excellent customer support

• Great testing functionality to use before going live

Cons

• Limited triggers in some integrations

• Lacks integration with industry-speci�c practice

management systems

Microsoft Power Automate, formally Microsoft Flow,

is an intelligent, cloud-based solution. It’s similar to

Zapier; using triggers and actions to create chain

reactions within your normal work�ow. Repetitive,

manual, time-consuming tasks are completed without

you lifting a �nger, or writing a single line of code.

Power Automate recently also added Robotic Process

Automation (RPA). RPAs allow end users to automate

their work by recording manual tasks such as mouse

clicks, keyboard inputs, and data entry, and then

automate the replay of these steps. RPA tasks can be

chained together creating a �owchart, which is familiar

to �nancial planners. Whilst APIs interact with

applications exclusively through the back end, RPAs

interact with the target application via the front end.

RPAs can work in both attended and unattended

modes. Attended RPAs work alongside humans,

unattended RPAs interact with apps independent of

human involvement.

Pros

• Robotic process automation capable of mimicking

many human user actions

• Seamless integration with Of�ce 365 apps

• Simpli�es business processes and improves

operational ef�ciency

• Interacts between on-premises and cloud-based

applications

Cons

• It could be made a simpler for beginners

• Third-party connectivity is more dif�cult than

Microsoft add-ons

How do I set it up?

It’s important to note that not every software tool is

going to be compatible with Zapier or Power

Automate. Also, each app may have different triggers

and actions available to you.

You can use one of many templates or create your

own from scratch using the following steps:

Zapier

Step 1: Authenticate your apps.

Step 2: Pick the app that will trigger your automation

process.

Step 3: Choose the resulting action from another app.

Step 4: Select the data you want to direct from one

app to the other.

How to save time and money automating repetitive tasks

Company: Zapier Inc.Product: ZapierLink: https://zapier.com/

Power Automate

Step 1: Select My Flows, then + New.

Step 2: Name your �ow, select the app and trigger.

Step 3: Select the data you want to direct.

Step 4: Select the app you wish to receive the data.

Start by testing. The �rst test will prompt you to consider

other processes to automate. On that point…

What are some popular integrations?

1. Share new content automatically

You can create work�ows to automatically post content

across all your social media accounts.

2. Build your email list

Do you use forms on your website to collect prospect

email addresses? Do prospects book meetings using an

appointment scheduler? Set-up a work�ow to have all

these emails sent to a marketing platform such as

Mailchimp or even an excel spreadsheet.

3. Promote a webinar using an optimised schedule

Create a new event in your calendar and share it

automatically across your social networks. You can even

time the posts to optimise engagement levels.

For many more integration examples check out the

following links:

Zapier Integrations

Power Automate Integrations

Case Study

Let’s look at how applications and automation can help

grow your business.

Start by using an application like Buffer to schedule

content across all your social media accounts. Post to a

consist schedule while using analytics to determine the

best time to engage with your target audience and

identify their preferred content.

Include a link to an appointment scheduling app, such as

Calendly, on your posts and website. When an

appointment is created, the prospect’s details can be

auto-uploaded to your CRM, Google Sheets or a

marketing platform such as Mailchimp.

It doesn’t stop there. When a prospect selects an online

meeting, an email can be generated that includes the

meeting link, an introductory message and welcome

video. This all occurs with minimal human interaction

putting more time on your clock and money in your

pocket!

Cost comparisonAs at 30 April 2020

Zapier offer a free version as well as a 14-day free trial of

premium features. Premium plans start from

approximately AUD31 per month, billed annually. Pricing

steadily increases based on the level of features you need,

the number of Zaps you use and the level of tasks you

require.

Power Automate is included as part of certain Of�ce

365 Business and Enterprise versions, it allows for a

limited number of �ows and excludes premium

connectors. It’s also included in qualifying licences of

Dynamics 365. Per user plans are AUD21, per month, this

increases to AUD55 per month with attended RPA. Per

�ow plans allow you to implement �ows with reserved

capacity that serve unlimited users across an organisation.

For example, AUD686 gives you �ve �ows per month for

unlimited users.

As costs from both companies are quoted in US Dollars,

the converted prices are an estimate based on current

exchange rates.

Video links

Both Zapier and Power Automate have a wide range of

instructional videos to get you started and help you

quickly move onto more advanced functionality.

Conclusion

Automation doesn’t need to be complicated to be helpful.

A few Zaps or �ows and you’ll �nd yourself saving time

and money every week. You’ll need that extra time to

meet with the stream of new prospects that automation

can provide.

It may seem daunting, but we encourage you to automate

a single work�ow to see what’s possible. The investment

of time to automate tasks will not only yield an incredible

saving on the medium to long term, but also allow your

staff to focus on the more enjoyable aspects of their work

such as meeting with clients.

Contact your Vanguard Sales Executive or call

1300 655 205 for more information.

Continued overleaf

NO

YES

NO

NO

YES

YESJOHN SMITH

YOUR FULL NAME

PRODUCT B

PRODUCT A

DATE OF BIRTH

SIGNATURE

SUBMIT

12 MARCH 1975

21

75

Page 2: How to save time and money automating repetitive tasks · Zapier is one such tool that connects your favourite apps, such as Outlook, Google Drive, Zoom, Calendly, DocuSign, Mailchimp,

The adviser technology landscape is quickly evolving

as more and more innovative applications come onto

the market. A typical �nancial planner may be running

a CRM, accounting software, video conferencing,

cloud storage, appointment schedulers, digital

signatures and much more. They allow practices to

scale their business, maximise ef�ciency and improve

the bottom line.

With technology spending on the upswing, practices

are also discovering a lack of integration between

these technologies. One solution is using automation

software, such as Zapier or Power Automate, to �ll

the gaps.

You’ve likely heard of an API; it stands for application

programming interface. Both Power Automate and

Zapier utilise APIs as they allow two applications to

communicate with one another to access data.

The aim of Zapier and Power Automate is to:

1. Increase business ef�ciency; saving time, costs

and reducing errors

2. Help gather more clients to grow your business

3. Improve client engagement and service levels

4. Allow you to spend more time in front of clients

It does this by connecting your applications so they

can work together. They automate tasks in the

background, so you can focus on more important work.

Zapier is one such tool that connects your favourite

apps, such as Outlook, Google Drive, Zoom, Calendly,

DocuSign, Mailchimp, and more. You can connect apps

to automate repetitive tasks and you don’t need a

technical background to use it.

Zapier allows you to connect your apps and automate

repetitive tasks by creating work�ows called Zaps. For

example, when a prospect makes a booking using an

appointment scheduler, a Zap automatically creates a

new contact in your CRM while also setting up an online

video meeting.

You can use automation to replicate client data across

multiple systems or save documents to a shared cloud

storage folder. You can even use Zaps to schedule follow

up meetings with clients within your preferred

timeframe.

Pros

• User-friendly design, especially for beginners

• Allows you to instantly connect with 2,000+ apps

• Excellent customer support

• Great testing functionality to use before going live

Cons

• Limited triggers in some integrations

• Lacks integration with industry-speci�c practice

management systems

Microsoft Power Automate, formally Microsoft Flow,

is an intelligent, cloud-based solution. It’s similar to

Zapier; using triggers and actions to create chain

reactions within your normal work�ow. Repetitive,

manual, time-consuming tasks are completed without

you lifting a �nger, or writing a single line of code.

Power Automate recently also added Robotic Process

Automation (RPA). RPAs allow end users to automate

their work by recording manual tasks such as mouse

clicks, keyboard inputs, and data entry, and then

automate the replay of these steps. RPA tasks can be

chained together creating a �owchart, which is familiar

to �nancial planners. Whilst APIs interact with

applications exclusively through the back end, RPAs

interact with the target application via the front end.

RPAs can work in both attended and unattended

modes. Attended RPAs work alongside humans,

unattended RPAs interact with apps independent of

human involvement.

Pros

• Robotic process automation capable of mimicking

many human user actions

• Seamless integration with Of�ce 365 apps

• Simpli�es business processes and improves

operational ef�ciency

• Interacts between on-premises and cloud-based

applications

Cons

• It could be made a simpler for beginners

• Third-party connectivity is more dif�cult than

Microsoft add-ons

How do I set it up?

It’s important to note that not every software tool is

going to be compatible with Zapier or Power

Automate. Also, each app may have different triggers

and actions available to you.

You can use one of many templates or create your

own from scratch using the following steps:

Zapier

Step 1: Authenticate your apps.

Step 2: Pick the app that will trigger your automation

process.

Step 3: Choose the resulting action from another app.

Step 4: Select the data you want to direct from one

app to the other.

Company: Microsoft Inc.Product: Power AutomateLink: https://�ow.microsoft.com/

Power Automate

Step 1: Select My Flows, then + New.

Step 2: Name your �ow, select the app and trigger.

Step 3: Select the data you want to direct.

Step 4: Select the app you wish to receive the data.

Start by testing. The �rst test will prompt you to consider

other processes to automate. On that point…

What are some popular integrations?

1. Share new content automatically

You can create work�ows to automatically post content

across all your social media accounts.

2. Build your email list

Do you use forms on your website to collect prospect

email addresses? Do prospects book meetings using an

appointment scheduler? Set-up a work�ow to have all

these emails sent to a marketing platform such as

Mailchimp or even an excel spreadsheet.

3. Promote a webinar using an optimised schedule

Create a new event in your calendar and share it

automatically across your social networks. You can even

time the posts to optimise engagement levels.

For many more integration examples check out the

following links:

Zapier Integrations

Power Automate Integrations

Case Study

Let’s look at how applications and automation can help

grow your business.

Start by using an application like Buffer to schedule

content across all your social media accounts. Post to a

consist schedule while using analytics to determine the

best time to engage with your target audience and

identify their preferred content.

Include a link to an appointment scheduling app, such as

Calendly, on your posts and website. When an

appointment is created, the prospect’s details can be

auto-uploaded to your CRM, Google Sheets or a

marketing platform such as Mailchimp.

It doesn’t stop there. When a prospect selects an online

meeting, an email can be generated that includes the

meeting link, an introductory message and welcome

video. This all occurs with minimal human interaction

putting more time on your clock and money in your

pocket!

Cost comparisonAs at 30 April 2020

Zapier offer a free version as well as a 14-day free trial of

premium features. Premium plans start from

approximately AUD31 per month, billed annually. Pricing

steadily increases based on the level of features you need,

the number of Zaps you use and the level of tasks you

require.

Power Automate is included as part of certain Of�ce

365 Business and Enterprise versions, it allows for a

limited number of �ows and excludes premium

connectors. It’s also included in qualifying licences of

Dynamics 365. Per user plans are AUD21, per month, this

increases to AUD55 per month with attended RPA. Per

�ow plans allow you to implement �ows with reserved

capacity that serve unlimited users across an organisation.

For example, AUD686 gives you �ve �ows per month for

unlimited users.

As costs from both companies are quoted in US Dollars,

the converted prices are an estimate based on current

exchange rates.

Video links

Both Zapier and Power Automate have a wide range of

instructional videos to get you started and help you

quickly move onto more advanced functionality.

Conclusion

Automation doesn’t need to be complicated to be helpful.

A few Zaps or �ows and you’ll �nd yourself saving time

and money every week. You’ll need that extra time to

meet with the stream of new prospects that automation

can provide.

It may seem daunting, but we encourage you to automate

a single work�ow to see what’s possible. The investment

of time to automate tasks will not only yield an incredible

saving on the medium to long term, but also allow your

staff to focus on the more enjoyable aspects of their work

such as meeting with clients.

Contact your Vanguard Sales Executive or call

1300 655 205 for more information.

Continued overleaf

Microsoft

Idea: Summarise your idea in 10 words or lessWhat does it look like? A picture tells a thousand

words. What does your idea look like?

Client insight: What key client need does this meet?

Bene�t: How will this improve the client experience?

How will it work? List the key elements in bullet points

Page 3: How to save time and money automating repetitive tasks · Zapier is one such tool that connects your favourite apps, such as Outlook, Google Drive, Zoom, Calendly, DocuSign, Mailchimp,

The adviser technology landscape is quickly evolving

as more and more innovative applications come onto

the market. A typical �nancial planner may be running

a CRM, accounting software, video conferencing,

cloud storage, appointment schedulers, digital

signatures and much more. They allow practices to

scale their business, maximise ef�ciency and improve

the bottom line.

With technology spending on the upswing, practices

are also discovering a lack of integration between

these technologies. One solution is using automation

software, such as Zapier or Power Automate, to �ll

the gaps.

You’ve likely heard of an API; it stands for application

programming interface. Both Power Automate and

Zapier utilise APIs as they allow two applications to

communicate with one another to access data.

The aim of Zapier and Power Automate is to:

1. Increase business ef�ciency; saving time, costs

and reducing errors

2. Help gather more clients to grow your business

3. Improve client engagement and service levels

4. Allow you to spend more time in front of clients

It does this by connecting your applications so they

can work together. They automate tasks in the

background, so you can focus on more important work.

Zapier is one such tool that connects your favourite

apps, such as Outlook, Google Drive, Zoom, Calendly,

DocuSign, Mailchimp, and more. You can connect apps

to automate repetitive tasks and you don’t need a

technical background to use it.

Zapier allows you to connect your apps and automate

repetitive tasks by creating work�ows called Zaps. For

example, when a prospect makes a booking using an

appointment scheduler, a Zap automatically creates a

new contact in your CRM while also setting up an online

video meeting.

You can use automation to replicate client data across

multiple systems or save documents to a shared cloud

storage folder. You can even use Zaps to schedule follow

up meetings with clients within your preferred

timeframe.

Pros

• User-friendly design, especially for beginners

• Allows you to instantly connect with 2,000+ apps

• Excellent customer support

• Great testing functionality to use before going live

Cons

• Limited triggers in some integrations

• Lacks integration with industry-speci�c practice

management systems

Microsoft Power Automate, formally Microsoft Flow,

is an intelligent, cloud-based solution. It’s similar to

Zapier; using triggers and actions to create chain

reactions within your normal work�ow. Repetitive,

manual, time-consuming tasks are completed without

you lifting a �nger, or writing a single line of code.

Power Automate recently also added Robotic Process

Automation (RPA). RPAs allow end users to automate

their work by recording manual tasks such as mouse

clicks, keyboard inputs, and data entry, and then

automate the replay of these steps. RPA tasks can be

chained together creating a �owchart, which is familiar

to �nancial planners. Whilst APIs interact with

applications exclusively through the back end, RPAs

interact with the target application via the front end.

RPAs can work in both attended and unattended

modes. Attended RPAs work alongside humans,

unattended RPAs interact with apps independent of

human involvement.

Pros

• Robotic process automation capable of mimicking

many human user actions

• Seamless integration with Of�ce 365 apps

• Simpli�es business processes and improves

operational ef�ciency

• Interacts between on-premises and cloud-based

applications

Cons

• It could be made a simpler for beginners

• Third-party connectivity is more dif�cult than

Microsoft add-ons

How do I set it up?

It’s important to note that not every software tool is

going to be compatible with Zapier or Power

Automate. Also, each app may have different triggers

and actions available to you.

You can use one of many templates or create your

own from scratch using the following steps:

Zapier

Step 1: Authenticate your apps.

Step 2: Pick the app that will trigger your automation

process.

Step 3: Choose the resulting action from another app.

Step 4: Select the data you want to direct from one

app to the other.

Power Automate

Step 1: Select My Flows, then + New.

Step 2: Name your �ow, select the app and trigger.

Step 3: Select the data you want to direct.

Step 4: Select the app you wish to receive the data.

Start by testing. The �rst test will prompt you to consider

other processes to automate. On that point…

What are some popular integrations?

1. Share new content automatically

You can create work�ows to automatically post content

across all your social media accounts.

2. Build your email list

Do you use forms on your website to collect prospect

email addresses? Do prospects book meetings using an

appointment scheduler? Set-up a work�ow to have all

these emails sent to a marketing platform such as

Mailchimp or even an excel spreadsheet.

3. Promote a webinar using an optimised schedule

Create a new event in your calendar and share it

automatically across your social networks. You can even

time the posts to optimise engagement levels.

For many more integration examples check out the

following links:

Zapier Integrations

Power Automate Integrations

Case Study

Let’s look at how applications and automation can help

grow your business.

Start by using an application like Buffer to schedule

content across all your social media accounts. Post to a

consist schedule while using analytics to determine the

best time to engage with your target audience and

identify their preferred content.

Include a link to an appointment scheduling app, such as

Calendly, on your posts and website. When an

appointment is created, the prospect’s details can be

auto-uploaded to your CRM, Google Sheets or a

marketing platform such as Mailchimp.

It doesn’t stop there. When a prospect selects an online

meeting, an email can be generated that includes the

meeting link, an introductory message and welcome

video. This all occurs with minimal human interaction

putting more time on your clock and money in your

pocket!

Cost comparisonAs at 30 April 2020

Zapier offer a free version as well as a 14-day free trial of

premium features. Premium plans start from

approximately AUD31 per month, billed annually. Pricing

steadily increases based on the level of features you need,

the number of Zaps you use and the level of tasks you

require.

Power Automate is included as part of certain Of�ce

365 Business and Enterprise versions, it allows for a

limited number of �ows and excludes premium

connectors. It’s also included in qualifying licences of

Dynamics 365. Per user plans are AUD21, per month, this

increases to AUD55 per month with attended RPA. Per

�ow plans allow you to implement �ows with reserved

capacity that serve unlimited users across an organisation.

For example, AUD686 gives you �ve �ows per month for

unlimited users.

As costs from both companies are quoted in US Dollars,

the converted prices are an estimate based on current

exchange rates1.

Video links

Both Zapier and Power Automate have a wide range of

instructional videos to get you started and help you

quickly move onto more advanced functionality.

Conclusion

Automation doesn’t need to be complicated to be helpful.

A few Zaps or �ows and you’ll �nd yourself saving time

and money every week. You’ll need that extra time to

meet with the stream of new prospects that automation

can provide.

It may seem daunting, but we encourage you to automate

a single work�ow to see what’s possible. The investment

of time to automate tasks will not only yield an incredible

saving on the medium to long term, but also allow your

staff to focus on the more enjoyable aspects of their work

such as meeting with clients.

Contact your Vanguard Sales Executive or call

1300 655 205 for more information.

Continued overleaf1 AUD1 = USD0.65 as at 30 April 2020

Page 4: How to save time and money automating repetitive tasks · Zapier is one such tool that connects your favourite apps, such as Outlook, Google Drive, Zoom, Calendly, DocuSign, Mailchimp,

The adviser technology landscape is quickly evolving

as more and more innovative applications come onto

the market. A typical �nancial planner may be running

a CRM, accounting software, video conferencing,

cloud storage, appointment schedulers, digital

signatures and much more. They allow practices to

scale their business, maximise ef�ciency and improve

the bottom line.

With technology spending on the upswing, practices

are also discovering a lack of integration between

these technologies. One solution is using automation

software, such as Zapier or Power Automate, to �ll

the gaps.

You’ve likely heard of an API; it stands for application

programming interface. Both Power Automate and

Zapier utilise APIs as they allow two applications to

communicate with one another to access data.

The aim of Zapier and Power Automate is to:

1. Increase business ef�ciency; saving time, costs

and reducing errors

2. Help gather more clients to grow your business

3. Improve client engagement and service levels

4. Allow you to spend more time in front of clients

It does this by connecting your applications so they

can work together. They automate tasks in the

background, so you can focus on more important work.

Zapier is one such tool that connects your favourite

apps, such as Outlook, Google Drive, Zoom, Calendly,

DocuSign, Mailchimp, and more. You can connect apps

to automate repetitive tasks and you don’t need a

technical background to use it.

Zapier allows you to connect your apps and automate

repetitive tasks by creating work�ows called Zaps. For

example, when a prospect makes a booking using an

appointment scheduler, a Zap automatically creates a

new contact in your CRM while also setting up an online

video meeting.

You can use automation to replicate client data across

multiple systems or save documents to a shared cloud

storage folder. You can even use Zaps to schedule follow

up meetings with clients within your preferred

timeframe.

Pros

• User-friendly design, especially for beginners

• Allows you to instantly connect with 2,000+ apps

• Excellent customer support

• Great testing functionality to use before going live

Cons

• Limited triggers in some integrations

• Lacks integration with industry-speci�c practice

management systems

Microsoft Power Automate, formally Microsoft Flow,

is an intelligent, cloud-based solution. It’s similar to

Zapier; using triggers and actions to create chain

reactions within your normal work�ow. Repetitive,

manual, time-consuming tasks are completed without

you lifting a �nger, or writing a single line of code.

Power Automate recently also added Robotic Process

Automation (RPA). RPAs allow end users to automate

their work by recording manual tasks such as mouse

clicks, keyboard inputs, and data entry, and then

automate the replay of these steps. RPA tasks can be

chained together creating a �owchart, which is familiar

to �nancial planners. Whilst APIs interact with

applications exclusively through the back end, RPAs

interact with the target application via the front end.

RPAs can work in both attended and unattended

modes. Attended RPAs work alongside humans,

unattended RPAs interact with apps independent of

human involvement.

Pros

• Robotic process automation capable of mimicking

many human user actions

• Seamless integration with Of�ce 365 apps

• Simpli�es business processes and improves

operational ef�ciency

• Interacts between on-premises and cloud-based

applications

Cons

• It could be made a simpler for beginners

• Third-party connectivity is more dif�cult than

Microsoft add-ons

How do I set it up?

It’s important to note that not every software tool is

going to be compatible with Zapier or Power

Automate. Also, each app may have different triggers

and actions available to you.

You can use one of many templates or create your

own from scratch using the following steps:

Zapier

Step 1: Authenticate your apps.

Step 2: Pick the app that will trigger your automation

process.

Step 3: Choose the resulting action from another app.

Step 4: Select the data you want to direct from one

app to the other.

Power Automate

Step 1: Select My Flows, then + New.

Step 2: Name your �ow, select the app and trigger.

Step 3: Select the data you want to direct.

Step 4: Select the app you wish to receive the data.

Start by testing. The �rst test will prompt you to consider

other processes to automate. On that point…

What are some popular integrations?

1. Share new content automatically

You can create work�ows to automatically post content

across all your social media accounts.

2. Build your email list

Do you use forms on your website to collect prospect

email addresses? Do prospects book meetings using an

appointment scheduler? Set-up a work�ow to have all

these emails sent to a marketing platform such as

Mailchimp or even an excel spreadsheet.

3. Promote a webinar using an optimised schedule

Create a new event in your calendar and share it

automatically across your social networks. You can even

time the posts to optimise engagement levels.

For many more integration examples check out the

following links:

Zapier Integrations

Power Automate Integrations

Case Study

Let’s look at how applications and automation can help

grow your business.

Start by using an application like Buffer to schedule

content across all your social media accounts. Post to a

consist schedule while using analytics to determine the

best time to engage with your target audience and

identify their preferred content.

Include a link to an appointment scheduling app, such as

Calendly, on your posts and website. When an

appointment is created, the prospect’s details can be

auto-uploaded to your CRM, Google Sheets or a

marketing platform such as Mailchimp.

It doesn’t stop there. When a prospect selects an online

meeting, an email can be generated that includes the

meeting link, an introductory message and welcome

video. This all occurs with minimal human interaction

putting more time on your clock and money in your

pocket!

Cost comparisonAs at 30 April 2020

Zapier offer a free version as well as a 14-day free trial of

premium features. Premium plans start from

approximately AUD31 per month, billed annually. Pricing

steadily increases based on the level of features you need,

the number of Zaps you use and the level of tasks you

require.

Power Automate is included as part of certain Of�ce

365 Business and Enterprise versions, it allows for a

limited number of �ows and excludes premium

connectors. It’s also included in qualifying licences of

Dynamics 365. Per user plans are AUD21, per month, this

increases to AUD55 per month with attended RPA. Per

�ow plans allow you to implement �ows with reserved

capacity that serve unlimited users across an organisation.

For example, AUD686 gives you �ve �ows per month for

unlimited users.

As costs from both companies are quoted in US Dollars,

the converted prices are an estimate based on current

exchange rates.

Video links

Both Zapier and Power Automate have a wide range of

instructional videos to get you started and help you

quickly move onto more advanced functionality.

Conclusion

Automation doesn’t need to be complicated to be helpful.

A few Zaps or �ows and you’ll �nd yourself saving time

and money every week. You’ll need that extra time to

meet with the stream of new prospects that automation

can provide.

It may seem daunting, but we encourage you to automate

a single work�ow to see what’s possible. The investment

of time to automate tasks will not only yield an incredible

saving on the medium to long term, but also allow your

staff to focus on the more enjoyable aspects of their work

such as meeting with clients.

Contact your Vanguard Sales Executive or call

1300 655 205 for more information.

Vanguard Investments Australia Ltd (ABN 72 072 881 086 / AFS Licence 227263) is the product issuer. You should consider your clients’ circumstances and our Product Disclosure Statements (“PDSs”) before making any investment decision. You can access our PDSs at vanguard.com.au. This publication was prepared in good faith and we accept no liability for any errors or omissions. © 2020 Vanguard Investments Australia Ltd. All rights reserved.ADVART_042020

Connect with Vanguard™ > vanguard.com.au > 1300 655 205