If you've spent any time researching automation tools, you've seen the headline prices: Zapier from around £16 a month, Make from under a tenner, n8n free if you run it yourself. Those numbers are technically true and almost useless for working out what you'll actually pay.
We run a site about automation tools. So it might seem odd for us to open a whole series by saying: before you sign up for anything, check what you're already paying for. But that's exactly the point of The Automation Shed — honest advice, even when it means telling you not to spend.
A first attempt at automation usually goes one of two ways. Some people pick something too ambitious, can't get it working, and decide automation isn't for them. Others automate something so small it saves barely any time and wasn't worth the effort. Both are avoidable. This guide…
If your inbox is a single overwhelming pile, this is the quickest win in the whole series. Outlook can automatically sort incoming email — file it into folders, flag it, or mark it read — using a feature called Rules. It's built in, it's free, and you don't need any other software.…
If your Gmail inbox has become a place things go to get lost, this is the fastest fix in the series. Gmail can automatically label, sort, archive, and star incoming email using a built-in feature called Filters. No extra software, no cost — it's part of the Gmail you already have. This…
If you rely on a form for enquiries or bookings, the worst thing that can happen is one sitting unseen for three days. This quick win fixes that: every time someone submits your form, you get an email straight away. No more checking the form "just in case."