How to Automate Accounting Workflows with Zapier and Make

Most accounting firms have automated their bookkeeping. Bank feeds sync automatically. Invoices generate from templates. Reconciliation happens in real time. But the process that connects clients to all of that — the part where clients actually send you their documents, receipts, and records — still runs on email.

That's where integration tools like Zapier and Make (formerly Integromat) come in. They connect the apps your firm already uses — your document collection tool, cloud storage, project management software, and accounting platform — so information flows between them without manual intervention.

This guide shows you how to automate accounting workflows using Zapier and Make, with step-by-step recipes for the most common automation scenarios. No coding required.

What Are Zapier and Make?

Zapier and Make are automation platforms that connect different software applications. They work on a trigger-action model: when something happens in one app (the trigger), something else happens automatically in another app (the action).

Zapier

Zapier is the more widely used of the two. It connects 6,000+ apps and uses a simple interface where you build automations (called "Zaps") by selecting a trigger app, an action app, and mapping the data between them. Zapier is best for straightforward, linear automations — when A happens, do B.

Pricing: Free plan (100 tasks/month, 5 single-step Zaps). Paid plans start at $19.99/month for 750 tasks and multi-step Zaps.
Best for: Simple to moderate automations, firms new to workflow automation

Make (formerly Integromat)

Make is more powerful for complex workflows. Instead of linear trigger-action chains, Make uses a visual canvas where you build scenarios with branching logic, filters, error handling, and parallel paths. If you need "when A happens, check B, and if B is true do C, otherwise do D" — Make handles this more elegantly than Zapier.

Pricing: Free plan (1,000 operations/month). Paid plans start at $9/month for 10,000 operations.
Best for: Complex, multi-step workflows with conditional logic

Which Should You Choose?

For most accounting firms starting out, Zapier is the better choice — it's simpler to set up and has broader app support. Switch to Make when your automations need conditional logic or when Zapier's per-task pricing becomes expensive at volume.

5 Accounting Workflow Automations You Can Build Today

Here are the most impactful automations for accounting firms, with step-by-step setup instructions for both Zapier and Make.

Automation 1: Auto-Save Client Documents to Cloud Storage

The problem: Clients upload tax documents, receipts, and financial records. Someone on your team downloads them from email or a portal, renames them, and moves them to the right client folder in Google Drive, Dropbox, or SharePoint.

The automation: When a client uploads a document through your file request page, the file automatically saves to the correct folder in your cloud storage — named, organized, and filed without anyone touching it.

Tools needed: File Request Pro (or your document collection tool) + Google Drive / Dropbox / OneDrive

How to set it up:

File Request Pro handles this natively — you connect your cloud storage account during setup and configure folder routing rules. Each client's documents land in the right folder automatically, no Zapier required.

If your document collection tool doesn't have native storage integration, build it in Zapier:

1. Trigger: New file uploaded in [your collection tool]
2. Action 1: Create folder in Google Drive (if it doesn't exist) using the client name
3. Action 2: Upload file to that folder
4. Action 3: Rename file using a standard naming convention (e.g., "ClientName_DocumentType_Date")

Time saved: 10-15 minutes per client. For a firm with 50 tax clients, that's 8-12 hours per tax season on filing alone.

Automation 2: Notify Your Team When Documents Arrive

The problem: A client uploads their tax documents, but the assigned preparer doesn't know until they check the shared drive or someone tells them. Work sits idle.

The automation: When a client completes their document submission, the assigned team member gets an instant notification — via email, Slack, or Microsoft Teams — with a link to the client's folder.

Tools needed: File Request Pro + Zapier + Slack/Teams/Email

How to set it up in Zapier:

1. Trigger: New file upload completed in File Request Pro
2. Action: Send a Slack message to #tax-prep channel: "📥 [Client Name] has submitted their documents. Folder: [link]"

Make variation: Add a filter that only sends the notification when ALL required documents have been uploaded (not just any single file). This prevents notification fatigue from partial submissions.

Time saved: Eliminates the daily check of "who's submitted and who hasn't." Preparers start work as soon as documents are ready.

Automation 3: Create Tasks When Clients Submit Documents

The problem: Documents arrive, but creating a task in your project management tool — Karbon, Asana, Monday.com, or a spreadsheet — is another manual step that someone forgets or delays.

The automation: When a client's document package is complete, a task is automatically created in your workflow tool and assigned to the right team member.

Tools needed: File Request Pro + Zapier + Karbon/Asana/Monday.com

How to set it up in Zapier:

1. Trigger: Document submission completed in File Request Pro
2. Action 1: Create task in Karbon (or Asana/Monday.com): "Prepare [Client Name] tax return"
3. Action 2: Set due date to [submission date + 14 days]
4. Action 3: Assign to [team member based on client assignment rules]

Make variation: Use Make's branching logic to assign tasks based on return complexity. Individual returns go to junior staff; business returns go to senior preparers.

Time saved: 2-3 minutes per client in task creation. More importantly, eliminates the gap between "documents received" and "work started."

Automation 4: Track Client Progress in a Master Dashboard

The problem: During tax season, managing partners need to know: How many clients have submitted? How many are still outstanding? Who's overdue? Without automation, someone builds a spreadsheet and updates it manually — which means it's always slightly out of date.

The automation: A Google Sheet or Airtable base that updates automatically as clients submit documents. Each row shows the client name, submission status, date received, and assigned preparer.

Tools needed: File Request Pro + Zapier + Google Sheets/Airtable

How to set it up in Zapier:

1. Trigger: New file upload in File Request Pro
2. Action: Update row in Google Sheet — find the client's row and update the "Status" column to "Submitted" and "Date Received" to today's date

Make variation: Build a more detailed tracker that updates individual document statuses (W-2: received, 1099: pending, bank statements: received). Make's ability to handle arrays makes this more practical than Zapier for multi-document tracking.

Time saved: Eliminates the daily "status meeting" where someone reports on document collection progress. The dashboard is always current.

Automation 5: Send Engagement Letters After Inquiry

The problem: A potential client fills out your website contact form expressing interest in tax preparation. Someone reads the form, drafts an engagement letter, attaches it to an email, and sends it. That might happen in 2 hours — or 2 days.

The automation: When a potential client submits an inquiry form, an engagement letter is automatically generated from a template and sent for e-signature. Once signed, a document request is created and the file request link is sent to the client.

Tools needed: Website form (Typeform, Gravity Forms, etc.) + Zapier + DocuSign/PandaDoc + File Request Pro

How to set it up in Zapier:

1. Trigger: New form submission on website
2. Action 1: Create engagement letter in PandaDoc using client name and service type
3. Action 2: Send for e-signature
4. Action 3 (after signature): Send welcome email with file request link

Time saved: Turns a multi-day intake process into something that happens within minutes of the initial inquiry. Clients are more likely to engage when the process starts immediately.

Building Your Automation Stack

You don't need to build all five automations at once. Start with the one that eliminates the most manual work for your firm, then add layers.

Recommended Order

1. Start here: Auto-save to cloud storage (Automation 1) — this has the highest immediate time savings
2. Add next: Team notifications (Automation 2) — reduces response time
3. Then: Task creation (Automation 3) — connects documents to your workflow
4. When you have volume: Progress dashboard (Automation 4) — gives management visibility
5. For growth: Engagement letter automation (Automation 5) — speeds up client acquisition

The Foundation: Document Collection

Every automation in this guide starts with a trigger: a client uploads a document. If that upload still happens via email, none of these automations work — because email doesn't produce structured triggers that Zapier and Make can act on.

That's why the foundation of any accounting automation stack is a structured document collection tool. When clients upload through a file request link instead of emailing attachments, every upload becomes a trigger that can launch automated workflows downstream.

File Request Pro integrates with Zapier natively, meaning every file upload can trigger any of the automations described above. It also handles cloud storage routing and automated reminders without Zapier — so the highest-impact automations (Automations 1 and reminders) work out of the box.

Common Mistakes When Automating Accounting Workflows

Automating a Broken Process

Automation amplifies whatever process it's applied to — including bad ones. If your document collection process is disorganized (no standard naming, no folder structure, no clear document list), automating it just produces disorganized files faster. Fix the process first, then automate it.

Building Too Many Automations at Once

It's tempting to build all five automations on day one. Resist. Each automation needs testing, edge-case handling, and adjustment. Build one, run it for a week, fix what breaks, then build the next.

Ignoring Error Handling

What happens when a Zap fails? When a folder already exists? When a client name has a special character that breaks the file path? Build error notifications into every automation so failures don't go unnoticed. In Make, use the built-in error handler modules. In Zapier, set up failure notifications to email.

Not Documenting Your Automations

When the person who built the Zaps leaves your firm, someone else needs to understand and maintain them. Keep a simple document listing each automation: what it does, what triggers it, what apps are involved, and who to contact if it breaks.

Over-Relying on Free Tiers

Free Zapier plans (100 tasks/month) run out fast during tax season. A firm with 50 clients uploading 7 documents each generates 350 file events — and each downstream action counts as an additional task. Budget for paid plans before busy season starts, or your automations will pause at the worst possible time.

Accounting Automation by Firm Size

Solo Practitioners

You wear every hat, so automation has the highest relative impact. Focus on eliminating the manual tasks that steal time from billable work: auto-filing documents (Automation 1) and automated client reminders. These two alone can save 5-8 hours per week during tax season.

Small Firms (2-10 Staff)

Coordination is the bottleneck. Team notifications (Automation 2) and task creation (Automation 3) ensure that work starts as soon as documents arrive — without anyone having to check in or ask "did we get the Smith documents yet?" Add the progress dashboard to give the managing partner visibility without status meetings.

Mid-Size Firms (10-50 Staff)

At this size, you need all five automations plus a clear paperless workflow. The engagement letter automation (Automation 5) becomes critical for client acquisition efficiency. Consider using Make instead of Zapier for its better handling of complex, branching workflows and more cost-effective per-operation pricing at volume.

Accounting Automation FAQ

Do I need technical skills to set up Zapier or Make?

No coding is required. Both platforms use visual interfaces where you select apps, choose triggers and actions, and map data between fields. If you can follow a recipe, you can build a Zap. Make has a steeper learning curve for complex workflows, but basic automations are straightforward on either platform.

How much does an automation stack cost?

Zapier: $19.99-$49/month covers most small to mid-size accounting firms. Make: $9-$29/month for equivalent volume. Add your document collection tool (File Request Pro starts at $19/month) and cloud storage (most firms already have this). Total: roughly $30-$80/month for a complete automation stack — less than one billable hour.

What happens if an automation breaks?

Both Zapier and Make send failure notifications when an automation errors. Common causes: an app disconnects (re-authenticate it), a field mapping changes (update the mapping), or you hit your plan limit (upgrade or optimize). Most issues take under 5 minutes to fix.

Can I automate document reminders with Zapier?

You can, but it's complex — you'd need to track which documents are missing, set timers, and send targeted emails. File Request Pro handles this natively: you configure a reminder schedule (day 3, 7, 14), and the system sends personalized reminders listing only the documents still outstanding. Reminders stop when the client finishes. This is easier and more reliable than building reminder logic in Zapier.

Is it safe to automate workflows that handle client financial data?

Yes, when you use reputable tools with proper security. Both Zapier and Make use encrypted connections (HTTPS) for all data transfers. Ensure your document collection tool uses encryption in transit and at rest. For sensitive financial data, route files to your own cloud storage rather than storing them on third-party platforms — this keeps your existing security policies intact.

Should I use Zapier or Make for my accounting firm?

Start with Zapier. It's easier to learn, has more app integrations (including most accounting-specific tools), and handles straightforward automations well. Move to Make when you need conditional logic (e.g., "if the client is a business, assign to senior staff; if individual, assign to junior staff") or when Zapier's pricing becomes expensive at your volume.

Getting Started

Pick one automation from this guide — the one that would save your firm the most time this week — and build it. The auto-save to cloud storage (Automation 1) is the highest-impact starting point for most firms because it eliminates the most repetitive manual task: downloading, renaming, and filing client documents.

Once you see documents arriving organized and filed automatically — without a single email downloaded or file renamed — you'll want to automate the next step. That's how the best accounting firms build workflows that scale: one automation at a time.

Ready to build your first automation? Start a free trial of File Request Pro — no credit card required. Connect your cloud storage, set up automated reminders, and integrate with Zapier in minutes. Your first automated workflow is one upload away.