The meeting (video) covered the 16 most valuable techniques, shortcuts, and best practices the presenter learned for speeding up workflows in make.com, especially for beginners wanting to maximize efficiency.
Major topics included setting new starting points in workflows, mapping variables, handling errors, leveraging modules such as sleep and switch statements, and working effectively with JSON and iterators.
The session was focused on practical, actionable ways to avoid common frustrations and build more robust, flexible automations with make.com.
Action Items
None noted with specific owners or due dates, as this was an instructional session.
(If this were an actual team meeting, assign ownership for testing, documentation, and sharing of the workflows discussed.)
Efficient Workflow Testing and Debugging in Make.com
Use the "Parse JSON" module to set new workflow starting points, allowing you to re-run scenarios with existing data without repeating lengthy data collection.
You can change starting triggers by dragging them between modules—a major time-saver for scenario design and iteration.
Running a specific module only (right-click > "Run this module only") accelerates testing without having to execute the entire workflow from the beginning.
Module Management Tips
Clone modules to save time when duplicating logic.
Use shift+click to select and move or delete multiple modules at once, streamlining workflow editing.
Advanced Mapping and Remapping Techniques
Use the make.com Chrome extension "Make Dev Tools" to bulk-remap variable inputs between modules, avoiding manual remapping when swapping out data sources.
Access developer tools to execute remapping actions, especially useful for complex workflows with many mapped variables.
Using Set/Get Variables and Handling Data Across Paths
Leverage "Set variable" and "Get variable" modules to persist data across different workflow paths, enabling data sharing (e.g., social post URLs across multiple social channels).
This technique circumvents make.com's default inability to access data across diverging paths.
Managing Rate Limits and Errors
Use the "Sleep" module to introduce execution delays and avoid API rate limits.
Add error handlers to modules:
"Ignore" to skip errors and continue with the next execution (non-critical steps).
"Break" to retry failed modules a set number of times (typically up to three), with specified intervals between tries. Enable storing incomplete executions as required.
Version Control and Workflow Recovery
Utilize scenario version history (ellipsis menu > "Show versions") to revert to earlier configurations, preventing loss of work after accidental changes.
Useful Functions for Data Manipulation
The "split" function can extract first/last names or other substrings from text (e.g., parsing a full name).
Use array indexing to access split elements (e.g., [1] for first name, [2] for last name).
Date/time functions help schedule tasks for future or past dates (e.g., adding/subtracting days from the current timestamp).
The "switch" statement module enables mapping codes (like country codes) to human-readable values or IDs.
JSON Handling and Workflow Modularity
Use "Create JSON" and "Parse JSON" modules to structure, manipulate, and reuse data efficiently within workflows.
JSON is integral in constructing flexible, reusable workflows (e.g., for content calendars).
Import/export modules or blueprints via JSON files for faster onboarding and scenario replication.
Using Iterators for Row-by-Row Processing
The "Iterator" module processes array data entries individually, allowing per-item processing such as populating spreadsheet rows or generating sequential items.
Importing Modules and Account Connection
Import shared modules or blueprints via the More > Import menu, remembering to re-connect relevant third-party accounts (e.g., Google Sheets, Apify) after import.
Decisions
None—This session was instructional and did not include group decision-making.
Open Questions / Follow-Ups
None were identified or raised during this instructional session.