Make (Integromat) Tutorial
Last updated: April 2026
What you'll achieve
After this tutorial, you'll be able to build your first automated workflow, or 'scenario,' in Make. I'll guide you through creating a practical automation that saves new Gmail email attachments directly to a Google Drive folder. You'll learn to navigate the visual editor, connect apps, map data between them, and execute your automation. By the end, you'll understand the core logic of triggers and actions, and you'll have a functioning, time-saving tool. This foundational knowledge will empower you to start automating other repetitive tasks between the hundreds of apps Make supports, turning you from a beginner into a confident automator.
Prerequisites
- •A free Make (Integromat) account
- •A Gmail account (for the tutorial example)
- •A Google Drive account (for the tutorial example)
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Sign Up and Set Up Your Account
Head to make.com and click the 'Start for free' button. I always recommend using a Google account to sign up—it's faster and you'll need it for the tutorial anyway. Once logged in, you'll land on the main dashboard. Before diving in, take 30 seconds to click your profile icon in the top right and go to 'Preferences'. Here, I strongly advise you to set your 'Time zone' correctly; this prevents bizarre timing issues in your automations later. Also, glance at the 'Plan' section to see your free tier limits (1,000 operations/month). Don't worry, that's plenty for learning. What surprised me was how polished the onboarding is compared to the old Integromat days—it feels much more approachable.
Use a Google account to sign up for quicker access to key services.
Step 2: Navigate the Dashboard
The dashboard is your control center. The left sidebar is crucial: 'Scenarios' is where you build automations. 'Connections' is where you authorize apps like Gmail and Drive—think of it as the keychain for your workflows. Click 'Connections' now. Click the big blue 'Add connection' button, search for 'Gmail', and authorize it. Repeat for 'Google Drive'. This upfront work saves frustration later. The main 'Home' area shows recent scenario runs and a helpful template gallery. In my experience, beginners should ignore complex templates for now. The top bar has a play button (to run a test) and a schedule icon (to set automation intervals). The visual editor itself is a blank canvas called the 'Scenario Editor'—we're going there next.
Authorize all apps you plan to use (like Gmail & Drive) in 'Connections' before building.
Step 3: Create Your First Automation Scenario
Click the blue 'Create a new scenario' button. You'll see the visual editor—a blank canvas with a blinking cursor. This is where the magic happens. On the right, a searchable modules panel appears. Search for 'Gmail' and drag the 'Watch Emails' module onto the canvas. This is your 'trigger'—the event that starts the automation. Click the module to configure it. Choose your Gmail connection, set 'Watch' to 'Emails matching your search', and in the 'Search' field, type 'has:attachment'. This tells Make to only trigger on emails with attachments. Click 'OK'. Now, search for 'Google Drive' and drag the 'Upload a file' module to the right of the Gmail module. A blue line will connect them. This is your 'action'—what happens after the trigger.
Always start with a trigger module (like 'Watch Emails') to define what kicks off your automation.
Step 4: Map Data and Customize Your Workflow
Click your Google Drive 'Upload a file' module. Choose your connection and select a target folder. Now for the critical part: mapping data. Click the 'File' field. A panel opens showing data from the previous Gmail module, like 'Attachment Name' and 'Attachment Content'. Click 'Attachment Content'. You'll see it inserted as a blue bubble—this means the attachment from the email will be uploaded. In the 'Filename' field, map 'Attachment Name'. This dynamic mapping is Make's superpower. Click 'OK'. Your scenario now says: "When a new email with an attachment arrives in Gmail, upload that attachment to my specified Google Drive folder." It's a complete, useful automation. Before finalizing, click the scheduler icon (a clock) between the modules. Set it to 'Every 15 minutes' for testing. This controls how often Make checks for new emails.
Click into empty fields in action modules to map data from previous steps using the blue bubbles.
Step 5: Test, Run, and Activate Your Scenario
Never activate a scenario without testing! Click the 'Run once' button (a single play icon) at the bottom left. Make will execute one cycle. If you have an email with an attachment in your Gmail, it will process it. The modules will flash orange (executing) then turn blue (success) or red (error). I test every scenario this way. If it works, you'll see the file in your Drive. If modules turn red, click on them to see detailed error messages—usually a permission issue. What surprised me was the incredible detail in Make's error logs; they genuinely help you debug. After a successful test, click the toggle switch at the bottom to 'Activate' the scenario. It will now run automatically based on your schedule (every 15 minutes). Your first automation is live!
Always use 'Run once' to test before activating. It consumes operations but saves you from flawed live automations.
Step 6: Explore Advanced Features and Iterate
With a working scenario, let's explore power features. Right-click between your two modules and select 'Add a router'. This creates parallel paths, letting you do multiple things from one trigger. You could add a path to send a Slack notification when an attachment is saved. Also, notice the tiny 'tools' icon on the connection between modules? Click it. You can add a 'filter'—for example, to only proceed if the attachment name contains "invoice". This granular control is where Make outshines simpler tools like Zapier. In my daily use, routers and filters are indispensable. Finally, click the padlock icon at the top to name and save your scenario. I recommend descriptive names like "Gmail Attachments → Drive Backup."
Use a 'Router' after a trigger to create multiple, parallel action branches from a single event.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Forgetting to set the schedule: A scenario won't run automatically unless you click the clock icon and set an interval.
Not authorizing connections first: Always set up app connections in the 'Connections' tab before trying to use them in a module.
Ignoring error logs: When a module turns red, click it! The detailed log often points directly to the missing permission or incorrect field.
Overcomplicating the first scenario: Start with one trigger and one action. Master the basics before adding routers, filters, and arrays.