12 Essential Steps to Seamlessly Migrate Your HR Automation from Zapier to Make.com
For many HR and recruiting teams, automation has moved from a “nice-to-have” to a “must-have.” Platforms like Zapier have been instrumental in bridging the gaps between disparate HR tech tools, streamlining processes from candidate screening to onboarding. However, as organizations scale, the limitations of entry-level automation platforms often become apparent—primarily around cost, flexibility, and advanced logic capabilities. This is where Make.com steps in, offering a robust, highly visual, and significantly more cost-effective alternative for complex HR automation needs. Migrating your existing automations can seem daunting, but with a structured approach, it’s an opportunity to not only replicate what you had but to enhance your workflows, unlock deeper insights, and drive greater efficiency. At 4Spot Consulting, we regularly guide high-growth B2B companies through these exact transitions, turning potential headaches into strategic advantages. This comprehensive guide outlines 12 crucial steps to ensure your move from Zapier to Make.com is not just smooth, but truly transformative for your HR and recruiting operations.
The decision to migrate from Zapier to Make.com is often driven by a strategic imperative: reduce operational costs while increasing the sophistication and reliability of your automated HR workflows. Zapier, while user-friendly, can quickly become expensive as your automation footprint grows, with each “Zap” adding to your monthly bill and often limiting the complexity of your logic. Make.com, on the other hand, operates on a module-based pricing model, offering significantly more operations for the same or less cost, alongside a visual builder that allows for far more intricate, multi-path, and deeply integrated scenarios. This shift isn’t just about changing platforms; it’s about upgrading your entire approach to HR automation, enabling a level of precision and scalability that can dramatically impact candidate experience, recruiter productivity, and compliance. By following these steps, HR leaders can ensure their automation infrastructure is future-proof, cost-optimized, and a genuine asset to the organization.
1. Conduct a Comprehensive Zapier Automation Audit
Before you begin migrating anything, the first and most critical step is to thoroughly audit your existing Zapier automations. This isn’t just about listing your Zaps; it’s about understanding their purpose, triggers, actions, and the data flows involved. Go through each Zap, noting which applications are connected (e.g., ATS, HRIS, email marketing, communication tools like Slack/Teams, document generation software), what data is being transferred, and the specific outcomes each Zap achieves. Document the frequency of execution, the volume of data processed, and any custom logic or filters you’ve implemented. Pay close attention to multi-step Zaps and those with complex filters or paths, as these will require more careful reconstruction in Make.com. A spreadsheet is often invaluable here, allowing you to categorize Zaps by department (e.g., talent acquisition, onboarding, employee lifecycle), priority, and complexity. This audit will form the blueprint for your migration strategy, identifying critical automations that need immediate attention versus those that can be migrated in a later phase. Understanding the “why” behind each Zap will also reveal opportunities for improvement and consolidation in Make.com, rather than just a direct copy-paste.
2. Strategically Plan Your Make.com Architecture
With a clear understanding of your current Zapier landscape, the next step is to plan how these automations will translate into Make.com “scenarios.” Make.com’s visual builder is powerful, allowing for much more complex and branching logic within a single scenario compared to Zapier’s multi-step Zaps. This often means that what was previously 3-4 interconnected Zaps in Zapier can be consolidated into a single, more efficient Make.com scenario. Think about the overall flow of data: where does it originate, what transformations does it undergo, and where does it end up? Consider how error handling, scheduling, and data storage will be managed within Make.com. This planning phase is an excellent opportunity to optimize and improve existing workflows that might have been clunky or inefficient in Zapier due to platform limitations. For instance, if you had multiple Zaps triggered by the same event but performing different actions, you can now consolidate these into one Make.com scenario with multiple branches. Document your proposed Make.com scenarios, identifying which Zapier Zaps each new scenario will replace. This strategic planning ensures you leverage Make.com’s capabilities fully, rather than simply recreating old habits.
3. Master Make.com Fundamentals and Core Concepts
Before diving into complex migrations, it’s essential for your team to grasp Make.com’s core concepts. While both platforms are “low-code,” their interfaces and underlying logic differ significantly. Familiarize yourself with Make.com’s key terminology: “scenarios” (equivalent to Zaps), “modules” (individual steps within a scenario), “operations” (the processing units that consume your subscription), “webhooks” (powerful for real-time triggers), “iterators” (for processing lists of items), and “error handling” mechanisms. The visual canvas of Make.com allows for drag-and-drop construction of workflows, enabling clearer visualization of data paths and conditional logic. Invest time in watching tutorials, exploring Make.com’s documentation, and building a few simple, non-critical scenarios. This hands-on experience will build confidence and reveal the platform’s power and flexibility. Understanding how Make.com handles arrays, filters, routers, and aggregators is crucial for replicating and enhancing your existing Zapier workflows, especially those involving lists of items or conditional branching. A solid foundation here will prevent frustration and accelerate the migration process significantly.
4. Recreate Simple Automations First
Start your migration with the simplest Zapier automations. These are typically single-step Zaps or those with very straightforward triggers and actions, minimal filtering, and no complex data transformations. Examples might include “New hire added to HRIS -> Send welcome email” or “Candidate marked ‘Hired’ in ATS -> Add to an onboarding spreadsheet.” Migrating these low-complexity automations first serves several purposes: it provides immediate success, helps your team gain practical experience with Make.com’s interface, and validates your understanding of the platform’s core functionalities. It also allows you to test connections to your various HR applications and ensure data is flowing correctly. Treat these initial migrations as training exercises. Document any quirks or differences you encounter between Zapier and Make.com in how specific apps handle data or triggers. This incremental approach builds momentum, reduces the risk of overwhelming your team, and establishes a robust foundation before tackling more intricate HR processes.
5. Tackle Complex Multi-Step Zaps with Make.com Routers and Filters
Once comfortable with simple scenarios, move on to the more complex Zapier Zaps—those with multiple steps, conditional logic (Paths), or data formatting requirements. In Make.com, you’ll leverage “Routers” to create branching paths based on specific conditions, and “Filters” within those paths to precisely control data flow. For example, a Zapier Zap that checks a candidate’s status and then performs different actions (e.g., send offer letter if “Approved,” send rejection email if “Declined”) can be beautifully designed using a Router in Make.com. Each branch from the Router can have its own set of modules and filters, allowing for highly customized and efficient workflows within a single scenario. Pay close attention to how data from previous modules is mapped to subsequent ones, utilizing Make.com’s powerful mapping tools. This is where Make.com truly shines over Zapier, enabling more elegant and consolidated solutions for intricate HR processes, reducing the number of “operations” consumed and simplifying maintenance.
6. Address Data Migration and Transformation Challenges
Beyond the logic of your automations, consider any historical data that needs to be migrated or formatted. While many automations deal with new data as it comes in, there might be instances where you need to process existing data or ensure consistency. Make.com offers powerful data transformation tools within its modules, including functions for text manipulation, date formatting, numerical operations, and array processing. When migrating, pay careful attention to how Zapier might have implicitly handled data types or transformations that you now need to explicitly define in Make.com. For instance, if Zapier was automatically converting a date format, you might need to use a “Format Date” module in Make.com. For large-scale data backfills or one-time imports, consider creating dedicated Make.com scenarios that can run on demand, pulling data from one system, transforming it, and pushing it to another. This step ensures that your historical data remains accurate and accessible within your new automated workflows, preventing inconsistencies that could impact HR reporting or decision-making.
7. Rigorous Testing and Quality Assurance
No automation migration is complete without thorough testing. This phase is paramount, especially for HR automations where data accuracy and timely execution are critical for compliance, employee experience, and operational efficiency. For each migrated scenario, perform multiple test runs using realistic data. Test both happy paths (expected successful outcomes) and edge cases (unusual data, missing fields, error conditions). Validate that data is flowing correctly between all connected HR systems, that conditions are being met, and that the final output matches your expectations. If your automation sends emails, generates documents, or updates records, double-check every detail. Consider setting up parallel testing where both the old Zapier Zap and the new Make.com scenario run simultaneously for a limited period, allowing you to compare results side-by-side. Involve end-users (e.g., recruiters, HR generalists) in the testing process to gather their feedback and ensure the new workflows meet their practical needs. Document all test results, identifying and resolving any discrepancies before going live.
8. Implement a Phased Rollout Strategy
Attempting to switch all your automations from Zapier to Make.com at once is a recipe for disaster. Instead, adopt a phased rollout strategy. Start by deactivating the simplest Zapier Zaps as their Make.com counterparts go live and prove stable. Then, gradually move to more complex automations, allowing time between phases to monitor performance, gather feedback, and address any unforeseen issues. This approach minimizes disruption to critical HR processes and gives your team time to adapt to the new platform. A typical rollout might begin with non-critical internal notifications, then move to candidate communication workflows, followed by onboarding processes, and finally, complex HRIS integrations. Each phase should include a clear communication plan to stakeholders, informing them of the changes and any temporary impacts. The phased approach reduces risk, builds confidence, and ensures a smoother transition for everyone involved, maintaining business continuity throughout the migration.
9. Develop Robust Documentation and Provide Training
Post-migration, comprehensive documentation and ongoing training are crucial for long-term success. For each Make.com scenario, create clear documentation that outlines its purpose, trigger, actions, connected applications, and any specific conditions or filters. Include screenshots, a description of the data flow, and contact information for the scenario owner. This documentation serves as a vital resource for troubleshooting, future modifications, and knowledge transfer within your team. Furthermore, provide training to all relevant HR and recruiting team members who interact with or rely on these automations. This doesn’t necessarily mean making everyone an automation expert, but rather ensuring they understand how the automations work, what to expect, and what to do if they encounter an issue. Empowering your team with knowledge reduces reliance on a single expert and fosters a culture of automation adoption and continuous improvement.
10. Establish Monitoring and Optimization Protocols
Migration isn’t a one-time event; it’s the beginning of a new era of automation. Once your Make.com scenarios are live, establish protocols for continuous monitoring and optimization. Regularly check Make.com’s operational logs for errors or failed executions, ensuring that issues are identified and resolved promptly. Set up alerts for critical scenarios to notify your team of any disruptions. Beyond error monitoring, analyze the performance of your scenarios. Are they running efficiently? Are there opportunities to further optimize steps, reduce operations, or introduce new features? Make.com offers analytics that can help you understand usage patterns and identify bottlenecks. Periodically review your automation landscape to ensure it aligns with your evolving HR and business needs. As new HR tech tools emerge or internal processes change, be prepared to adapt and iterate on your Make.com scenarios to maintain peak efficiency and relevance. This proactive approach ensures your automation investment continues to deliver maximum ROI.
11. Leverage Make.com’s Advanced Features Beyond Basic Recreation
One of the primary reasons to migrate to Make.com is its superior capability for advanced logic and features that go beyond simple trigger-action sequences. Once your core automations are stable, explore how you can leverage Make.com’s more sophisticated modules. Consider using “Iterators” to process lists of items from a single trigger (e.g., processing multiple resumes from an email attachment). Implement more robust “Error Handling” to automatically retry failed operations or send custom alerts. Utilize “Data Stores” for temporary data storage within Make.com, enabling more complex scenario logic or rate limiting. Explore “Webhooks” as instant triggers for real-time data flow, which can be more efficient than polling. You can even use Make.com to build custom APIs or integrate with services that don’t have direct connectors, using its HTTP modules. This proactive exploration allows you to unlock the full potential of Make.com, transforming your HR automation from merely functional to strategically powerful and resilient.
12. Integrate AI for Enhanced HR Automation Capabilities
With your HR automations firmly established on Make.com, the next frontier is integrating Artificial Intelligence to further enhance capabilities. Make.com’s flexibility and extensive API connections make it an ideal hub for weaving AI into your HR workflows. Consider integrating AI for advanced resume parsing and screening, automatically extracting key skills and experiences, and even scoring candidates against job requirements. Use AI-powered tools for sentiment analysis in candidate feedback or employee surveys, providing deeper insights without manual review. Automate the generation of personalized email responses, interview questions, or offer letter drafts using AI writing assistants. You can even set up scenarios where AI analyzes interview transcripts or video responses to identify key themes or potential red flags. By connecting Make.com with AI platforms, you move beyond simple task automation to intelligent process automation, enabling your HR team to make data-driven decisions faster, personalize candidate experiences at scale, and reduce the administrative burden of high-volume tasks. This is where 4Spot Consulting often helps clients achieve significant breakthroughs, leveraging AI to achieve outcomes that were previously impossible.
Migrating your HR automation from Zapier to Make.com is more than just a platform switch; it’s a strategic upgrade that positions your HR and recruiting functions for greater efficiency, scalability, and innovation. By methodically following these 12 essential steps—from comprehensive auditing and strategic planning to rigorous testing and leveraging advanced AI capabilities—your organization can achieve a seamless transition. This journey will not only reduce operational costs but also empower your team with more robust, flexible, and intelligent workflows, freeing up valuable time for strategic initiatives rather than manual grunt work. The result is a more agile, responsive, and data-driven HR department ready to meet the demands of modern talent management.
If you would like to read more, we recommend this article: Make.com: Strategic HR & Recruiting Automation at 1/8th Zapier’s Cost (Plus 10,000 Free Credits)
