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3 min read

4 ways to automate your video calls

By Krystina Martinez · July 13, 2020
Hero image with an icon of a video camera

Yes, we know you're probably tired of video calls right now. If you weren't already working remotely, it's likely been a big adjustment: there's the tech, call etiquette, and frankly, a more conscientious effort to have a smooth-running video call.

As much as you'd like to run and hide from another video call, it's the foreseeable future for many of our work and social interactions. However, it's possible to make video conferencing easier by trying out one of our automatic workflows (we call them Zaps).

To get started with a Zap template—what we call our pre-made workflows—just click on it, and we'll guide you through setup. It only takes a couple of minutes. You can read more about setting up Zaps here.

Note: The video conferencing apps mentioned in the piece already have native integrations with certain apps. For this piece, we'll be recommending workflows that either don't already exist or take native integrations to the next level. You might notice that some of these Zaps don't involve a video conferencing service, but can be used for the purpose of virtual meetings.

Set pre-call reminders

Fashionably late is acceptable at parties, but when it comes to video calls, it can be annoying for your coworkers. But even if a meeting is blocked off on the calendar, it can be easy to forget about an upcoming call if you're busy with other things.

Instead of messaging late individuals, try a Zap to send video call information a few minutes before the planned start time.

Send Slack channel messages for new Google Calendar events

Send Slack channel messages for new Google Calendar events
  • Google Calendar logo
  • Slack logo
Google Calendar + Slack

Post to Microsoft Teams channels when new Google Calendar events start

Post to Microsoft Teams channels when new Google Calendar events start
  • Google Calendar logo
  • Microsoft Teams logo
Google Calendar + Microsoft Teams

Get messages in Microsoft Teams for upcoming Microsoft Outlook calendar events

Get messages in Microsoft Teams for upcoming Microsoft Outlook calendar events
  • Microsoft Outlook logo
  • Microsoft Teams logo
Microsoft Outlook + Microsoft Teams

Send a Slack reminders for new Cisco Webex Meetings

Send a Slack reminders for new Cisco Webex Meetings
  • Cisco Webex Meetings logo
Cisco Webex Meetings

Send new Cisco Webex meeting info via Gmail [Business Gmail Accounts Only]

Send new Cisco Webex meeting info via Gmail [Business Gmail Accounts Only]
  • Cisco Webex Meetings logo
  • Gmail logo
Cisco Webex Meetings + Gmail

If you find that you're constantly reminding people to do regular pre-meeting tasks you can also automate a reminder in your team chat app.

Get weekly reminders in Slack

Get weekly reminders in Slack
  • Schedule by Zapier logo
  • Slack logo
Schedule by Zapier + Slack

Send weekly channel reminders in Microsoft Teams

Send weekly channel reminders in Microsoft Teams
  • Schedule by Zapier logo
  • Microsoft Teams logo
Schedule by Zapier + Microsoft Teams

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Zapier

And if you're emailing a room link for the weekly family video call, these Zaps will also do the job. Just make sure the link to your personal Zoom meeting room (or video app of your choice) is in the email body.

Send weekly emails with Gmail

Send weekly emails with Gmail
  • Schedule by Zapier logo
  • Gmail logo
Schedule by Zapier + Gmail

Send emails reminders from Gmail for upcoming Google Calendar events with video call information

Send emails reminders from Gmail for upcoming Google Calendar events with video call information
  • Google Calendar logo
  • Gmail logo
Google Calendar + Gmail

Send emails from Gmail for upcoming Google Calendar events

Send emails from Gmail for upcoming Google Calendar events
  • Google Calendar logo
  • Gmail logo
Google Calendar + Gmail

Schedule your calls with minimal cat wrangling

It's relatively easy to schedule calls with your team. Shared calendars allow you to view coworkers' calendars and make sure you're scheduling at a convenient time for everyone.

Unfortunately, the same luxury doesn't exist when you're scheduling calls with outside clients or even your own family members. Usually, there's email, phone, or text tag involved, but scheduling apps like Calendly, YouCanBook.Me, or Doodle makes it easy to pick the best time for everyone.

Level up your coordination efforts with no extra work by setting up an automatic workflow to connect your favorite booking app to your video conferencing apps of choice.

Create meetings in GoTo Meeting from new Calendly events

Create meetings in GoTo Meeting from new Calendly events
  • Calendly logo
  • GoTo Meeting logo
Calendly + GoTo Meeting

Create Zoom meetings for new Calendly events

Create Zoom meetings for new Calendly events
  • Calendly logo
  • Zoom logo
Calendly + Zoom

Create meetings on GoTo Meeting for new YouCanBook.Me bookings

Create meetings on GoTo Meeting for new YouCanBook.Me bookings
  • YouCanBookMe logo
  • GoTo Meeting logo
YouCanBookMe + GoTo Meeting

Send new Calendly meetings to GoTo Meeting, Google Calendar, and Pipedrive

Send new Calendly meetings to GoTo Meeting, Google Calendar, and Pipedrive
  • GoTo Meeting logo
  • Google Calendar logo
  • Pipedrive logo
GoTo Meeting + Google Calendar + Pipedrive

Note: Depending on the video conferencing app you use, a native integration may already exist for your calendar. If it doesn't, check out Zapier's calendar and scheduling app integrations.

Create an agenda for every call

Agendas sound boring but they are meeting lifesavers. They guide the scope of discussions and are helpful for teammates to review if they happen to miss that meeting. (You're taking notes during your meetings, right?)

If you often forget to create an agenda, or you're trying to build healthier meeting habits, use an automatic workflow to get the ball rolling. Instead of fumbling at the start of each meeting to open up and create a cloud document, these Zaps will create a new document for new video calls.

Create Quip documents for new Cisco Webex Meetings

Create Quip documents for new Cisco Webex Meetings
  • Cisco Webex Meetings logo
  • Quip logo
Cisco Webex Meetings + Quip

Create Google documents for new Cisco Webex Meetings

Create Google documents for new Cisco Webex Meetings
  • Cisco Webex Meetings logo
  • Google Docs logo
Cisco Webex Meetings + Google Docs

Learn more about how to create and auto-populate a Google Doc template.

Automate follow-up tasks after a meeting

We all have those routine tasks that we have to do after a meeting. Update the project doc. Upload the call recording. Write a follow-up email to the client. Repetition leads to habits, but brain farts also happen and things can slip through the cracks.

For those days when you feel like your brain took a vacation, set up a Zap to connect your video conferencing app or calendar to a task manager like Todoist or Trello. Add a filter step—available on our paid plans—to make sure tasks are created after the appropriate meeting ends.

Create Asana tasks for new Cisco Webex Meetings

Create Asana tasks for new Cisco Webex Meetings
  • Cisco Webex Meetings logo
  • Asana logo
Cisco Webex Meetings + Asana

Create Todoist tasks for new Cisco Webex Meetings

Create Todoist tasks for new Cisco Webex Meetings
  • Cisco Webex Meetings logo
  • Todoist logo
Cisco Webex Meetings + Todoist

Add new Google Calendar events to Todoist as tasks

Add new Google Calendar events to Todoist as tasks
  • Google Calendar logo
  • Todoist logo
Google Calendar + Todoist

Create new Asana tasks from new Google Calendar events

Create new Asana tasks from new Google Calendar events
  • Google Calendar logo
  • Asana logo
Google Calendar + Asana

Create Trello cards for new Cisco Webex Meetings

Create Trello cards for new Cisco Webex Meetings
  • Cisco Webex Meetings logo
  • Trello logo
Cisco Webex Meetings + Trello

Create new tasks on Salesforce for new meetings on GoTo Meeting

Create new tasks on Salesforce for new meetings on GoTo Meeting
  • GoTo Meeting logo
  • Salesforce logo
GoTo Meeting + Salesforce

You can also set up an automatic workflow for follow-up tasks specific to client work. For example, if you send a call summary after every external meeting, you can have an email draft ready to go after the end of a video call.

Create drafts on Gmail for new meetings on GoTo Meeting

Create drafts on Gmail for new meetings on GoTo Meeting
  • GoTo Meeting logo
  • Gmail logo
GoTo Meeting + Gmail

Related: Never lose a meeting action item: Automate the process

Bonus: Upload the meeting recording

It's inevitable that someone may miss a meeting, which is why many video conferencing apps enable call recording. If you need to juggle running the meeting and assigning action items, it's easy to forget to share the video recording once it's uploaded.

This Zap will share your Zoom meeting recordings automatically so you never forget to keep someone in the loop.

Send Slack channel messages for new Zoom recordings

Send Slack channel messages for new Zoom recordings
  • Zoom logo
Zoom

We may not be able to fix that one colleague who never mutes at the right time, but automating some of the most annoying parts about video calls, it can ease some of the screen fatigue you might feel.

Related reading:

  • Automate your webinar processes with these workflows

  • Automate your online courses with these workflows

  • Webex vs. Zoom: Which should you choose?

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A Zap with the trigger 'When I get a new lead from Facebook,' and the action 'Notify my team in Slack'