How to automate Typeform responses with Zapier

If you collect data through Typeform surveys or quizzes, manually managing the responses can be time-consuming and error-prone. Automating your workflow saves time and ensures your data is processed instantly, without missing valuable information. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of automating Typeform responses using Zapier, a popular no-code automation tool. This beginner-friendly guide will help you streamline your workflow by connecting Typeform with other apps you use daily, all without writing a single line of code. By automating this routine task, you can focus on analyzing results and making decisions faster, rather than spending hours on data entry and organization.

What you will build

By the end of this tutorial, you will have an automated system that triggers an action whenever a new response is submitted to your Typeform survey. For example, you can automatically add new survey respondents to a Google Sheet, send notification emails to your team, or update a CRM with contact information. This automation significantly reduces manual data entry and speeds up your follow-up tasks, minimizing human error and dangling responses.

The power of Zapier lies in its “Zaps” – automations that connect two or more apps. In this case, your Zap will start with Typeform as the trigger, detecting when a new submission is made, and then perform an action in another app of your choice. We will focus on creating a Zap that sends Typeform responses to a Google Sheet for easy tracking and analysis. This approach enables you to capture data in a centralized location, ready for deeper processing, reporting, or sharing with your team.

This process does not require programming skills and is perfect for beginners who want to improve their productivity by automating routine tasks. Additionally, this setup is scalable; as your survey audience grows, your automation will continue to update your data store seamlessly without any extra effort on your part.

Prerequisites

• A Typeform account with an existing active form that collects responses. Ensure your form is published and actively collecting data.
• A Zapier account (you can start with a free plan for basic automations). Remember that some Zapier features may require a paid plan depending on usage.
• A Google account with access to Google Sheets to store responses. Confirm you have editing rights to the desired spreadsheet.
• Basic familiarity with navigating web apps and clicking buttons, to smoothly follow the setup instructions.
• A modern web browser like Google Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. Using updated browsers improves compatibility with web apps.
• Internet access to connect and integrate cloud-based services.
• Optional: a clear goal for what you want to automate after receiving Typeform responses (e.g., notifications, data storage, or CRM updates). Defining your objective ahead of time helps you design the workflow efficiently.

Step-by-step tutorial

1. Log in to Zapier and create a new Zap.
   • Go to zapier.com and sign in to your account.
   • From your dashboard, locate and click the Create Zap button at the top left corner to start building your automation from scratch.
   • Name your Zap for easy identification, such as Typeform to Google Sheets. A clear name helps when you manage multiple Zaps later.
   • Take your time to ensure you are in the right workspace if you have multiple teams or projects associated with your account.
2. Select Typeform as the trigger app.
   • In the Choose App & Event search bar, type Typeform and select it from the dropdown.
   • For the trigger event, pick New Entry to respond whenever someone submits a form response.
   • Click Continue to proceed to the next step.
   • This trigger enables Zapier to monitor your Typeform and initiate the automation immediately after each new entry.
3. Connect your Typeform account.
   • Click Sign in to Typeform. A pop-up window will ask for permission to connect Zapier with your Typeform account.
   • Authorize access by logging into Typeform with your credentials when prompted. Be sure to grant all required permissions so Zapier can access your form data.
   • Once connected successfully, the window will close automatically. Click Continue to move forward.
   • If you encounter connection errors, double-check that you are signing into the correct Typeform account that holds your active form data.
4. Choose the specific Typeform to automate.
   • From the drop-down list, select the active form you want to automate. The list populates with forms from your connected Typeform account.
   • Click Continue once the correct form is chosen.
   • Zapier will then test your trigger by pulling the latest response data from that form. Confirm the test succeeds to ensure that Zapier is reading your responses correctly. This is an important step because it validates the connection and the selected form.
   • If the test fails, check that your Typeform has at least one recent submission and that it is published. Sometimes, newly created forms without submissions will trigger errors.
5. Set up the action with Google Sheets.
   • Under Action, search for and select Google Sheets.
   • Choose the action event Create Spreadsheet Row to append new data as a fresh row in your sheet.
   • Click Continue to proceed to the next configuration step.
   • This action ensures every new Typeform entry is automatically recorded in your chosen Google Sheet.
6. Connect your Google Sheets account.
   • Sign in using your Google account credentials to authorize Zapier access.
   • Allow permissions to manage and edit your Google Sheets, which is indispensable for the automation to write data.
   • Click Continue after authorization is complete.
   • If you have multiple Google accounts, confirm you select the one associated with the spreadsheet where you want data recorded.
7. Specify the Google Sheet and worksheet to use.
   • Select the spreadsheet file where you want the responses recorded. It is good practice to create a dedicated, well-structured sheet beforehand.
   • Choose the exact worksheet (tab) within the spreadsheet where Zapier will insert new rows.
   • Map the Typeform fields to the corresponding columns in your Google Sheet by clicking on each field and selecting the appropriate Typeform response field from the dropdown menu. Pay close attention to matching question types with correct column headers to maintain data integrity.
   • Click Continue when mapping is complete.
   • Tip: Make sure your Google Sheet has proper headers aligned with your form questions. This helps avoid mismatches and makes your data easier to manage later.
8. Test your Zap and activate it.
   • Run a test to confirm that a new row is added to your Google Sheet when a Typeform response arrives. Zapier will use sample data pulled earlier for this test.
   • If the test is successful, you will see the new row in your spreadsheet with the expected data values.
   • If the test fails, carefully check your Google Sheet settings, permissions, and field mappings.
   • Once everything works smoothly, click Turn on Zap to enable the automation. Your Zap will now run in the background, sending Typeform responses automatically to Google Sheets.
   • Remember, once activated, your automation will start working immediately for new responses.
9. Review and manage your automation.
   • From the Zapier dashboard, monitor your Zap’s activity regularly to ensure it’s working correctly. You can track task history and error reports.
   • Edit or pause the Zap anytime if you want to change the workflow, update fields, or temporarily stop the automation without deleting it.
   • Explore other integrations in Zapier to extend your automation beyond Google Sheets, such as sending Slack notifications, updating CRM records, or triggering emails.
   • Maintaining your Zaps carefully helps avoid disruptions and keeps your business processes smooth and efficient.

Common mistakes

• Failing to authorize Zapier with the correct Typeform or Google account, causing connection errors. It’s common to accidentally connect with the wrong account or use expired credentials. Double-check the accounts you link when setting up your Zap.
• Not testing the trigger and action steps, which may result in silent failures. Always run the tests Zapier provides during setup—they catch issues early and prevent wasting time later.
• Incorrectly mapping Typeform fields to Google Sheets columns, resulting in misplaced or missing data. This often happens when field names are ambiguous or Google Sheet headers are missing. Prepare your sheet with clear column headers before mapping.
• Choosing the wrong Typeform form or worksheet, leading to confusion and operational errors. Verify that you select the correct form and tab especially if you manage multiple forms and spreadsheets.
• Ignoring Zap limits on free plans, such as the number of tasks you can run per month. These limits can cause your Zap to stop running unexpectedly. Check your plan’s quotas and upgrade if needed.
• Not customizing the Google Sheet headers before mapping fields, which might cause Zapier to misinterpret where to place response data. Take the time to label your sheet columns to match your Typeform questions for a smooth integration.
• Leaving the Zap turned off after setup, so the automation never starts running. After testing, remember to activate your Zap by toggling it on; otherwise, no data will be transferred automatically.
• Forgetting to check data formats, especially date and numerical responses. Mismatches in data types can cause issues in your Google Sheet or downstream processes.

Next steps

Now that you have successfully automated sending Typeform responses to Google Sheets, consider expanding your automation skills by connecting Typeform to other applications, such as email marketing platforms to nurture leads, CRMs to manage contacts, or project management tools to create tasks from submissions. Zapier supports thousands of apps, allowing you to build complex multi-step workflows that enhance productivity and information flow throughout your business.

Experiment with adding filters, delays, and conditional actions in Zapier to customize automation behaviors further. For example, you might only send notifications for high-priority responses or aggregate data before exporting. The possibilities are vast once you understand the basics.

Check out other workflows and tutorials on TechZog to discover practical automation ideas tailored to your needs. These guides will help you leverage no-code tools like Zapier to save time across various business or personal projects.

For more detailed documentation on integrating Typeform with Zapier, visit the official Zapier Typeform integration page to explore all available triggers and actions. Staying updated with the latest features lets you optimize your workflows and tap into new capabilities as both platforms evolve.