Make.com Tutorial: Build Your First Workflow in 5 Minutes

Overview

This is a Make.com beginner’s guide for complete beginners.

Run your first automated workflow in 5 minutes by importing a ready-made blueprint:

1. Register Account - Quick registration with Google account
2. Import Blueprint - Load preset workflow JSON
3. Configure Connections - Set up API authorization for each module
4. Run Test - Verify workflow runs correctly
5. Troubleshooting - Learn to check and fix issues

Make supports over 2000 app integrations

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Core Decision Factors

When choosing a no-code automation platform, consider:

• Integration Count - Number of supported third-party services
• Ease of Use - Intuitiveness of interface and learning curve
• Feature Depth - Can it handle complex multi-step logic
• Cost-Effectiveness - Free quota and operation costs
• Modular Design - Flexibility in workflow building

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Technical Specifications

Specification	Value	Notes
Integrated Apps	2000+	Covers mainstream SaaS services
Module Count	2231	Standardized functional units
Free Operations	1000/month	New user free quota
Complex Workflow Cost	2000-3000 ops	Development/debug consumption
Notion Field Limit	~2000 characters	Main text field

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Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

• A Google account (for quick registration)
• Basic browser operation skills
• About 30 minutes for learning

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Core Concepts

What is Make?

Make.com (formerly Integromat) is a visual no-code automation platform. Think of it as a “digital assembly line” that lets different apps and services automatically collaborate to complete tasks.

Make’s drag-and-drop workflow building interface

Core Terms

• Scenario - A complete automated workflow
• Module - A single operation unit in the workflow
• App - Third-party service (like Notion, OpenAI)
• Action - Specific operation a module executes
• Connection - Authorization relationship between module and service
• Blueprint - Importable workflow JSON file

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Quick Start

Step 1: Register Make Account

1. Visit make.com
2. Quick registration with Google account
3. Get 1000 free monthly operations

Step 2: Import Blueprint

Import JSON workflow file

1. Create new scenario
2. Click import button
3. Select blueprint JSON file
4. Workflow loads automatically

Note: All modules show exclamation marks after import - this is normal, indicating connections need configuration.

Step 3: Configure Module Connections

Click each module to complete authorization:

• RSS Module - No authorization needed, just configure source URL
• OpenAI Module - Requires API Key
• Notion Module - Requires OAuth authorization and database selection

Step 4: Run Test

View module input/output for troubleshooting

1. Click “Run once” to execute
2. Check each module’s output data
3. Confirm data flows correctly

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Troubleshooting

RSS Module Has No Data

Issue: First run produces no data

Cause: Default only processes new data after import

Solution: Change trigger mode from “From now on” to “All”

Notion Write Fails

Issue: Content exceeds character limit

Cause: Notion text field limits ~2000 characters

Solution:

• Use text truncation function
• Switch to Append module to save to page body

API Authorization Error

Issue: Module shows 401 error

Cause: Invalid API Key or expired authorization

Solution: Reconfigure connection and verify credentials

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Advanced: Switching AI Models

Integrate OpenRouter for multi-model switching

Make supports integrating multiple AI models:

• OpenAI - GPT-4o, GPT-4o Mini, etc.
• OpenRouter - Aggregates multiple model providers
• Claude - Anthropic’s models
• Gemini - Google’s models

Cost Optimization Tips:

• Simple tasks use GPT-4o Mini (under $10 per million tokens)
• High-requirement tasks use Claude or GPT-4o
• OpenRouter supports free models (but less stable)

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Important Notes

Things to note when using Make:

1. Development Cost - Debugging complex workflows consumes many operations, may exceed free quota

2. Free Models Unstable - Free models on OpenRouter may error or not support structured output

3. Structured Output Limitations - Some models don’t natively support JSON output, need extra processing

4. Field Character Limits - Services like Notion have character limits, must consider in design

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Use Cases

Recommended For

• Content Creators - Automate content generation for social media
• Digital Marketers - Batch process data and auto-publish
• Productivity Enthusiasts - Automate repetitive tasks
• No-Code Developers - Quickly build automation solutions

May Not Suit

• Senior developers needing ultimate performance and low-level control
• Users completely uninterested in learning new tools
• Scenarios with massive task volume but extremely limited budget

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FAQ

What’s Make.com’s free quota?

New users get 1,000 free operations per month, enough for learning and building basic workflows.

What do I need to do after importing a blueprint?

Each module’s connection (API Key or OAuth authorization) needs to be reconfigured. This is a necessary step after importing blueprints.

Why does RSS module have no data?

By default it only processes new data after import. Change trigger mode from “From now on” to “All” to get historical data.

What if Notion write fails?

Content may exceed 2000 character limit. Need to truncate text or use Append module to save content to page body.

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Next Steps

After mastering the basics, you can try:

• Modify existing workflows to fit your needs
• Build simple automation scenarios from scratch
• Learn more advanced features like Router, Iterator
• Explore integrations with more apps

Feel free to leave comments if you have questions!