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Stop copying and pasting with automation

Make it once, and let automation do the rest

By Krystina Martinez · November 24, 2020
An icon for copying and pasting that looks like stacked diamonds in a white square on a pale orange background.

The copy and paste keyboard shortcuts were probably one of the first "tricks" you learned to do on a computer. The novelty doesn't last long. If you've ever had to do a task as terrifying as copying a PDF into a spreadsheet (and fixing it), you know that bulk copying and pasting is high on the list of the worst menial tasks out there. 

We need to boycott copying and pasting in bulk. I'm serious. It's terrible, it wastes time, it introduces errors, and it's a frustrating and tedious exercise. While this is a boycott most knowledge workers would get behind, it's hard not to do it. With Zapier, you can move data from one app to another automatically, without the fast-twitch muscles of your copy-paste fingers or any complex code. 

We've rounded up a few automatic workflows, which we call Zaps, to help you cut back on the amount of copying and pasting you have to do. To get started with a Zap template—what we call our pre-made workflows—just click on it, and we'll guide you through the set-up process. You can read more about setting up Zaps here.

Copy files

It's hard enough to keep files organized on your computer, not to mention your cloud storage apps. For shared team spaces, it's even more crucial to have organized documents and folders.

If you're constantly making copies of the same file structure for routine work, such as projects, these Zaps will do it for you. 

Copy new Dropbox files in a directory to another Dropbox directory or account

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Dropbox
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    Maybe you want to copy new files from a shared Dropbox directory to a private one - or even from one Dropbox account to another. Instead of monitoring a directory and copying files manually, use this Zapier integration to take care of everything automatically.

    Add new Google Drive files to Dropbox

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    Google Drive + Dropbox
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      Dropbox and Google Drive are both great apps for accessing the files you need to work with. Now you can make sure new files end up in both, automatically with this integration. No extra work from you!

      Copy new Google Drive files to Box

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      Google Drive + Box
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        Want to sync Google Drive files to Box? After this Zapier integration is set up, whenever you add a new file to Google Drive, it'll automatically be will be saved to Box. You'll then be able to get your files easily from either app.

        Copy new Dropbox files to OneDrive

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        Dropbox + OneDrive
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          What if you'd like to be able to edit Office documents from Dropbox in the Office Web Apps, or just backup your files to another online storage app? That's where this integration comes in handy. It'll automatically copy any new files you add to a Dropbox folder to the folder you select in OneDrive, so you'll always have your files where you need them.

          Copy new attachments from Trello cards into Google Docs

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          Trello + Google Docs
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            If your Trello workflow involves adding multiple attachments to Trello cards, this Zap is for you. Once you set it up, this integration will watch your Trello activity for new attachments, and copy them into Google Docs automatically.

            Copy notes

            Backing up your notes and important documents is a good habit. Perhaps you prefer one app for notes, but a coworker requests the information in another app. With these Zaps, you can make copies to share with others, no matter what app they use. 

            Copy new Evernote notes to your OneNote notebook

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            Evernote + OneNote
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              Need to collaborate between Evernote and OneNote? With this integration, that'll never be a problem again. You'll connect your Evernote and OneNote accounts, and whenever a new note is added to Evernote, it'll automatically be copied to your OneNote account.

              Copy new OneDrive files to Evernote as new notes with attachments

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              OneDrive + Evernote
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                You use different applications for different purposes. So, when you want have multiple ways to refer to files you have to take the time and effort to copy from one location to another. Save yourself the trouble with this OneDrive Evernote integration that copies files from OneDrive to Evernote as new notes with attachments.

                Copy files from Evernote to Google Docs

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                Evernote + Google Docs
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                  Need a simple way to move the attachments on your Evernote notes to Google Docs? This Zapier integration can watch your Evernote notebook for new file attachments, then copy them over to Google Drive automatically. You can add your files easily to Evernote, and still be able to quickly open and edit them in Google Docs.

                  Create text files in Dropbox for each new Google Document

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                  Google Docs + Dropbox
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                    Easily back up your Google Docs to Dropbox with this Google Docs Dropbox integration. Whenever a new doc is creates in Google Docs, this integration will automatically save a copy to Dropbox.

                    Copy things inside apps

                    Copying stuff inside one app feels like it should be easier than it is. For example, copying an event from your personal calendar to your work calendar, or line items between spreadsheets. These workflows will simplify anything you need to copy within a single app. 

                    Copy messages between Slack channels

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                    Slack
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                      Use this Slack integration to funnel everything you need into #general channel, or anywhere else you need new messages to appear. This will trigger whenever a new message is posted on a specific channel and automatically copy it to another channel in Slack.

                      Copy new rows between Excel spreadsheets

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                      Microsoft Excel
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                        Your spreadsheets don't exist in a vacuum, separate from each other. Use Zapier to connect them as needed with this integration. Set it up to automatically copy data between rows whenever you add a new row to an Excel spreadsheet. You'll never have to copy out that information again.

                        Copy new or moved Trello cards from one board or list to another board or list

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                        Trello
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                          If your workflow has you constantly copying and pasting cards from one board to another, use this Trello integration to skip a step. Once it's active, this Zap will automatically duplicate each new Trello card whenever you add it to a specified board or list.

                          Copy new Google Calendar events to a different Google Calendar

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                          Google Calendar
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                            If you ever needed to keep certain Google Calendars up to date with each other, this integration can help. Automatically create a copy of a new Google Calendar event into any different Google calendar of your choosing.

                            Copy things to other apps

                            Copying things between apps is perhaps the biggest headache. You've probably downloaded files manually to upload in another app, such as PDF invoices. Or perhaps you've copied a selection in one app to another app that prefers a different format. These Zaps will copy whatever you need, automatically.

                            Copy JIRA issues into GitHub

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                            Jira Software Server + GitHub
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                              There shouldn't be any friction between your bug tracking and development environment. Use this JIRA-GitHub integration to link the apps together and save you from having to copy over data. Whenever we see a new issue on JIRA, we'll automatically copy it over to GitHub (with any modifications you need) so nothing falls through the cracks.

                              Add new Airtable records in views to Google Sheets

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                              Airtable + Google Sheets
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                                Create a back up for your database records with this Airtable to Google Sheets automation. Once set up, each time a new record is added to a selected view in Airtable, Zapier will automatically add a new row into your selected Google Sheets spreadsheet. Prevent losing data when you create copies, and use this integration as an easy way to export Airtable database info to a spreadsheet.

                                Need to convert information in one app to a different format for another app? Try Formatter, which can reformat dates, text, and other information for your Zaps. 

                                Stop copying and pasting

                                These are just a few examples of how Zapier can help you eliminate bulk copying and pasting.  Zapier supports thousands of apps, so you can automate almost any task at work. Start building your Zap now and see what you can create.

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