How Vector Media automated onboarding, contracts, and support with Zapier on its IT team

When Dan Dorato-Hankins, Chief Technology Officer at Vector Media, talks about Zapier, he doesn’t describe it as just another software tool. He calls it a teammate.

“Zapier has effectively functioned as an additional technical team member,” Dan said. “It automates our core employee lifecycle and helpdesk administration processes, and via advanced workflows built with Functions, powers internal tools like our service monitoring system and MCP, a rich, team-tuned knowledge platform.”

Automating the employee lifecycle

Onboarding and offboarding employees is one of IT’s most repetitive and high-stakes responsibilities. New hires need accounts, access, and resources on day one (and sometimes even before then). Departing employees need to be offboarded immediately for security reasons. 

At Vector Media, dozens of systems are involved, from HRIS and email to Salesforce, building access, and internal knowledge platforms.

“We handle all our employee onboarding and offboarding through Zapier,” Dan said. “It interfaces with almost all of the systems we have deployed.”

Here’s how it works:

• New hires trigger automations that provision accounts across tools.

• Manager and role changes update automatically, ensuring the right entitlements.

• Offer letters are generated and sent using Zapier Interfaces.

• Building access is provisioned instantly through Unifi Axis.

• Profile photos uploaded once are synced across all apps.

For departing employees, Zapier ensures all accounts and building access are revoked immediately. The result is a secure, consistent, and scalable process.

“Employees have everything ready on day one,” Dan said. “And when someone leaves, we know the organization is secure.”

Streamlining helpdesk and support

IT support is another area where automation has transformed operations. Before Zapier, the IT team needed to gather context manually from multiple systems before responding to tickets, slowing resolution times.

With Zapier, Vector Media automated the intake and triage process:

• Incoming calls are transcribed and logged as support tickets.

• Workflows collect relevant system data automatically.

• Tickets are enriched with entitlements and user details before being assigned.

Now, when technicians open a ticket, they already have the information they need to resolve it quickly. “We interface with various systems to get our technicians up to speed before we even start responding. It’s a huge time saver.”

Simplifying contracts and sales operations

As a sales-driven organization, Vector Media depends on quick and accurate contract processing. Previously, moving agreements from signature platforms into Salesforce involved manual steps that slowed deals and created risk.

Zapier closed the gap. Contracts signed in Vector’s signature platform are automatically synced with Salesforce, ensuring they’re accessible across the business. Internal workflows also generate offer letters and manage approvals, keeping processes smooth and auditable.

“Sales gets instant visibility into contract status. It helps us move deals forward faster," said Dan.

Building custom integrations when none exist

Not every system Vector Media relies on has a native Zapier integration. For many organizations, that would mean waiting for a vendor update or dedicating engineering resources to custom development. But Dan uses Zapier’s developer tools to build the integrations himself.

From HRIS workflows in Namely to building security via Unifi Axis, Zapier connects critical systems that otherwise would remain siloed. “If there isn’t a native integration, I use Zapier’s developer tools to build custom ones,” Dan said.

That flexibility ensures Vector’s IT team never gets stuck. Whatever the business needs, they can deliver.

Vector Media's results:

• Hours saved on every employee onboarding and offboarding, compounded across dozens of hires annually.

• Faster support response times, with tickets enriched before technicians even begin.

• Secure, same-day building access provisioned for every new hire.

• Contracts synced instantly into Salesforce, cutting deal cycle times.

Zapier as a teammate

For Dan, Zapier isn’t just about efficiency, it’s about how he approaches work. “Zapier has changed the way I work in every way,” he said. “It makes it easier to do the things I love and automate the repetitive stuff that is a drag on my productivity.”

Instead of being bogged down in manual processes, Dan’s IT team focuses on strategic improvements. And with Zapier as the connective tissue, they can deliver new tools and integrations without waiting for vendor roadmaps or additional headcount.

“Zapier is an additional member of my tech team. It allows us to deliver solutions faster, keep our organization secure, and focus on the work that really matters.”

Dan Dorato-Hankins is a 2025 Zappy Awards winner in the IT Automator of the Year category.