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Automate Basics

// Your own machine, tiny budget, results today. No DevOps.

I'm solo / a creator

You control your own setup but have no time for plumbing. The honest curriculum starts you on free tiers and purpose-built tools, and tells you “don’t build this, turn on the tool that already does it” more often than not.

// tools that fit you

✓ ChatGPT (Projects, GPTs, Tasks) · AI assistants ✓ Claude (Projects, Artifacts) · AI assistants ✓ Google Gemini in Workspace · AI assistants ✓ NotebookLM · AI assistants Zapier · No-code platforms Make · No-code platforms n8n · No-code platforms Pipedream · No-code platforms Activepieces · No-code platforms Gumloop · No-code platforms ✓ Apple Shortcuts · Desktop & OS ✓ Excel, Copilot, Office Scripts & VBA · Desktop & OS ✓ Google Sheets, Gemini & Apps Script · Desktop & OS ✓ Windows built-ins (PowerToys, Task Scheduler) · Desktop & OS Raycast · Desktop & OS Keyboard Maestro · Desktop & OS AutoHotkey · Desktop & OS ✓ ChatGPT Agent · AI agents Claude in Chrome · AI agents Perplexity Comet / ChatGPT Atlas · AI agents ✓ Tidio (Lyro) / Chatbase · Purpose-built apps ✓ OpusClip · Purpose-built apps ✓ Klaviyo · Purpose-built apps ✓ Shopify Flow · Purpose-built apps ✓ HubSpot Free CRM · Purpose-built apps ✓ Wave / QuickBooks · Purpose-built apps ✓ Fireflies / Clay / Apollo · Purpose-built apps

Guides for you

◐ Personal Productivity AI assistants ✓ Works at work · no install

Build a Daily AI Briefing With ChatGPT Tasks (No Server, No Code)

Wake up to a short briefing written by ChatGPT every morning. Use the built-in Tasks feature to run a prompt on a schedule, no automation tool, no server, no code.

Beginner · 10 min At workSolo
▤ Finance & Invoicing AI assistants ✓ Works at work · no install

Clean a Messy CSV and Build a PivotTable with Excel Copilot, in Plain English

No formulas, no macros, nothing to install. Use Microsoft 365 Copilot in Excel to clean a messy export and build a PivotTable just by describing what you want, plus the free fallback if you don’t have a Copilot license.

Beginner · 15 min At workSolo
⛯ Operations & Admin AI assistants ✓ Works at work · no install

Answer Questions From a 100-Page Policy Pack With NotebookLM (Cited, No Guessing)

Stop scrolling through PDFs for one answer. Upload your documents to NotebookLM and ask questions in plain English, with answers grounded only in your sources and linked to the exact page. Free, no install.

Beginner · 10 min At workSolo
✶ Content & Social Desktop & OS ✓ Works at work · no install

Voice Note → LinkedIn Post with Apple Shortcuts + ChatGPT (No n8n, No Server)

The simplest way to turn a 30-second voice note into a polished LinkedIn post, a free Apple Shortcut that transcribes your audio and rewrites it with AI, right on your iPhone or Mac. Nothing to install, no server.

Beginner · 20 min Solo
▤ Finance & Invoicing No-code platforms

How to Automate Invoice Reminders for Freelancers (n8n + Gmail + Sheets)

Stop chasing late payments by hand. Build an n8n workflow that tracks unpaid invoices and sends polite, escalating reminders automatically until you get paid.

Beginner · 35 min Team / agencySolo
⛯ Operations & Admin No-code platforms

Email to Notion: Auto-Create Tasks From Your Inbox (n8n Workflow)

Turn any email into a Notion task automatically. Build an n8n workflow that reads a flagged email, extracts the action item and due date with AI, and files it in your task database.

Beginner · 30 min SoloTeam / agency
◎ Marketing No-code platforms

How to Automate a Weekly Marketing Report with GA4 + AI (n8n)

Stop rebuilding the same report every week. Build an n8n workflow that pulls your Google Analytics numbers, has Claude write a plain-English summary, and emails it to you (or your client) automatically.

Intermediate · 45 min Team / agencySolo
↗ Sales No-code platforms

How to Auto-Draft Sales Follow-Up Emails with n8n + Claude (No Code)

Never let a lead go cold again. Build an n8n workflow that watches for leads needing a follow-up and uses Claude to draft a personalized email in your tone, ready in your drafts for a one-click send.

Beginner · 40 min Team / agencySolo
◆ Foundations No-code platforms

What Is n8n, and How Does It Work? A Beginner’s Guide (+ Your First Workflow)

A plain-English introduction to n8n, what it is, the four ideas you actually need, cloud vs self-hosted, and a step-by-step first workflow that emails you an AI news briefing every morning.

Beginner · 20 min SoloTeam / agency
✶ Content & Social No-code platforms

How to Turn a Voice Note Into a LinkedIn Post Automatically (n8n + Claude)

Talk for 30 seconds, get a polished LinkedIn post. A step-by-step n8n workflow that transcribes your voice note and uses Claude to write it up in your voice. No editing required.

Beginner · 30 min Team / agencySolo
◆ Foundations No-code platforms

Zapier vs Make vs n8n vs Just ChatGPT: Which Should You Use in 2026?

A plain-English decision guide. Stop comparing feature lists and answer four questions instead: can you install software, how much will it run, what is your budget, and how technical are you? Then pick the right automation tool with confidence.

Beginner · 8 min read At workSoloTeam / agency