If a workflow is not working, something it’s a simple as you dragged over the wrong action (e.g., “Find Finder Items” instead of “Filter Finder Items”) You can run tests from right within Automator. Test your workflows to make sure they work before saving.Automator can’t do everything, so it’s a good idea to get familiar with the various actions to see which ones could make your life easier or more productive.The items on the left-hand side that you drag over into the workflow are called Actions.I hazard to guess, the three types you might create most often are Applications, Quick Actions, and Folder Actions.Ī few other facts about Automator to keep in mind: Use one of the Folder Action workflows to quickly and easily organize files placed into that folder.
Or, let’s say if you’re like me and many other people who download all kinds of crazy stuff from the internet to your desktop or Downloads folder. So I have a few Quick Action workflows in my contextual services menu that I frequently utilize. In my roles as a content marketing manager and blog editor, I frequently need to resize and/or change the file type of images I find online.
Which workflows you use will greatly depend on the kind of work you do.
In short, Automator is a way to, in essence, write “code” on the Mac without being a computer programmer.
That is why Automator on the macOS is one of my favorite tools for giving me boosts of productivity. Especially if you’re able to increase the speed of things you do on any kind of regular basis.
In today’s topsy-turvy, busy world, the faster you can get things done, the better.