Build it in Zapier in a day.
Then do the maths.
A rough version running on real data will teach you more about your own process than another meeting will. Stack Logic builds in Zapier where it fits, moves things into code when the volume or the complexity justifies it, and is honest about which side of that line you are on.
Build it in Zapier in a day.
Then do the maths.
A rough version running on real data will teach you more about your own process than another meeting will. Stack Logic builds in Zapier where it fits, moves things into code when the volume or the complexity justifies it, and is honest about which side of that line you are on.
Do the Maths
Cheap per month is not the same as cheap.
Zapier prices per task, and a multi-step workflow burns several tasks on every run. If a process runs a few hundred times a month, connects two systems with decent Zapier support and does not make complicated decisions, Zapier is the right answer and I will build it there.
But a process that fires a few thousand times a month can quietly cost more per year than a build would have cost once, and the crossing point arrives sooner than most people expect on anything with branches in it. The decision belongs to you, and it comes down to maths rather than preference.
Do the Maths
Cheap per month is not the same as cheap.
Zapier prices per task, and a multi-step workflow burns several tasks on every run. If a process runs a few hundred times a month, connects two systems with decent Zapier support and does not make complicated decisions, Zapier is the right answer and I will build it there.
But a process that fires a few thousand times a month can quietly cost more per year than a build would have cost once, and the crossing point arrives sooner than most people expect on anything with branches in it. The decision belongs to you, and it comes down to maths rather than preference.
What I build
What I actually do with Zapier.
Zapier is a prototyping tool that happens to be good enough to run a lot of things permanently. Both halves of that sentence matter, and the work is knowing which half you are in.
Prototypes that answer the question
A working version in a day, on your real data, before anyone commits to a build. If the idea is not worth anything, you find out for the price of a day rather than a project.
Production Zaps that stay
Where the volume is modest and the logic is simple, the Zap is the finished product. Built tidily, named sensibly, with someone actually watching the failure notifications.
Bullhorn, Vincere and JobScience connections
The ATS end is usually the fragile end. I build the Zapier connection against the API where the standard integration falls short, which for JobScience in particular is most of the time.
The move to code, when it is earned
When a Zap crosses the line on volume or complexity, the proven design moves into plain code you own. The Zapier version was the specification, so nothing about the process needs re-discovering.
What I build
What I actually do with Zapier.
Zapier is a prototyping tool that happens to be good enough to run a lot of things permanently. Both halves of that sentence matter, and the work is knowing which half you are in.
Prototypes that answer the question
A working version in a day, on your real data, before anyone commits to a build. If the idea is not worth anything, you find out for the price of a day rather than a project.
Production Zaps that stay
Where the volume is modest and the logic is simple, the Zap is the finished product. Built tidily, named sensibly, with someone actually watching the failure notifications.
Bullhorn, Vincere and JobScience connections
The ATS end is usually the fragile end. I build the Zapier connection against the API where the standard integration falls short, which for JobScience in particular is most of the time.
The move to code, when it is earned
When a Zap crosses the line on volume or complexity, the proven design moves into plain code you own. The Zapier version was the specification, so nothing about the process needs re-discovering.
Is this you?
We should talk if...
You run a recruitment agency and Zapier is already in the building, and some version of the following is true.
Nobody knows exactly how many Zaps there are or which ones still matter.
The bill has crept to the point where someone has asked what it is for.
A Zap turned itself off in the spring and the records from that fortnight are still missing.
None of this means Zapier was the wrong choice. It means the estate has outgrown the way it is being looked after, and some of it is due either tidying or promoting into code.
Is this you?
We should talk if...
You run a recruitment agency and Zapier is already in the building, and some version of the following is true.
Nobody knows exactly how many Zaps there are or which ones still matter.
The bill has crept to the point where someone has asked what it is for.
A Zap turned itself off in the spring and the records from that fortnight are still missing.
None of this means Zapier was the wrong choice. It means the estate has outgrown the way it is being looked after, and some of it is due either tidying or promoting into code.
How it works
Every process goes through the same three steps.
Discovery
A look at what Zapier is currently doing for you, what it costs per year at current volume, and which processes are candidates for building rather than renting. If there is an existing estate, it gets an audit: what runs, what is dead, what fails silently. This takes a week.
Discovery
A look at what Zapier is currently doing for you, what it costs per year at current volume, and which processes are candidates for building rather than renting. If there is an existing estate, it gets an audit: what runs, what is dead, what fails silently. This takes a week.
Build
New automations get built in Zapier first where that makes sense, proven on real data, then either left there or moved into code depending on the arithmetic we agreed. Everything is documented as it is built. Typically one to four weeks depending on scope.
Build
New automations get built in Zapier first where that makes sense, proven on real data, then either left there or moved into code depending on the arithmetic we agreed. Everything is documented as it is built. Typically one to four weeks depending on scope.
Handover
You get working automation, documentation of what runs where and why, and monitoring so a Zap that turns itself off tells a person instead of nobody. I stay available for 30 days post-launch, with retainer support after that if you want it.
Handover
You get working automation, documentation of what runs where and why, and monitoring so a Zap that turns itself off tells a person instead of nobody. I stay available for 30 days post-launch, with retainer support after that if you want it.
what clients say
But don't just take it from me.
We bring Jack in whenever we need serious Bullhorn Automation expertise. He takes our most tangled requirements and turns them into clean automations that just work, and he's become our go-to second pair of eyes whenever a build needs sense-checking. It's clear he has a deep understanding of Bullhorn and the recruitment industry as a whole. Overall, he's saved us hours of build time.
Kathy Walker, Fractional Marketing Director & Co-Founder, JK&Co.
We’ve had the pleasure of working with Jack across several projects and have consistently been impressed with the quality of work delivered. Communication is always clear, deadlines are met without issue, and there's a strong sense of accountability and transparency throughout. What stands out most is the flexibility to adapt to varying requirements while maintaining a high standard of execution.
Tina Tucker, Marketing Account Director, Thrive Recruitment Marketing
what clients say
But don't just take it from me.
We bring Jack in whenever we need serious Bullhorn Automation expertise. He takes our most tangled requirements and turns them into clean automations that just work, and he's become our go-to second pair of eyes whenever a build needs sense-checking. It's clear he has a deep understanding of Bullhorn and the recruitment industry as a whole. Overall, he's saved us hours of build time.
Kathy Walker, Fractional Marketing Director & Co-Founder, JK&Co.
We’ve had the pleasure of working with Jack across several projects and have consistently been impressed with the quality of work delivered. Communication is always clear, deadlines are met without issue, and there's a strong sense of accountability and transparency throughout. What stands out most is the flexibility to adapt to varying requirements while maintaining a high standard of execution.
Tina Tucker, Marketing Account Director, Thrive Recruitment Marketing
what clients say
But don't just take it from me.
We bring Jack in whenever we need serious Bullhorn Automation expertise. He takes our most tangled requirements and turns them into clean automations that just work, and he's become our go-to second pair of eyes whenever a build needs sense-checking. It's clear he has a deep understanding of Bullhorn and the recruitment industry as a whole. Overall, he's saved us hours of build time.
Kathy Walker, Fractional Marketing Director & Co-Founder, JK&Co.
We’ve had the pleasure of working with Jack across several projects and have consistently been impressed with the quality of work delivered. Communication is always clear, deadlines are met without issue, and there's a strong sense of accountability and transparency throughout. What stands out most is the flexibility to adapt to varying requirements while maintaining a high standard of execution.
Tina Tucker, Marketing Account Director, Thrive Recruitment Marketing
Book a Call
Book a Diagnostic Call
The diagnostic call is 30 minutes. You tell me what Zapier is doing for you and what the monthly bill is, and I'll tell you honestly which Zaps should stay, which should become code, and whether the thing you want to build next belongs in Zapier at all. If it does, that is what I will recommend, because it is often the right answer.
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Where this fits in the stack
frequently asked questions
Common questions answered
Is Zapier good enough for a recruitment agency?
Often, yes. If a process runs a few hundred times a month, connects two systems that both have decent Zapier support, and does not need to make complicated decisions, Zapier is the right answer and I will build it there. Plenty of agency automation never needs to be anything more. The point at which it stops being enough is a matter of arithmetic, not opinion, and it is worth knowing where that point is before you reach it.
Is Zapier good enough for a recruitment agency?
Often, yes. If a process runs a few hundred times a month, connects two systems that both have decent Zapier support, and does not need to make complicated decisions, Zapier is the right answer and I will build it there. Plenty of agency automation never needs to be anything more. The point at which it stops being enough is a matter of arithmetic, not opinion, and it is worth knowing where that point is before you reach it.
When should we move a Zap into code?
When the task volume makes the subscription cost more per year than a build costs once, or when the logic has grown branches, lookups and error handling that fight the interface. Once you are effectively writing software inside a form-based tool, the debugging experience is not good enough for something your business depends on. I am happy to leave something in Zapier for years if it is behaving.
When should we move a Zap into code?
When the task volume makes the subscription cost more per year than a build costs once, or when the logic has grown branches, lookups and error handling that fight the interface. Once you are effectively writing software inside a form-based tool, the debugging experience is not good enough for something your business depends on. I am happy to leave something in Zapier for years if it is behaving.
What about Zaps failing silently?
It is the risk people underestimate. Zaps turn themselves off, and if nobody is watching the notification you can lose a fortnight of records without knowing. Anything I leave running in Zapier gets monitoring around it, so a stopped Zap reaches a person the day it stops rather than the month the numbers look wrong.
What about Zaps failing silently?
It is the risk people underestimate. Zaps turn themselves off, and if nobody is watching the notification you can lose a fortnight of records without knowing. Anything I leave running in Zapier gets monitoring around it, so a stopped Zap reaches a person the day it stops rather than the month the numbers look wrong.
Can Zapier talk to Bullhorn, Vincere or JobScience?
To a degree, and the degree matters. The standard integrations handle the common objects and stop at the parts specific to recruitment: placements, rate cards, custom fields, and in JobScience's case the Salesforce custom objects that hold the candidates. Where the standard connection falls short I build against the API, either from inside Zapier or in code alongside it.
Can Zapier talk to Bullhorn, Vincere or JobScience?
To a degree, and the degree matters. The standard integrations handle the common objects and stop at the parts specific to recruitment: placements, rate cards, custom fields, and in JobScience's case the Salesforce custom objects that hold the candidates. Where the standard connection falls short I build against the API, either from inside Zapier or in code alongside it.
Will you just tell us to rip it all out and go custom?
No, and I would be suspicious of anyone who did. Build in Zapier, prove it works, move it to code when the volume or complexity justifies it, and not before. Some of my builds have stayed in Zapier for years because that is where they belong. The recommendation follows the arithmetic, and you see the arithmetic.
What does it cost?
A Zapier build is usually days rather than weeks, so it sits well below a custom build. Where something graduates into code, custom builds start at £3,000, fixed price and phased, so you can stop after a phase if it is not working out. The diagnostic call is free, and if the honest answer is that your current setup is fine, that is the answer you will get.
What does it cost?
A Zapier build is usually days rather than weeks, so it sits well below a custom build. Where something graduates into code, custom builds start at £3,000, fixed price and phased, so you can stop after a phase if it is not working out. The diagnostic call is free, and if the honest answer is that your current setup is fine, that is the answer you will get.