Problem:
The client manages inventory in Airtable to simplify internal processes such as label printing, which were difficult to handle directly in Square. While an existing Zapier workflow was already in place, it had several issues: categories were being duplicated on every run, vendor data was not passing correctly, and the overall structure was inefficient—consuming more Zapier tasks than necessary. Additionally, inventory data between Airtable and Square was not fully synchronized.

Solution:
To resolve these issues and optimize the system, I worked on improving and restructuring the existing automation:

Used an Airtable view (“Active Inventory”) filtered to trigger only when items receive pricing, ensuring accurate automation triggers.

Fixed the category logic so existing categories are detected and reused instead of creating duplicates.

Corrected the data mapping for the default vendor field to allow vendor information to pass correctly into Square.

Completed and aligned workflow paths to properly handle cases where category IDs already exist versus when they need to be created.

Passed the Square Item ID back into Airtable to maintain a reliable reference between platforms.

Streamlined the Zap structure by combining steps where possible to reduce monthly task usage and simplify long-term maintenance.

Outcome:
This project demonstrates how an existing automation can be refined to become more efficient, accurate, and scalable. By fixing category duplication, resolving vendor data issues, and aligning inventory records between Airtable and Square, the workflow now supports cleaner inventory management and consistent data synchronization—highlighting my ability to troubleshoot, optimize, and maintain complex automation systems.