What we build

In this step-by-step Make tutorial we build the whole thing on the free plan, no code:

  1. One Gmail label: Bookkeeper
  2. A Make watcher on that label (attachments only, so a "thanks!" reply stops before the later steps)
  3. A folder finder that picks this month's folder - the name is computed, so October lands in 2026-10 and November in 2026-11
  4. An uploader that renames every file with the arrival date
  5. A 60-minute schedule - then we turn it ON and test it live

Before you start

You need a Make account, a Google account with Gmail and Drive, and permission to connect them. The demonstration uses a Gmail label named Bookkeeper and a Drive parent folder named Bookkeeping. Create a monthly folder such as 2026-10 inside it before testing. The filmed scenario finds the folder. This lesson does not show a tested automatic folder-creation fallback.

Use a dummy attachment first, not a bank statement or a real customer document. The video tests a PDF. The downloadable text file below is a separate practice input, so create or export your own synthetic PDF if you want to test that format, and confirm its extension is accepted by any attachment filter you set.

Google may ask you to approve access when you connect the apps. Review the requested permissions. Never paste passwords, access tokens or account exports into a public comment.

Download the practice files

Both files are plain text and synthetic. They contain no customer, bank or payment-card data. The receipt was not used in the video recording.

Make Free plan limits (checked October 12, 2026)

Make's Free plan currently includes 1,000 credits a month and two active scenarios. Scheduled scenarios have a 15-minute minimum interval. This example runs every 60 minutes, so the schedule itself does not need a paid plan.

Polling and processing consume credits. An attachments-only filter can stop later modules from handling messages without files, but it does not make the Gmail watcher free. Actual usage depends on how often the scenario checks and how many attachments it processes. Check your usage before leaving it on. Plans change, so confirm the numbers on Make's pricing page: https://www.make.com/en/pricing

What this lesson does not do

It files attachments. It does not read totals, decide whether an expense is deductible, pay a bill or reconcile your books. It groups files by arrival and current-month handling, not by a verified invoice date. A late bill can belong to an earlier bookkeeping period, so review the documents before handing them to a bookkeeper.

It covers only selected emails with attachments. Receipts in an email body, paper receipts, bank statements or files in another inbox are outside this demonstration. Keep your bookkeeper's existing intake process if they already use QuickBooks, Dext or a client portal.

Test before leaving it on

A successful filmed run does not prove that adding a label to every old message will trigger the watcher. Test older messages separately and check the trigger's starting position.

  1. Create the correct month folder under Bookkeeping.
  2. Add the Bookkeeper label to a new synthetic test email with one attachment. Use your own mailbox, not a customer's.
  3. Run the scenario once and inspect the output bundles, not only the operation badges.
  4. Open the month folder. Check the file's contents, name and destination.
  5. Check that a message without an attachment stops before upload.
  6. Try a second attachment and a replay before relying on the workflow. This episode does not establish exactly-once delivery or a production duplicate guard.
  7. Confirm the hourly schedule and whether you want it left active.

Common problems

  • The monthly folder isn't found. Confirm the parent folder, spelling and the YYYY-MM month name. Don't let a missing match silently send files somewhere else. Create the expected folder or stop the run and fix the lookup.
  • The month or filename looks like formula text. In the filmed Make formula fields, now is inserted as a mapped variable rather than typed as ordinary text. The format token is YYYY-MM without extra quote characters. Inspect the evaluated value before continuing. This describes the demonstrated field setup, not every Make text box.
  • The run has operation badges but no file appears. Open each module's inspector and check its actual output bundles. An operation count is not proof that it found a folder or produced a file.
  • Nothing happens after labeling an old email. The watcher may be starting from a different point, or watching new mail rather than every label change. Test with a new dummy message and review the trigger settings. Don't assume historical backfill without testing it.
  • The same receipt appears twice. Replays, repeat messages and multiple attachments need separate testing. This short lesson is a filing demo, not a tested duplicate-proof accounting system.

Try it yourself

The Bookkeeping folder and the first month folder take ten seconds to create - the video shows exactly where.

Create a free Make account

Next episode

The month-end packet: a reviewed draft with the whole month's receipts, ready for your bookkeeper. Coming soon.