Contact List Automation in Make.com

Contact List Automation in Make.com

Using make.com, you can automatically build and maintain a clean, always-updated contact list from incoming emails and signatures, without manual data entry or complex coding.

This how-to guide explains step by step how to recreate the contact list automation shown in the official SigParser guide and turn it into a reusable scenario in make.com.

What This Make.com Automation Will Do

The automation connects your email inbox, SigParser, and a Google Sheet to build and maintain a master contact list. The flow is:

  • Watch new emails in your inbox.
  • Send email data to SigParser for signature parsing.
  • Receive structured contact details.
  • Check your Google Sheet for existing contacts.
  • Add new contacts or update existing ones.

With this setup in make.com, your contacts are captured in real time and organized in a single place.

Prerequisites Before You Start in Make.com

Before creating the scenario in make.com, prepare the following:

  • An active make.com account.
  • An email account supported by your chosen email module (such as Gmail or IMAP).
  • A SigParser account and API key.
  • A Google account with access to Google Sheets.
  • A blank Google Sheet to serve as your contact database.

Once these items are ready, you can move on to building the automation in make.com.

Step 1: Design the Data Structure in Google Sheets

The Google Sheet is the backbone of your contact list in make.com. It should contain one row per contact and clearly labeled columns.

Recommended Columns for Make.com Contact Storage

  • First Name
  • Last Name
  • Full Name
  • Email
  • Company
  • Job Title
  • Phone
  • Source (e.g., SigParser)
  • Last Updated

You can add more columns depending on the contact properties returned by SigParser. Keep the header names simple so they are easy to map inside make.com.

Step 2: Create a New Scenario in Make.com

Log in to make.com and create a new scenario. This scenario will contain modules for email, SigParser, and Google Sheets.

  1. Click Create a new scenario in the dashboard.
  2. Add your first module (the email watcher).
  3. Plan the order of modules so the data flows logically from left to right.

The ultimate goal is to have an automated pipeline inside make.com from inbound email all the way to updated rows in your spreadsheet.

Step 3: Add the Email Watcher Module

The first module tells make.com when to start the workflow.

Configure Email Triggers in Make.com

  1. Choose an email app (for example, Gmail or IMAP).
  2. Select a trigger such as Watch emails.
  3. Connect your email account and authorize access.
  4. Set filters for which messages to watch. Typical filters include:
    • Folder or label (e.g., Inbox)
    • Only new messages
    • Optional: from specific domains or containing signatures

Each time a matching email arrives, make.com will pass its data to the next module for processing.

Step 4: Send Emails to SigParser via Make.com

Next, you need to connect SigParser so the mail content is transformed into structured contact data.

Configure the SigParser Module

  1. Add an HTTP or SigParser-related module, following the example from the original guide at this make.com how-to page.
  2. Supply your SigParser API key or credentials.
  3. Pass relevant email fields from make.com into SigParser, such as:
    • Email body
    • Sender address
    • Subject (optional)
  4. Set the module to return parsed contacts with details like name, company, phones, and emails.

After execution, SigParser sends structured data back to make.com, ready for use in Google Sheets and other apps.

Step 5: Normalize Parsed Contact Data

Depending on email formatting, SigParser may return one or more contacts per message. In make.com, you can normalize this data.

Processing Contact Bundles in Make.com

  1. Use an iterator or array processing module to loop through each returned contact.
  2. Standardize values, for example:
    • Split full name into first and last name.
    • Clean phone numbers.
    • Fill default values for missing fields.
  3. Prepare a clear mapping between each contact item and your Google Sheet columns.

This step ensures that data passed to the Google Sheets module in make.com is consistent and reliable.

Step 6: Search for Existing Contacts in Make.com

To avoid duplicates, make.com should check your Google Sheet before adding a new contact.

Using Google Sheets Search in Make.com

  1. Add a Search rows or Get a row module for Google Sheets.
  2. Connect your Google account and select the contact sheet.
  3. Search using a unique field, typically the Email column.
  4. Configure how make.com should behave when a match is found or not found.

This step is critical for maintaining a clean contact database with no duplicate entries.

Step 7: Add or Update Contacts in Google Sheets

Based on the search results, make.com has to either create a new row or update an existing one.

Adding New Contacts

  1. If no row is found, add a Create a row module.
  2. Map SigParser fields to your columns, such as:
    • First Name → First Name
    • Last Name → Last Name
    • Email → Email
    • Company → Company
    • Job Title → Job Title
    • Phone → Phone
  3. Set a timestamp or Last Updated column using the current date and time from make.com.

Updating Existing Contacts

  1. If a matching row is found, add an Update a row module.
  2. Map fields so that newer information from SigParser overwrites outdated values.
  3. Preserve key identifiers such as email while refreshing other details.

After these modules are configured, make.com will keep your Google Sheet synchronized with every new email it processes.

Step 8: Add Filters and Error Handling in Make.com

Good automation in make.com handles edge cases and avoids accidental updates.

  • Add filters to skip contacts that do not have an email address.
  • Only update rows when data from SigParser is different from what is stored.
  • Route failed executions to a log sheet or notification module.

These safety checks prevent unnecessary writes and keep your contact list maintainable over time.

Step 9: Test and Activate Your Make.com Scenario

Before letting the automation run on its own, thoroughly test it inside make.com.

  1. Run the scenario once with Run once mode.
  2. Send a sample email with a real signature.
  3. Inspect every module output to ensure fields are mapped correctly.
  4. Check the Google Sheet for accurate, de-duplicated contact entries.

When everything looks correct, turn the scenario on so make.com can monitor emails and update your contact list continuously.

Scaling and Extending the Automation in Make.com

Once the core workflow is running, you can expand it inside make.com to support more channels and tools.

  • Sync contacts from the sheet to a CRM.
  • Trigger sales workflows for newly discovered leads.
  • Send alerts to Slack or email when high-value domains appear.
  • Enrich contacts with additional data sources.

The modular design of make.com makes it easy to plug in extra steps without rewriting your existing scenario.

Where to Learn More About Make.com and SigParser

You can review the original reference scenario and configuration details in the official guide here: Contact list automation with SigParser on make.com.

For broader automation and integration strategies, including consulting around make.com and related tools, you may find additional resources and services at Consultevo.

By following this guide and the referenced materials, you can build a robust, low-maintenance contact pipeline in make.com that keeps your business data organized and always up to date.

Need Help With Make.com?

If you want expert help building, automating, or scaling your Make scenarios, work with ConsultEvo — certified workflow and automation specialists.

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