What Make.com Needs Before AI Features (175 Production Scenarios Taught Me This)
After managing 175 production automation scenarios, I've identified 7 critical usability improvements Make.com needs to implement before rolling out more AI features. These aren't flashy additions - they're foundational workflow optimizations that would save power users hundreds of hours annually in scenario maintenance and debugging.
The Token Editing Pain (And Simple Fix)
Every Make.com power user knows the frustration of copying modules between scenarios. Currently, you can't directly edit the module tokens in the interface - forcing you to copy JSON to Notepad, make edits externally, then paste back. For simple cases with 2-3 tokens this is annoying. For complex modules with 10-15 token mappings, it becomes a productivity killer.
The solution is straightforward: a toggle that converts the token view into an editable text field. This would eliminate the copy-paste dance while maintaining the safety of the normal token interface. At 2:15 in the video, you can see me demonstrating the current painful workaround that could be eliminated with this simple UI addition.
Time savings estimate: Based on managing 175 scenarios, this single change would save me approximately 3-5 hours per month in maintenance time alone. Multiplied across Make.com's power user base, this represents thousands of collective hours wasted annually on a solvable problem.
Scenario Organization Shortcomings
Make.com's folder system helps organize scenarios at a basic level, but fails to support the real-world development lifecycle. When editing a scenario, critical organization functions like moving to folders or editing descriptions are only available from the scenario list view - forcing constant back-and-forth navigation.
This becomes particularly painful when you realize mid-edit that a scenario needs reorganization or better documentation. The current workflow requires: 1) abandoning your edit context, 2) navigating back to the list, 3) making organizational changes, then 4) re-finding and reopening your scenario. All for actions that should be available within the editing interface itself.
Separating Agent Context From Descriptions
Make.com agents currently pull their context from the scenario description field - a 240-character limit originally intended for human-readable scenario documentation. This dual-purpose use creates two problems: descriptions become less useful for their original purpose, while agents lack sufficient context space.
The solution is a dedicated "Agent Context" field separate from the scenario description. This would allow: 1) proper scenario documentation visible in lists, and 2) richer context for agents without character constraints. At 4:30 in the video, I demonstrate how the current implementation forces compromises in both areas.
Key insight: This isn't just about adding more characters - it's about separating concerns. Scenario documentation and agent context serve fundamentally different purposes and should have dedicated interfaces.
Better Branching Logic Without Routers
Current conditional logic in Make.com requires complex router setups that often duplicate entire downstream flows. This creates maintenance nightmares - any change to the core logic requires updates across multiple duplicated branches.
The upcoming if-else module (shown at 7:45 in the video) will allow proper branching and coalescing of flows. This represents one of the most significant workflow improvements coming to Make.com, potentially reducing scenario complexity by 30-50% for workflows with multiple conditional paths.
JSON Editing Needs Formatting Tools
Working directly with APIs in Make.com often requires editing complex JSON payloads. The current editor provides no formatting assistance, quickly becoming unreadable after minor edits. Users resort to external editors for basic formatting tasks.
A simple "Reformat JSON" button would maintain readability during editing sessions. Even better would be real-time formatting similar to modern code editors. This quality-of-life improvement would significantly reduce errors when working with complex API integrations.
Streamlining Variable Handling
Variables set in on-demand scenarios currently require explicit transformation to JSON before use in downstream API calls. This adds unnecessary steps to common workflows where variables need JSON-safe formatting.
The platform should provide direct access to JSON-safe versions of input variables, eliminating the need for explicit transformation in most cases. This would streamline API integration scenarios while maintaining backward compatibility.
Tracking Scenario Development States
Folders help organize scenarios by function, but don't track their development lifecycle. In any substantial automation system, scenarios exist in various states: in development, needs optimization, production-ready, or deprecated.
A simple tagging system (demonstrated at 9:20 in the video) would allow tracking scenario maturity across the portfolio. This becomes critical when managing dozens or hundreds of scenarios, helping prioritize maintenance and identify technical debt.
Real-world impact: In my 175-scenario system, about 15% require optimization at any given time. Without systematic tracking, these easily get lost in the noise of daily operations.
Watch the Full Tutorial
See all 7 improvement areas demonstrated live in the full video, including timestamped examples of current pain points and proposed solutions. At 7:45, pay particular attention to the upcoming if-else module that will revolutionize branching logic in Make.com scenarios.
Key Takeaways
Make.com's rapid feature development is impressive, but these 7 foundational improvements would dramatically improve daily usability for power users. The platform is clearly listening to community feedback (as shown by the upcoming if-else module), and these workflow optimizations represent the next frontier in making complex automation accessible.
In summary: Before chasing more AI features, Make.com should fix these core workflow pain points that collectively waste thousands of hours across their user base. The good news? Most solutions require UI/UX tweaks rather than major platform overhauls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this topic
Currently when copying modules between scenarios in Make.com, users can't directly edit tokens in the interface. This forces workarounds like copying JSON to Notepad, making edits externally, then pasting back.
The platform needs an inline token editor toggle to streamline this common workflow that affects scenario maintenance. This is particularly problematic when:
- Copying complex modules with many token mappings
- Maintaining similar scenarios across different environments
- Troubleshooting token reference issues
Make.com agents currently pull context from the 240-character description field, which was originally designed for scenario listings. This dual-purpose use limits both the visibility of scenario purposes and the depth of context agents can access.
A dedicated agent context field with higher character limits would solve both problems by:
- Allowing proper scenario documentation visible in lists
- Providing richer context for agent operations
- Eliminating the compromise between human and machine readability
Make.com currently requires complex router setups to handle conditional branching, forcing users to duplicate entire downstream flows for minor variations. This creates significant maintenance overhead.
The upcoming if-else module will allow proper branching and coalescing of flows without duplication by:
- Reducing scenario complexity by 30-50% for conditional workflows
- Making maintenance changes far easier (update once instead of across duplicates)
- Improving scenario readability and debuggability
The JSON editor in Make.com lacks proper formatting tools, quickly becoming unreadable when making complex API payload edits. This leads to increased errors and debugging time.
Users currently export to external editors for formatting then reimport. Adding an auto-indent toggle would:
- Maintain readability during complex JSON editing
- Reduce errors in API payload construction
- Eliminate the need for external editing tools
While folders help organize scenarios, they don't track development states like in-progress, needs optimization, or production-ready. This becomes critical when managing dozens of scenarios across different maturity levels.
Status tagging would help power users by:
- Making technical debt visible and quantifiable
- Prioritizing maintenance efforts effectively
- Providing at-a-glance portfolio health assessment
Critical folder management and description editing functions are only available from the scenario list view, not while editing scenarios. This creates unnecessary navigation friction during common workflow patterns.
Adding these functions to the editing interface would:
- Reduce back-and-forth navigation when reorganizing
- Allow documentation updates during active editing
- Support better scenario organization habits
Currently, variables set in on-demand scenarios require transformation to JSON before use in API calls downstream. This adds unnecessary steps to common integration patterns.
Direct JSON-safe access to input variables would:
- Streamline API integration scenarios
- Reduce transformation module clutter
- Maintain backward compatibility with current usage
GrowwStacks specializes in building optimized Make.com automation systems that incorporate these best practices from day one. We help businesses overcome platform limitations while preparing for upcoming features.
Our Make.com implementation services include:
- Scenario audits to identify optimization opportunities
- Workflow redesigns using proven architectural patterns
- Future-proofing for upcoming Make.com features
- Ongoing maintenance and optimization support
Book a free 30-minute consultation to discuss your specific automation challenges and how we can help streamline your Make.com implementation.
Stop Wasting Time on Make.com Workarounds
Every hour spent copying JSON to Notepad or navigating unnecessary interface hops is an hour not spent growing your business. Let GrowwStacks build you an optimized Make.com automation system that works with the platform's strengths while minimizing its current limitations.