Overview
Manually pulling revenue reports from Stripe and formatting them into an email for stakeholders wastes hours every month. This automation uses Zapier's Schedule trigger with Stripe and a Google Sheet to compile key metrics and email them automatically on the 1st of each month. Executives and investors get clean, consistent reporting without anyone lifting a finger.
Before you start
- Stripe account
- Google Sheets for metrics tracking
- Zapier Multi-Step plan
- Gmail account for sending reports
Step-by-step guide (5 steps)
Set up a Stripe revenue tracking spreadsheet
Create a Google Sheet with columns: Month, MRR, New Customers, Churned Customers, Net New MRR, Total Active Subscriptions. Use Stripe's built-in CSV export or a tool like Baremetrics to populate it automatically each month.
Create the Zapier Schedule trigger
In Zapier, create a new Zap triggered by 'Schedule by Zapier: Every Month.' Set it to run on the 1st of each month at 9am. This fires the automation to pull and send the latest data.
Pull last month's data from Google Sheets
Add a Google Sheets action: 'Lookup Spreadsheet Row.' Filter by the previous month's date. This retrieves all the pre-compiled metrics from your tracking sheet.
Build and send the email
Add a Gmail action: 'Send Email.' Create an HTML email template with your key metrics formatted in a table: MRR, growth %, new vs. churned, top products. Add conditional formatting (green for growth, red for decline).
Keep the email to 5-7 metrics max. Stakeholders don't read walls of numbers — they want the headline metrics in 30 seconds.
Add a link to the full Stripe dashboard
Include a 'View Full Report' button linking to your Stripe Dashboard or Baremetrics account for anyone who wants to drill deeper. This makes the email a launchpad, not a replacement for your analytics tool.
What you'll get
Consistent reporting without manual effort
Stakeholders get clean monthly summaries automatically
Creates an audit trail of monthly performance
Saves 2-3 hours of report preparation monthly
Common mistakes to avoid
Not accounting for timezone differences when pulling 'last month' data
Including too many metrics — pick your 5 most important KPIs
Not testing the automation in a staging environment before sending to stakeholders
Frequently asked questions
Do I need coding experience to set up this Stripe automation?
No coding is required. This guide walks you through everything using Stripe's built-in features and Zapier's visual interface. If you can follow a recipe, you can follow this guide.
How long does this automation take to set up?
Most users complete this setup in 30–60 minutes on their first try. Once set up, it runs completely automatically with zero ongoing effort.
What happens if the automation fails?
Zapier and Make both have error notifications and task history, so you'll know immediately if something goes wrong. We cover troubleshooting steps in the guide above.
Can I customize this automation for my specific business?
Absolutely. The guide includes notes on common customizations. Most automations have multiple variation points — timing, conditions, notification recipients, and more.