Overview
Utility actions are the small, deterministic steps that make automations boring in the best way. Reach for them when you need to do math, format a date, pull a field out of JSON, convert a CSV, clean up text, or generate a QR code without spending an AI call on simple work.
TL;DR: Taskade ships two dozen utility actions that handle the everyday plumbing inside automations: math and summaries, date formatting, JSON shaping, text cleanup, CSV conversion, and QR codes. They run instantly, return the same answer every time, and cost no AI credits. See the full Automation Actions reference.
The utility toolkit
Utility actions group into four families. Mix and match them between any trigger and action.
| Family | Actions | Use it to |
|---|---|---|
| Math & numbers | Calculate, Average, Sum, Count Unique Values, Min / Max | Add a tax line, total an order, count distinct customers, find a high and low |
| Dates | Format Date | Stamp a report, match a Slack format, fill a Table view cell |
| JSON & lookup | Get JSON Field, JSON Extract, Lookup Table | Pull a value out of a webhook payload, map a status code to a label |
| Text | Convert Case, Replace, Regex Match, Split, Trim, Concatenate, Find, Slugify, Strip HTML, HTML to Markdown, Markdown to HTML | Clean a name, build a slug for a URL, strip tags out of an email body |
| Data & files | CSV to JSON, JSON to CSV, Generate QR Code, Transform Array Into String | Turn a spreadsheet export into rows, ship an event QR code, flatten a list into text |
When to use a utility instead of AI
Utilities are deterministic, instant, and free of AI credits. Reach for them when:
- The transform is well-defined (math, formatting, extraction, conversion)
- You need the same answer every run
- You want to keep credits low on the hot path
Reach for Ask AI when the step needs reasoning, summarization, or judgment.
Math and summaries
Calculate handles arithmetic on two numbers. The summarizer family works over a list: Sum totals an order, Average finds a mean, Count Unique Values counts distinct entries, and Min / Max returns the high and the low. Reach for them whenever a step needs a number instead of a sentence.
Dates, JSON, and lookups
Format Date converts any date into the format your next step expects. Get JSON Field reads a known key by dot-path, and JSON Extract runs a full JSONPath expression like $.orders[?(@.total > 100)] for nested or filtered data. Lookup Table maps a key to a value, perfect for status-to-label and code-to-name translations.
Text cleanup
The text family covers everything you used to do by hand: Convert Case, Replace, Regex Match, Split, Trim, Concatenate, and Find. Slugify turns "Spring 2026 Sale" into spring-2026-sale for a clean URL. Strip HTML pulls the tags out of an email body, and the Markdown converters move content between rich text and Markdown.
Data and files
CSV to JSON turns a spreadsheet export into rows your automation can loop over, and JSON to CSV does the reverse for downloads and reports. Generate QR Code produces a scannable code for tickets, check-ins, and links. Transform Array Into String joins a list into one clean block of text.
Need to save a document as a PDF? That is the Save File as PDF action on the Google Drive connector, not a utility. It runs through your connected Drive rather than the credit-free utility pack.
Combine them
Most automations chain two or three utilities together. A common pattern for an operator running a business inside Taskade:
Webhook (new order) → Extract JSON → Sum (line items)
→ Format Date → Generate QR Code (pickup code) → Add Task (to fulfillment project)
Related guides
- Utility Helpers Deep Dive. Runnable examples for the JSON, date, and text helpers.
- HTTP Webhook Trigger (Pro+). Pair with JSON Extract for incoming payloads.
- Ask AI Action. When you need reasoning instead of a fixed transform.
- Filter Data. Conditional flow control.
- Branch Action. Multi-path automations.