Ellp is like IFTTT but for the Windows desktop

Ellp is a free program for Microsoft Windows devices that works similar to the popular If This Then That application.

Basically, what it does is automate certain things for you. It works by selecting cards that you are interested in. A card consists of an event (the "if this" part) and an action (the "then that" part).

To give you some examples:  You can use ellp to display a notification when the battery is fully charged, to open your favorite applications when the PC starts, or to inform you when the International Space Station passes over the location you are at.

Ellp review

Ellp is compatible with all versions of Microsoft Windows from Windows Vista onward. I have tested it on a Windows 10 Pro machine, and it worked as advertised without any issues.

Note: Ellp is available as a beta version right now. While it ran super stable on the test system, it is not suggested to run the program on production environments.

Installation holds no surprises, and you can get started right afterwards. The program displays the available cards in its interface, starting with the most popular ones. You may switch to new or category listings instead.

The number of cards is fairly limited in the beta version as you get about 30 cards right now. Cards are described in a single sentence usually that describes what it does when activated.

Depending on your selection, you may simply activate the card and be done with it, or may need to configure parameters first.

If you select the card to launch your favorite website when you turn on your Windows PC for instance, you may add that site to the listing (unless it is Amazon which is the default). Cards may ask you to select a time or enter other data such as your email address as well.

Hit the activate card button afterwards to have ellp automate the process for you. The "My Cards" tab lists all cards that you have configured so far. You may select them there to turn them off again at any time.

The program ships without options to configure your own cards which is a bit unfortunate as it is one of the strong features of IFTTT in my opinion. A search option is missing as well. It is not that much of a problem right now due to the low number of available cards, but may become one once hundreds of cards are available.

Ellp is very easy to use on the other hand; it takes just a couple of clicks to configure most cards.

Some of the cooler cards available right now let you know when your PC is overheating, open YouTube when you plug in your headphones, mute the sound of the PC when you lock it, or let you know when an open Wi-Fi access point is found.

Verdict

Ellp is a well designed program that can have a bright future if the developers manage to add enough cards, add a search option, and let users create cards of their own. While some users may like the current version already, it may be too restrictive in what it can do for others.

Now You: Do you use automation software?