ApproveThis manages your Leantime Integration approvals.

Why You’re Probably Wasting Time Switching Apps

Let’s get real: approval processes are where productivity goes to die. Someone submits a request. It gets lost in Slack. Karen from accounting misses the email. The project manager starts sending passive-aggressive calendar invites. Meanwhile, the actual work isn’t happening.

ApproveThis and Leantime fix this by connecting the two things teams actually use: where decisions happen (approvals) and where work happens (projects). No more digging through inboxes or explaining for the fifth time why that $5K vendor invoice is legit. We’re about to make your CFO and your PMO BFFs.

What Happens When Approval Meets Execution

Leantime’s built for teams who hate traditional project management tools – especially neurodiverse teams or those who think in milestones, not Gantt charts. ApproveThis is for anyone tired of chasing down signatures. Together, they solve three big headaches:

• No decision black holes: Approvals automatically create project tasks, so nothing gets stuck in “waiting on legal” purgatory
• Fewer status meetings: See approval progress right inside project milestones without chasing people
• Budget control that doesn’t slow down work: Auto-approve small expenses but flag big risks before they blow up your spreadsheet

Example: A mid-sized marketing agency uses this combo to approve client campaign budgets while assigning tasks in the same zap. Their account managers stopped playing carrier pigeon between finance and creative teams.

Who Actually Benefits From This (Spoiler: Not Just Project Managers)

Operations Teams

Procurement requests that auto-create vendor onboarding tasks in Leantime. Approval thresholds mean anything under $1K gets greenlit instantly, but big purchases kick off a vendor review process. Vacation delegation ensures supply chain approvals never get stuck because someone’s at Burning Man.

Product Teams

New feature ideas in Leantime trigger UX review approvals. Calculated fields prioritize requests based on projected dev hours vs. ROI. When approved, milestones auto-populate with sprint planning tasks. Denied? The “maybe later” list stays organized.

Finance Teams

Expense reports submitted via ApproveThis auto-log as Leantime tasks for reimbursement processing. Conditional routing sends anything over $10K straight to the CFO’s inbox. Real-time dashboards show cash flow impacts without manual data entry.

Leadership

See approval bottlenecks (looking at you, legal team) right next to project delays in Leantime’s reports. Adjust workflows quarterly without IT help. Bonus: External partners can approve contracts without getting full Leantime access.

Real-World Use Cases That Don’t Suck

For Manufacturing Companies

New equipment request in Leantime → Approval workflow checks budget vs. maintenance schedules → Once approved, tasks auto-assign for installation and safety checks. Denied? It logs as a “2025 Capital Planning” item automatically.

For Healthcare Orgs

Patient portal feature idea → Compliance approval chain (HIPAA review first, then dev resourcing) → Approved features get user stories mapped in Leantime. Audit trails stay intact for regulators.

For Agencies

Client scope change request → Auto-calculates cost overages → If under 15%, project lead approves and adjusts milestones. Over 15%? Triggers client upselling tasks. No more “we thought it was approved!” drama.

Setting This Up Without Losing Your Mind

Zapier’s the glue here. You’ll create two main zaps:

1. Leantime → ApproveThis: New ideas/tasks trigger approval requests with all context attached
2. ApproveThis → Leantime: Approved/denied decisions update project tasks or create next steps

Pro tip: Use ApproveThis’ calculated fields to auto-prioritize requests. Example: A Leantime task with “Urgency: High” and “Cost: $8K” could trigger an immediate exec review, while low-cost/low-urgency items get auto-approved.

Zapier’s interface walks you through connecting the apps. Just ensure your Leantime API keys are handy. Total setup time? About 15 minutes if you’ve had coffee.

Why This Isn’t Just Another Integration

Most approval tools treat everything like a checkbox. ApproveThis adds logic that Leantime actually uses:

• Approval groups that match Leantime’s swimlanes (marketing vs. IT vs. legal)
• Email approvals for clients who won’t log into another system
• Real-time sync so project % complete in Leantime reflects approved phases

Example: A construction firm approves change orders in ApproveThis, which then updates Leantime’s project timelines and material orders. Superintendents see approved changes on-site via mobile without checking five apps.

“But Wait, What If…”

Approver Is OOO?

ApproveThis’ vacation delegate feature auto-reassigns to their backup. Leantime tasks get updated owner notes. No more “per my last email” forwards.

Need External Approvals?

Clients get email links to approve/reject. No Leantime license needed. Their decision updates your internal project plan automatically.

Have Complex Budget Rules?

Set approval thresholds that factor in Leantime’s budget tracking. Example: Auto-approve marketing expenses up to 10% of remaining project budget.

Getting Started (Without the Usual BS)

1. Grab an ApproveThis trial – takes 2 minutes
2. Connect to Leantime via Zapier
3. Map one key approval process (start with expenses or client change orders)
4. Tell your team the “approval nagging” era is over

Pro tip: Use Leantime’s ADHD-friendly templates with ApproveThis’ conditional logic. Neurodiverse teams report 40% fewer missed approvals when tasks and decisions are visually linked.

Bottom Line: Approval Isn’t a Process – It’s a Roadblock Remover

Companies between 50-5k employees waste 12 hours/week on approval chasing. That’s $18K/month for a 100-person team. This integration turns approvals from speed bumps into green lights. Less “who approved this?!” More actual work getting done.

Next step: Register for ApproveThis and connect your Leantime account before the next approval crisis hits.