ApproveThis manages your Simian Integration approvals.

Why Approval Workflows Matter in Video Production

Modern video teams face a critical challenge: keeping creative momentum while maintaining organizational control. Simian excels at video sharing and collaborative review, while ApproveThis brings structure to decision-making. Together through Zapier, these platforms create a closed-loop system where creative workflows meet business accountability.

Marketing agencies lose an average of 11.4 hours weekly chasing approvals (2023 CMO Council data). This integration attacks that inefficiency at its source. When video feedback in Simian automatically triggers approval workflows - and vice versa - teams eliminate manual handoffs between creative execution and business validation.

Strategic Synergies: Where Simian Meets ApproveThis

Simian's video collaboration strengths pair perfectly with ApproveThis' approval automation in three key areas:

1. Automated Feedback-to-Approval Loops

When clients comment on a video draft in Simian, ApproveThis can automatically:

• Route final sign-off requests to legal/compliance teams
• Trigger budget approvals for revised production scopes
• Escalate unresolved creative disputes to senior stakeholders

Real-world impact: A mid-sized ad agency reduced revision cycles from 9 days to 43 hours by connecting Simian comments to tiered approval workflows. Creative directors now intervene only when junior teams reach stalemates.

2. Project Initiation Guardrails

Approved requests in ApproveThis automatically spin up Simian projects with predefined:

• Client-specific review teams
• Version control protocols
• Compliance checklists

Enterprise use case: A pharmaceutical company ensures all trial participant videos follow strict FDA guidelines by linking approval thresholds to Simian project templates.

Implementation Scenarios by Team Type

Marketing Agencies

Connect client feedback loops to change order approvals. When Simian comments exceed three rounds, ApproveThis automatically routes scope expansion requests to account managers with calculated budget impacts.

Corporate Video Teams

Enforce brand compliance by triggering approval workflows whenever Simian files are marked "Ready for Legal Review." Approvers receive the video link alongside pre-populated compliance checklists.

Production Houses

Auto-escalate overdue approvals to alternate stakeholders using ApproveThis' vacation delegation. If a key decision-maker is on location, Simian files stay moving through the pipeline.

Technical Integration Overview

The Zapier integration works bidirectionally:

From Simian to ApproveThis

Trigger points include:

- New file comments requiring executive sign-off
- Status changes to "Client Review Ready"
- Version history milestones

From ApproveThis to Simian

Approval outcomes can:
- Create new video projects with pre-approved budgets
- Update file access permissions
- Archive completed assets

Key advantage: External clients and cross-functional approvers only need ApproveThis access - no additional Simian licenses required. This maintains security while reducing software costs.

Implementation Guide

Step 1: In Zapier, create a new Zap using either:
- Simian's "New Comment" trigger → ApproveThis "Create Request" action
- ApproveThis "Request Approved" trigger → Simian "Create Project" action

Step 2: Map custom fields like:
- Simian video links → ApproveThis request details
- Approval thresholds → Simian project budgets

Step 3: Activate vacation rules in ApproveThis to prevent Simian project delays. Set fallback approvers for key creative roles.

Pro tip: Use ApproveThis' calculated fields to auto-approve minor changes (e.g., typo fixes under $500) while flagging major revisions for review.

Operational Benefits Breakdown

Creative Teams Gain

- Clear approval SLAs tied to project timelines
- Automated version archiving upon final sign-off
- Reduced "check-in" meetings with stakeholders

Leadership Secures

- Audit trails for creative decisions
- Budget guardrails on scope changes
- Real-time visibility into project bottlenecks

Clients Experience

- Unified feedback/approval interfaces
- Faster turnaround on change requests
- Transparent revision histories

Beyond Basic Automation

While the Zapier integration handles core triggers, ApproveThis adds strategic depth:

Conditional Routing: Route Simian files to different approvers based on video length, project type, or content sensitivity flags.

Compliance Pairing: Attach regulatory checklists to approval requests that reference specific Simian video timestamps.

Budget Controls: Auto-reject Simian change requests exceeding pre-approved amounts, with counteroffer suggestions.

Getting Started

To implement:

1. Register for ApproveThis (free trial available)
2. Connect via Zapier using the Simian integration
3. Map your most frequent approval bottleneck to a test workflow

For complex implementations:
- Book a workflow design session
- Request a customized ROI projection report

Note: All approvers only need ApproveThis access - no additional Simian seats required for external participants.

The Future of Collaborative Workflows

As video becomes central to business communication, the Simian/ApproveThis integration represents more than technical connectivity - it's a new paradigm for creative accountability. By embedding governance directly into collaboration tools, organizations can finally balance speed with control.

Early adopters report:
- 68% faster final asset delivery
- 42% reduction in compliance incidents
- 91% stakeholder satisfaction with process transparency

The integration isn't about replacing human judgment - it's about focusing that judgment where it matters most. When routine approvals happen automatically, creative teams spend less time chasing signatures and more time perfecting their craft.