ApproveThis manages your timegram Integration approvals.

Why Approval Workflows Need Time Tracking (And Vice Versa)

Let’s get real: approvals suck when they’re disconnected from the actual work. Your team logs hours in timegram, then someone emails a manager for sign-off, then finance hunts down the paper trail. It’s a mess of missed deadlines and “I thought YOU approved this?” meetings. That’s where ApproveThis comes in – it’s the glue between time tracking and getting shit done.

When you connect timegram’s privacy-first time tracking with ApproveThis’ approval automation via Zapier, you’re not just streamlining processes. You’re fixing the broken game of telephone between the people doing the work and the people signing the checks. Projects move faster, budgets stay intact, and managers stop playing detective.

The Nuts and Bolts: What Happens When These Tools Team Up

Here’s the technical part made painless: Zapier acts as the middleman. When specific events happen in timegram (like a team member logging hours), ApproveThis automatically kicks off approval workflows. No coding, no CSV exports, no “version 27” spreadsheet attachments.

Key benefits you can’t ignore:

• Approvers don’t need timegram licenses (your client’s CFO doesn’t care about your time tracking software)
• Auto-escalations if approvals stall (no more “I was OOO” excuses)
• Real-time budget checks using ApproveThis’ calculated fields (overtime request? The system knows if it’s within budget before bothering a VP)

Real-World Use Cases That Actually Matter

1. “Did We Actually Approve Those Overtime Hours?” (Spoiler: Now You’ll Know)

Picture this: your remote team logs weekend hours in timegram. Normally, this triggers a Slack storm between HR, project leads, and accounting. With the integration:

How it works:

When timegram records hours exceeding daily limits (via ApproveThis’ calculated fields), Zapier auto-creates an approval request. The right manager gets an email with one-click approve/deny – no app login required. If denied, the employee gets an automated explanation. All tracked, all legal, zero passive-aggressive Teams messages.

Who needs this:

Consulting firms tracking billable hours, manufacturers managing shift overtime, agencies with freelance contractors. Basically, anyone who’s ever had a payroll dispute.

2. Project Budgets That Actually Mean Something

Most project budgets die by a thousand paper cuts – small unapproved tasks that add up. This integration stops the bleeding:

How it works:

ApproveThis watches timegram for tasks nearing budget limits. When a designer’s logged hours hit 90% of their allocated budget, ApproveThis pings the PM via email: “Approve $500 overage or reassign tasks?” The PM clicks once, and timegram auto-updates the project’s budget tracker. No spreadsheets, no surprises at the sprint review.

Who needs this:

Software teams using agile, construction managers, event planners – anyone who’s ever blown a budget because “it was just a quick change!”

Setting This Up Without Losing Your Mind

If you can set up an out-of-office email, you can do this. Here’s the 3-step version:

1. Connect timegram and ApproveThis in Zapier (takes 2 minutes)
2. Choose your triggers: “New time entry in timegram” or “Approval decision in ApproveThis”
3. Map the data fields (protip: use ApproveThis’ calculated fields to auto-flag overtime/budget issues)

Need the nerdy details? Timegram’s API docs play nice with Zapier’s pre-built templates. ApproveThis automatically adds context like “Approver 2 needs to decide within 48 hours” based on your rules.

Why Your Finance Team Will Stop Yelling

Ever seen a controller’s face when they discover unauthorized expenses? With this integration:

- Time entries trigger approval requests before payroll runs
- Budget thresholds auto-reject overages unless explicitly approved
- Every decision is auditable (hello, SOX compliance)

Example: A dev logs 12 hours on a client project. ApproveThis checks against the contract’s hourly cap. If over, it routes to the account manager with context: “Client X is already at 95% of budget. Approve $1,200 overage?” Yes/No. Finance stays happy.

What Your Project Managers Are Missing

PMs waste 12 hours/week chasing approvals (PMI study, not us). This integration gives them:

- Real-time dashboards showing which tasks are approved/blocked
- Auto-reassignment if an approver is OOO (ApproveThis’ vacation delegation)
- One-click denials with required feedback (“Denied: Please reassign to UX team”)

Use case: An agency PM sees a timegram entry for a client request. ApproveThis routes it to the client’s PO. If no response in 24h, it escalates to their VP. All without the PM playing secretary.

HR’s New Favorite Compliance Tool

Overtime disputes. Missed break penalties. Oooof. Connect timegram’s privacy-focused tracking with ApproveThis to:

- Require manager approval for adjusted timesheets
- Auto-approve standard hours but flag anomalies (someone logged 16 hours? Needs human review)
- Keep audit trails for labor law compliance

Example: A non-exempt employee edits their timegram entry post-deadline. ApproveThis requires HR approval, showing before/after changes. HR clicks approve, timegram updates, and legal is covered.

The Cool Features You’ll Actually Use

Beyond basic approvals, this combo brings:

Approval Thresholds: Auto-approve small budget overages (under $200?) but escalate big ones.
Consensus vs. Sequential Approvals: Need 3 VPs to agree? Or a chain of command? Set it once.
Live Calculations: Show approvers real-time data like “This puts project 23% over budget” in the approval email.

“But We’re Unique!” – Customization Without Complexity

Got special approval rules? Weird approval chains? The integration handles:

- Department-specific workflows (IT approvals need CISO sign-off, marketing needs brand compliance)
- Conditional logic (If >$5K and strategic client, route to VP)
- Hybrid approvals (Email for execs, Slack for team leads)

Example: A healthcare company requires nurse shift approvals to include patient ratios. ApproveThis pulls timegram data, calculates ratios via calculated fields, and only alerts managers if thresholds are breached.

Getting Started Without the Sales Circus

No “schedule a demo” bait-and-switch. You can:

1. Start a free trial and connect timegram in Zapier
2. Use pre-built templates for common workflows (overtime, budget checks, client approvals)
3. Add your weird rules later (every company has them)

Or if you’re the hands-on type, book a 15-minute demo and we’ll show you how construction firms/agencies/healthcare teams are using it.

Bottom Line: Approval’s Still Boring, But Now It’s Fast

ApproveThis + timegram via Zapier won’t make approvals fun. But it will make them take 90% less time, with 100% less chaos. Pick your battles – let the robots handle the paperwork.