ApproveThis manages your Bricks Integration approvals.

When BIM Meets Business Governance

In architecture and construction projects, every design change, material specification, and compliance requirement needs scrutiny. Bricks excels at centralizing BIM collaboration, while ApproveThis brings structure to decision-making. Together through Zapier, they create an ironclad process where critical updates get automatic oversight without slowing down project velocity.

Consider this: 42% of construction delays stem from approval bottlenecks according to industry surveys. The Bricks-ApproveThis connection tackles this head-on by embedding governance directly into the collaboration workflow. Project managers maintain agility while finance/legal teams gain needed oversight.

Three-Way Value for AEC Teams

1. Accelerated Change Management

When engineers update structural calculations in Bricks, ApproveThis automatically routes the revision to required stakeholders. For example, a mid-project steel beam specification change could trigger parallel approvals from:

• The lead architect (via email)
• Construction manager (in ApproveThis dashboard)
• Client representative (SMS approval link)

2. Budget Guardrails

ApproveThis' calculated fields automatically flag cost-impacting changes. If a Bricks update pushes material costs beyond project thresholds, the system either auto-approves (for minor variances) or escalates to senior leadership. A residential developer used this to reduce cost overrun approvals from 3 days to 4 hours.

3. Audit-Proof Compliance

Every approved/denied request in ApproveThis timestamps the decision chain – crucial for meeting ISO 19650 standards. When connected to Bricks' revision history, teams have a unified audit trail from design intent to final approval.

Real-World Workflows

Use Case 1: New Design Package Approvals

When architects upload a new BIM model to Bricks, Zapier triggers an ApproveThis workflow requiring sign-off from:

Example: A hospital project team automated MEP approval rounds. Electrical plans now route to facilities managers first, then infection control specialists – with ApproveThis enforcing the sequence. Result: 62% faster regulatory compliance compared to manual email chains.

Use Case 2: Change Order Governance

Contractors updating Bricks with RFIs or change orders can auto-trigger approval workflows scaled to impact:

Example: A civil engineering firm set tiered thresholds – changes under $5k auto-approve via ApproveThis' rules, while larger sums escalate to CFO review. This cut finance team workload by 22 hours/month.

Technical Sync Made Simple

Connecting Bricks to ApproveThis takes under 15 minutes:

1. In Zapier, choose Bricks' "New Topic" or "Topic Updated" trigger
2. Map critical fields like revision type, cost impact, and stakeholders
3. Set ApproveThis actions – apply conditional logic here for routing rules

Key pro tip: Use ApproveThis' calculated fields to auto-calculate metrics like total change order costs or compliance checklist completeness percentages directly from Bricks data.

Cross-Functional Benefits

For Project Managers

Real-time dashboards show approval bottlenecks. If electrical sign-offs consistently delay, adjust workflows mid-project without IT help.

For Finance Teams

Auto-approve minor variances but require detailed justifications for budget exceptions. All decisions sync back to Bricks for cost tracking.

For External Partners

Client representatives approve directly via email/SMS without Bricks logins – maintains security while accelerating decisions. One contractor reduced client approval cycles from 9 days to 38 hours using this feature.

Beyond Basic Approvals

ApproveThis adds unique value to Bricks workflows through:

Vacation Coverage: When a lead engineer marks OOO in Bricks, ApproveThis automatically reassigns their approvals – no more stalled permits.

Consensus vs. Sequential: Require unanimous client approvals (consensus) for design changes but use sequential routing for internal engineering reviews.

Version Locking: Once approved via ApproveThis, Bricks files can be automatically locked from edits until new requests are submitted.

Getting Started

For construction firms already using Bricks, adding ApproveThis requires no IT overhead. Start with two key Zaps:

1. Design Package Submissions: Bricks New Topic → ApproveThis multi-step approval
2. Change Order Governance: Bricks Topic Updated → Conditional approval routing

ApproveThis offers free setup support for Bricks users – their team will help configure calculated fields and thresholds specific to AEC workflows.

The Bottom Line

In an industry where delays cost an average $4,500/day, the Bricks-ApproveThis integration acts as both accelerator and safeguard. It's not about adding process – it's about making existing collaboration inherently compliant.

Construction teams report 30-45% faster approval cycles post-implementation. But perhaps more crucially, they eliminate the "Where's that approval?" status meetings that plague complex projects.

Start your free ApproveThis trial or book a custom demo to see how embedded approvals can transform your Bricks workflows. First Zap setup is on us.