ApproveThis manages your Redtail CRM Integration approvals.

Why This Integration Isn’t Just Another Tech Stack Addition

Let’s cut through the noise: Approval processes in financial services aren’t about getting signatures. They’re about compliance nightmares, client trust, and not getting sued. Redtail CRM keeps advisors organized, but when every new opportunity, contact, or activity needs three layers of approval? That’s where things get sticky.

ApproveThis doesn’t just “integrate” with Redtail – it acts like a bouncer for your CRM data. Think automated checkpoints for compliance reviews, investment opportunity sign-offs, or new client onboarding. The kicker? Approvers don’t need Redtail licenses. Your external compliance team gets to approve/reject via email while Netflix-and-chilling, and your admins avoid playing middleman.

Four Ways This Combo Actually Solves Real Problems

1. Client Onboarding That Doesn’t Make You Want to Quit

Scenario: New client activity pops up in Redtail. Instead of Slack pings and forwarded emails, ApproveThis automatically:

• Routes KYC docs to compliance
• Escalates large portfolio transfers to senior advisors
• Updates Redtail records when approved (or flags issues)

Real impact: A Midwest RIA cut onboarding from 11 days to 3 by auto-routing compliance checks based on account size thresholds.

2. Opportunity Approval That Doesn’t Kill Momentum

When a $2M annuity opportunity hits Redtail, ApproveThis can:

• Require dual approval from principal + compliance
• Auto-approve standard portfolios under $500K
• Push approved deals back to Redtail with all compliance stamps

Bonus: Vacation delegation means deals don’t die because someone’s at a Berkshire Hathaway conference.

3. Compliance Paper Trails That Don’t Require a Law Degree

Every approval/rejection in ApproveThis timestamps who approved what, with comments. When FINRA comes knocking, export the audit trail directly from workflows tied to Redtail records. No more “I thought Janet handled that” moments.

4. Cross-Team Work That Doesn’t Feel Like Herding Cats

Example: Marketing wants to send a client webinar invite. ApproveThis forces:

• Advisor approval (do they want this client contacted?)
• Compliance review of marketing copy
• Auto-update Redtail comms log post-approval

Setting This Up Without Involving Your IT Guy

Zapier’s the glue here. Two sample Zaps that actually work:

Zap 1: New Redtail Activity → Approval Workflow

Trigger: Redtail activity created (like a client meeting note)

Action: Create ApproveThis request with:

• Conditional routing (e.g., large accounts go to VP)
• Deadline matching compliance SLAs

Zap 2: Approved Request → Redtail Update

Trigger: ApproveThis approval

Action: Update Redtail contact record with:

• Approval timestamp
• Comments from approvers
• Next steps (auto-added as a Redtail task)

Pro tip: Use ApproveThis’ calculated fields to auto-flag requests needing manual review. Example: If activity involves a FINRA-regulated product → require compliance team sign-off.

Why Your Specific Team Will Care

Advisors:

Get approval requests in email between client meetings. No logging into Yet Another System™. Denials include reasons so you can actually fix issues.

Operations Managers:

Built-in escalation paths mean no more tracking down MIA approvers. Vacation delegation auto-reassigns tasks. Dashboards show which compliance reviews are bottlenecks.

Compliance Officers:

All approvals are tied to specific Redtail records. Audit exports include client IDs, advisor names, and decision timestamps. Threshold rules auto-approve low-risk items so you focus on what matters.

Marketing Teams:

Get client comms approved without 12 forward/rewrite cycles. Approved content automatically logs to Redtail with compliance clearance notes.

The “Oh, That’s Actually Useful” Features

Beyond basic approvals, this combo handles:

Auto-Approvals for Routine Stuff

Set rules like “Portfolio rebalances under 5% don’t need manual review.” Frees up teams for actual judgment calls.

Client-Specific Approval Paths

High-net-worth clients? Require principal advisor + CCO sign-off. Standard accounts? Auto-approve via rules. Routes based on Redtail data points.

Compliance Sandbox Testing

Run mock audits by exporting approval histories. Filter by advisor, client type, or date range. Prove to examiners you’re not winging it.

How to Not Screw This Up

Common mistakes we’ve seen:

Overcomplicating Workflows

Start with 2-3 critical approval types (new clients, large trades, marketing comms). Add complexity later.

Ignoring Email Approvers

70% of ApproveThis users approve via email. Don’t force external partners to login – it’s why adoption fails.

Forgetting Threshold Adjustments

Update auto-approval limits quarterly. What’s “high risk” changes as your firm grows.

Bottom Line: This Isn’t About Software

It’s about not having compliance panic attacks at 2 AM. Or losing a $500K client because an approval got buried in Outlook. ApproveThis + Redtail via Zapier creates enforceable rules without the bureaucratic sludge.

If you’re:

• Manually forwarding Redtail records for sign-off
• Using email threads as “approval trails”
• Having weekly “Who approved this?!” meetings

...you’re already paying the stupid tax. Time to stop.

Get Started Free (takes 8 minutes) or schedule a live demo where we’ll show how actual RIAs use this without becoming process zombies.