ApproveThis manages your zipBoard Integration approvals.

Two Tools, One Unified Process

Modern product development teams face a critical challenge: keeping creative workflows moving while maintaining rigorous quality control. zipBoard’s visual feedback platform helps teams collaborate on designs and prototypes, while ApproveThis adds structure to the decision-making process. Together, they create a closed-loop system where feedback becomes actionable, approvals happen faster, and projects stay on track.

This integration isn’t about replacing tools – it’s about connecting them intelligently. Product managers gain real-time visibility into approval status directly within zipBoard projects. Developers automatically receive greenlit tasks without chasing emails. Client stakeholders can review and approve work without needing access to technical platforms. Let’s explore how this combination drives measurable results.

Core Capabilities: What Each Tool Brings

ApproveThis Strengths

ApproveThis specializes in governing decision flows. Its configurable approval chains ensure that every design change, budget adjustment, or client deliverable gets reviewed by the right people in the correct order. Features like vacation delegation prevent bottlenecks, while calculated fields automatically flag requests needing executive review based on predefined criteria.

zipBoard’s Advantage

zipBoard excels at visual collaboration. Teams markup website prototypes, track bug resolution progress, and manage version control for design assets. Its strength lies in making feedback contextual – stakeholders comment directly on UI elements rather than sending abstract change requests.

Three Workflows That Transform Product Cycles

1. Design Asset Governance

When a new prototype version gets uploaded to zipBoard, ApproveThis automatically routes it to stakeholders based on project phase. For example:

• Early wireframes → Internal UX team approval
• High-fidelity mockups → Client brand manager + Legal review

A SaaS company reduced client revision rounds by 40% using this method. Legal reviewers received automated compliance checklists alongside the visual files, catching trademark issues before client presentations.

2. Bug Fix Accountability

Critical bugs logged in zipBoard can trigger approval workflows requiring engineering lead sign-off before task assignment. This prevents junior developers from being overloaded with unvetted issues. One mobile app team cut production incidents by 22% by mandating architecture reviews for high-severity bugs.

3. Client Deliverable Sign-Off

When projects reach milestone stages, zipBoard tasks can initiate formal approval chains. External clients receive branded approval portals via ApproveThis, eliminating “I missed the email” excuses. An agency reduced payment delays by 15 days average by linking approvals to invoice triggers.

Technical Setup Made Simple

Connecting zipBoard to ApproveThis takes under 15 minutes using Zapier. Here’s the basic flow:

1. Create a Zapier account (if new to automation)
2. Choose your trigger: “New File in zipBoard” or “New Task” based on needs
3. Map key fields: Project IDs, assignee emails, due dates
4. Set approval rules in ApproveThis: Who approves what, escalation paths
5. Test with a sample file/task to confirm routing

Pro Tip: Use ApproveThis’ calculated fields to auto-route zipBoard tasks based on issue severity scores or estimated fix time.

Cross-Functional Team Benefits

Development Teams

Engineers spend 17% less time in meetings when using predefined approval rules for task prioritization. zipBoard’s visual context combined with ApproveThis’ SLAs ensures they only work on fully vetted tasks.

Project Managers

Real-time dashboards show approval bottlenecks across multiple clients. Conditional thresholds automatically escalate delayed requests, keeping timelines intact without manual follow-ups.

Client Success

External stakeholders appreciate the professional approval portals. License-free reviewers can access branded interfaces without needing zipBoard logins, improving adoption rates by 63% according to platform data.

Beyond Basic Approvals: Advanced Tactics

Seasoned teams leverage these combinations:

Version Control Sync: ApproveThis can archive approved zipBoard file versions to SharePoint or Google Drive automatically, creating audit trails.

Budget Gates: If a zipBoard task’s logged hours exceed estimates, ApproveThis routes change orders to finance before work continues.

Compliance Checks: New files trigger approval checklists ensuring GDPR/accessibility standards are met before client sharing.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

While powerful, misconfigurations can undermine results:

Over-Automating Creativity: Keep subjective design decisions in human hands. Use approvals for compliance checkpoints, not aesthetic choices.

Field Mapping Errors: Test that zipBoard metadata (e.g., client IDs) correctly populates ApproveThis forms to prevent misrouting.

Stakeholder Overload: Use approval groups wisely – sequential sign-offs work better than consensus models for most product workflows.

Getting Started Guide

First integration project? Follow this path:

1. Pick a Contained Use Case: Client design approvals for one recurring project type.

2. Define Success Metrics: Reduced revision cycles? Faster payment terms?

3. Engage Cross-Team Stakeholders: Demo how approvers interact with the system.

4. Iterate Post-Launch: Adjust routing rules based on real user behavior.

Most teams see ROI within two billing cycles through reduced delays and improved client satisfaction scores.

Your Next Steps

Ready to transform how your team handles critical approvals? Start with a free ApproveThis trial and connect it to your existing zipBoard account via Zapier. For complex environments, request a personalized demo showing how Fortune 500 product teams configure these integrations at scale.

Don’t let disjointed tools slow your launch velocity. Bridge the gap between collaboration and governance today.