ApproveThis manages your Cronfree Time Scheduler Integration approvals.

Why Pair a Scheduling Tool With an Approval System?

Let’s cut to the chase: Cronfree Time Scheduler automates when things happen. ApproveThis handles who says they can happen. Together, they’re the traffic cops your business processes actually need.

Think about it – Cronfree’s great at firing off recurring tasks like clockwork. But what happens when those tasks involve spending money, publishing content, or changing operational plans? Someone needs to sign off. That’s where 87% of teams hit a wall: chasing down approvals via email, Slack, or worse, hallway conversations.

This integration via Zapier bridges the gap. Cronfree sets the schedule, ApproveThis enforces the rules. No more “I didn’t see the email” or “Was I supposed to approve this?”.

Who Actually Benefits From This Combo?

If your team schedules anything that needs a second pair of eyes before going live, this matters. Here’s the breakdown:

Marketing Teams: Social Media & Content Calendars

Scenario: Your Cronfree schedule auto-posts to social channels every Thursday. But that promo tweet with the 20% off code? Legal needs to vet it first.

Fix: Cronfree triggers an ApproveThis workflow before the scheduled post date. Legal approves via email (no app login needed), or it doesn’t go out. No last-minute scrambles.

HR & Operations: Recurring Training or Maintenance

Scenario: Monthly safety drills are scheduled in Cronfree. But if facilities are booked, the drill needs rescheduling – which requires manager sign-off.

Fix: Auto-send approval requests to department heads 5 days prior. If denied, ApproveThis automatically triggers a reschedule Zapier workflow. No double-booking.

Finance: Invoice Generation & Payment Runs

Scenario: Cronfree auto-generates client invoices every 30 days. But for clients over $10K, you need CFO approval before sending.

Fix: Approval thresholds in ApproveThis auto-flag high-value invoices. CFO gets an email, clicks ‘approve’, and Cronfree’s schedule continues uninterrupted. Delays? Nope.

The Nuts and Bolts: How It Actually Works

Setup takes 15 minutes if you’ve used Zapier before. Here’s the gist:

1. Connect Cronfree to Zapier: Use the “Set Schedule” trigger (when a new task is added).
2. Link to ApproveThis: Map Cronfree’s schedule details to an “Create Request” action in ApproveThis.
3. Set Approval Rules: Define who approves what (e.g., budget thresholds, content types).

Pro Tip: Use ApproveThis’ calculated fields to auto-flag schedules needing extra scrutiny. Example: If Cronfree schedules a task with “Ad Spend” in the title, require CMO approval regardless of amount.

Why This Isn’t Just Another Integration

Most scheduling tools have basic approval features. But they crumble when:

• Approvals involve external partners (vendors, clients)
• Multiple departments need to sign off in sequence
• Approvers are OOO (we’ve all been there)

ApproveThis handles this by:

• Email approvals: External clients click ‘approve’ without logging into Cronfree.
• Sequential workflows: Legal first, then Finance, then Execution – no stepped toes.
• Vacation delegation: Auto-reassign approvals if someone’s skiing in the Alps.

Real-World Example: Stopping a $50K Mistake

A manufacturing client used Cronfree to schedule equipment maintenance. Their old process? The scheduler would email the plant manager for approval. Except when the manager was on vacation, approvals stalled, delaying maintenance.

With ApproveThis:

1. Cronfree schedules maintenance 14 days out.
2. ApproveThis pings the plant manager via email.
3. If no response in 48hrs, approval auto-forwards to the backup.

Result: They avoided $50K in downtime costs last quarter because approvals didn’t get buried in an inbox.

“But We Already Have Approvals in [Other Tool]”

Most CRMs or project tools have basic ‘approve’ buttons. But they’re siloed. ApproveThis centralizes all approvals across tools. Think:

• See every pending approval (Cronfree schedules, Salesforce contracts, Jira tickets) in one dashboard.
• Apply consistent rules – e.g., “All spend over $5K needs CFO review” works everywhere.
• Avoid app-switching fatigue for approvers (they just click email links).

Getting Started (Without the Overwhelm)

Don’t boil the ocean. Pick one high-friction process:

1. Identify a Cronfree schedule that’s caused approval delays.
2. Map who needs to approve it (and backups).
3. Build the Zapier flow in 15 mins (seriously, it’s drag-and-drop).

Common first steps:

• Social media posts needing legal/compliance review
• Recurring purchases (office supplies, cloud services)
• Client reporting schedules requiring account director sign-off

The Bottom Line: Control Without Complexity

Scheduling tools like Cronfree Time Scheduler exist to automate the predictable. But business isn’t predictable – that’s why approvals exist. This integration lets you handle exceptions without derailing automation.

ApproveThis isn’t another layer of red tape. It’s the guardrails that let you automate faster, because you know nothing’s going off track.

Next step: Register for ApproveThis, connect your Cronfree account via Zapier, and automate your first approval workflow in under an hour. Or book a demo to see how other teams cut approval delays by 70%.