ApproveThis + Eventmaker: The Approval Power-Up Your Event Workflows Need

When Bureaucracy Meets Badge Scanners

Let's cut through the noise: event planning is 30% creativity and 70% chasing down approvals. Vendor contracts waiting for legal review. Last-minute VIP guest lists stuck in someone's inbox. Budget overages that need five people to sign off before you can order more lanyards. This is where ApproveThis and Eventmaker become your secret weapons.

Why This Combo Works

Eventmaker handles the what of events – registrations, check-ins, guest management. ApproveThis owns the who says so. Together via Zapier, they create closed-loop systems where every action requiring a green light gets it without manual hounding. We're talking about cutting approval delays from days to hours while keeping a razor-sharp audit trail.

Real-World Use Cases That Don't Suck

These aren't hypothetical "maybe someday" scenarios. These are fixes for the crap that keeps event teams up at night:

1. VIP Check-In Guardrails

Picture this: Your cybersecurity conference has strict rules about who can access the closed-door NSA session. Every time someone scans their badge at that door:

• Eventmaker triggers a Zapier workflow
• ApproveThis pings the security lead via email (no app login needed)
• Approval = access granted in real-time

Who cares: Corporate event teams managing compliance-heavy industries like finance or healthcare. No more "Oops, we let the competitor's team into the roadmap session."

2. Budget Firewalls for Creative Teams

Your event coordinator wants to upgrade the after-party open bar to top-shelf liquor. In Eventmaker, they submit a vendor change request that:

• Auto-routes to ApproveThis
• Triggers a multi-step approval chain (manager → finance → legal)
• Only updates the Eventmaker budget category after full sign-off

Who wins: Mid-market companies where the events team doesn't have unilateral spending power. Finance gets control without micromanaging every margarita.

3. Speaker Contract Hell Solved

When a new speaker is added in Eventmaker's portal:

→ ApproveThis automatically generates a contract approval flow
→ Legal reviews via email (they live in Outlook anyway)
→ Once signed, Eventmaker auto-populates the speaker's backstage details

Why it matters: Agencies handling multiple concurrent events. Eliminate version control issues with speaker riders and NDAs.

Setup That Doesn't Require an IT Degree

Here's the thing – if you can order DoorDash, you can connect these tools:

1. Log into your Zapier account (or make one – it's free to start)
2. Choose Eventmaker as your trigger app
3. Pick an ApproveThis action like "Create Request" or "Update Status"
4. Map the data fields (e.g., Eventmaker's "Guest Type" → ApproveThis' "Approval Category")

Pro tip: Use ApproveThis' calculated fields to auto-flag requests that exceed budget thresholds before they even reach approvers.

Department-Specific Wins

For Event Ops Teams

Kill the spreadsheet trackers. ApproveThis' real-time dashboard shows exactly which sessions need approval attention right now. Plus, vacation delegation means no more hunting for alternates when your main approver is at Burning Man.

For Finance Controllers

Set approval thresholds so small expenses get auto-approved while big ones hit your desk. All tied directly to Eventmaker's budget categories. Audit trails are automatically generated – no more digging through Slack histories.

For External Vendors

Here's the kicker: Your AV crew doesn't need Eventmaker logins to approve schedule changes. They get emailed requests, click approve/reject, and it syncs back. No app training, no license fees.

The Nuts and Bolts You Care About

No double logins: Approvers interact via email or ApproveThis' clean interface. They never touch Eventmaker unless they already use it.

Conditional logic: Route catering approvals to the ops director but A/V requests to the tech lead – all based on Eventmaker's tags.

Mobile-proof: Since approvals happen via email, even your execs who "don't do apps" can approve from their phones.

When to Steer Clear

This integration isn't magic fairy dust. If your team refuses to document approval processes or insists on making every decision via hallway conversations, you've got bigger issues. But if you're ready to turn "Who approved this?!" into a searchable record, let's talk.

Bottom Line for Mid-Sized Companies

You're not tiny enough to wing it, not huge enough to waste on enterprise bloat. ApproveThis + Eventmaker via Zapier gives you:

→ 80% fewer "Did you see my approval request?" Slack messages
→ 100% audit trail compliance without the paperwork
→ Ability to scale event volume without adding approval admins

Ready to stop being an approval secretary? Book a demo or start a free trial. Your future self (the one not stuck in approval purgatory) will thank you.