ApproveThis manages your Formstack Documents Integration approvals.

When Approval Meets Automation

In today's fast-paced business environment, two truths remain constant: documents need approvals, and manual processes waste time. Formstack Documents solves the first challenge by automating document generation, while ApproveThis tackles the second by streamlining approval chains. Together, they create an operational powerhouse where contracts get signed faster, invoices move through finance teams like lightning, and compliance becomes a natural byproduct of your workflow.

Why This Integration Works

Formstack Documents excels at turning data into polished PDFs or Word files - think customized contracts, personalized proposals, or dynamic invoices. But even the slickest document means nothing without proper sign-off. ApproveThis brings structure to the chaos of "Who needs to approve this?" with features like multi-step workflows, automatic escalations, and real-time tracking. Through Zapier, these platforms create closed-loop systems where document creation triggers approvals, and approvals trigger document actions.

Key Benefits Across Teams

Legal Teams: Automate contract generation from templates, then route to internal stakeholders and external counsel without leaving your workflow. Approvers receive email notifications with embedded approval buttons - no need to log into multiple systems.

Finance Departments: Generate invoices via Formstack Documents, then auto-route for manager approval based on amount thresholds. Approved invoices get automatically stamped and sent to accounting software.

HR Operations: Combine offer letters, benefits summaries, and NDAs into a single package for new hires. Route through department heads for sequential approvals, then auto-email the final packet.

Real-World Workflows Made Simple

Use Case 1: Contract Lifecycle Automation

A legal tech startup uses Formstack Documents to generate custom SaaS agreements from their CRM data. Every time a new contract merges, ApproveThis automatically routes it to: 1) Sales lead for terms verification  2) Finance for payment schedule review  3) General Counsel for final sign-off. Approved contracts get auto-converted to PDF and sent via DocuSign. Result? Contract turnaround time dropped from 5 days to 8 hours.

Use Case 2: Invoice Approval Escalation

A manufacturing company generates invoices through Formstack Documents pulling data from their ERP. ApproveThis applies conditional logic: invoices under $5k go straight to accounting, $5k-$25k require department head approval, over $25k escalate to CFO. The system automatically reminds approvers via email, and if someone's OOO, delegates the task. Finance now closes books 6 days faster monthly.

Use Case 3: HR Onboarding Packets

A healthcare provider combines offer letters, benefits forms, and training manuals into personalized PDFs using Formstack Documents' merge function. ApproveThis routes the packet through HR > Department Director > Compliance Officer. Once approved, the system auto-schedules new hire orientation and updates their BambooHR profile. Onboarding time reduced by 70%.

Setting Up the Integration

1. Zapier Setup: Create a Zapier account if you don't have one. Connect your Formstack Documents and ApproveThis accounts under "Connected Accounts."

2. Choose Trigger: Select a Formstack Documents event like "New Merged Document" or use an ApproveThis trigger like "Request Approved."

3. Define Actions: Map document fields to approval request details. Set approval rules - sequential vs parallel, thresholds, escalation paths.

4. Test & Activate: Run test documents through the workflow. Confirm approval emails generate correctly and document actions trigger as intended.

Pro Tip: License Efficiency

External partners (like client legal teams or vendor accounts payable) can approve documents via email without needing Formstack Documents licenses. ApproveThis handles authentication through secure email links, maintaining compliance while reducing software costs.

Advanced Features in Play

Dynamic Calculations: Automatically flag invoices where discounts exceed authorized percentages using Calculated Fields. If a merged document shows a 25% discount but the approver only has 20% authority, the system escalates to their manager.

Version Control: When multiple approvers suggest changes, Formstack Documents can generate revised drafts while ApproveThis maintains an audit trail of who requested modifications and when.

Compliance Guardrails: For industries like healthcare or finance, combine Approval Thresholds with Document Watermarking. Any PHI-containing document automatically requires CCO approval before sharing externally.

Teams That Benefit Most

Startups: Founder-led approval becomes unsustainable fast. Automating investor updates, cap table changes, and vendor contracts lets leadership focus on growth.

Professional Services: Law firms and agencies use this combo to handle client-facing documents. Proposals get approved internally, then auto-merged with SOW templates for client signatures.

Education: Districts automate field trip waivers and purchase orders. Teachers submit requests via Google Form  merged into PDF  routed to principal  approved forms auto-emailed to parents.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Don't: Use single-approver workflows for high-risk documents. Leverage Approval Groups for cross-functional reviews.
Do: Set up Vacation Delegation during holiday seasons to prevent approval bottlenecks.
Don't: Hardcode approver emails - use roles (CFO, Legal Lead) that auto-update as staff changes.
Do: Add calculated fields to dynamically determine approval paths based on document content.

Getting Started

The beauty of this integration lies in its phased adoption. Start with a single workflow - maybe vendor invoices or NDAs. Once comfortable, expand to complex scenarios like multi-country contract approvals requiring localized documents and regional approvers.

Ready to eliminate approval bottlenecks? Book a personalized demo to see how ApproveThis turbocharges Formstack Documents, or start your free trial and connect via Zapier in under 15 minutes.