ApproveThis manages your HEIApply CRM approvals.

When Bureaucracy Meets Its Match

Let's face it - educational institutions aren't exactly known for moving fast. Between application reviews, budget sign-offs, and partnership agreements, most schools and universities drown in paper trails and "Reply All" email chains. That's where pairing ApproveThis with HEIApply CRM gets interesting.

Why This Combo Works

HEIApply CRM handles student inquiries like a pro, but leaves teams scrambling when actual decisions need to be made. ApproveThis brings structure to the chaos with:

• Automated approval routing that actually follows your org chart
• Real-time tracking that kills "Did you get my email?" follow-ups

Together, they create closed-loop processes where every inquiry gets tracked AND resolved - no student left behind, no budget request lost in someone's inbox.

Real-World Scenarios That Don't Suck

1. From Inquiry to Approved Action in 60 Seconds

Here's how a mid-sized university handles application fee waivers:

New financial aid request hits HEIApply → Zapier triggers ApproveThis workflow → Automatic routing to Financial Aid Director + Department Chair → Both approve via email → Student gets auto-notification.

Why it matters: Cut decision time from 2 weeks to 48 hours during peak admissions season using approval thresholds ($500+ auto-escalates to VP).

2. Keeping External Partners in the Loop (Without the Headache)

Study abroad programs often require external vendor approvals. Traditional approach? CC'ing 10 people across 3 organizations. Modern fix:

Vendor submits proposal via HEIApply → Creates ApproveThis request → Internal procurement team + external program directors review → Legal gets auto-added if contract value exceeds $25k.

Secret sauce: ApproveThis doesn't require external partners to have HEIApply licenses - they just click "Approve" in their email.

Department-Specific Wins

Admissions Teams: No More Spreadsheet Jockeys

Conditional approval logic means:

- Standard applications get auto-approved based on GPA/test scores
- Borderline cases route to committee members
- International students trigger additional visa compliance checks

Finance Offices: Budgets That Actually Work

Combine HEIApply's purchase requests with ApproveThis' calculated fields to:

- Auto-calculate total program costs
- Split approvals between department budgets and central funds
- Flag duplicate requests before they're approved

Academic Departments: Faster Curriculum Updates

New course proposal in HEIApply → Routes through department chairs → Auto-checks for classroom availability → Simultaneously requests IT resource approval.

Bonus: Vacation delegation ensures approvals don't stall during summer breaks.

Setting This Up Without Losing Your Mind

1. Connect via Zapier - 15 minute setup
2. Map HEIApply enquiry fields to ApproveThis templates
3. Set escalation rules for slow responders
4. Test with finance@ and watch magic happen

What You're Really Getting Here

This isn't about chasing shiny tech. It's about:

- Cutting approval cycles from weeks to days (without adding headcount)
- Making auditors actually smile during compliance reviews
- Letting staff focus on students instead of paperwork

No-BS Next Steps

If your team wastes more than 10 hours/week on approval-related BS:
1. Create free ApproveThis account
2. Connect HEIApply CRM via Zapier
3. Automate one process (start small - textbook requests work)
4. Watch other departments beg to be added

Or schedule a 15-minute demo to see how a community college automated $2.3M in annual procurement approvals without hiring more admins.

Common Questions (From Skeptical Admins)

"We have custom approval rules - can this handle exceptions?"
Yes. We've seen everything from "Require 2 signatures if over $5k" to "Auto-approve summer camp requests unless from these 3 departments."

"What if approvers ignore the emails?"
Escalation rules + mobile-friendly approvals. Plus, the dashboard shows exactly who's holding things up - no more covering for slow colleagues.

"Our legal team won't like external approvals..."
All actions get logged with timestamps and comments. Version control included. Your lawyers might finally approve something.