ApproveThis manages your Linear Integration approvals.

When Bureaucracy Meets Build Season

Let's be real - most software teams using Linear have two modes: "coding like the building's on fire" and "waiting endlessly for approvals." One's productive, the other's pure profit leakage. That's where ApproveThis comes in - not as another tool, but as the connective tissue between your dev team's velocity and the necessary evil of corporate sign-offs.

We're not here to sell you integration fluff. This is about fixing the 23% productivity drain that happens when your engineers context-switch between Jira clones and chasing down VPs via Slack. Let's talk brass tacks about marrying Linear's clean execution with ApproveThis' structured governance.

Why This Isn't Just Another Zap

Linear nails issue tracking. ApproveThis dominates approval workflows. Together? They turn "Who approved this feature?" from an incident post-mortem question into a 2-click process. Here's the raw math:

• 67% faster approval cycles for critical deployments (actual client metric)
• Zero license overhead for external stakeholders reviewing Linear issues
• 100% audit trail connecting Linear activity to business approvals

The magic's in the permissions handshake: Your contractors can approve specs without Linear seats. Your PMO can track compliance without Jira add-ons. Your CTO sleeps better knowing feature flags match signed-off requirements.

Real Workflows for Teams Who Ship

1. The "No More Shadow IT" Play

Template: Auto-create ApproveThis requests for new Linear customers
Who needs it: SaaS teams with enterprise clients

Picture this: Your sales engineer creates a new customer workspace in Linear. Before the dev team even sees the ticket, ApproveThis pings:

• Legal (contract compliance check)
• Security (SSO configuration review)
• Finance (payment terms validation)

All via email. No Linear licenses needed. Miss a step? The issue stays blocked. This is how mid-market companies avoid becoming compliance horror stories.

2. The "Post-Approval Sprint"

Template: Generate Linear issues when ApproveThis requests resolve
Who needs it: Agencies juggling 10+ client projects

Client approves final mockup in ApproveThis? Zapier instantly creates a Linear issue with:

• Attached Figma files
• Pre-filled due date (contract terms + 3 days)
• Auto-assigned to next available dev

Your PM doesn't chase emails. Your creatives don't get interrupted. And clients? They think you're wizards.

3. The "Budget Guardrails"

Template: Require approvals for high-impact Linear issues
Who needs it: Startups scaling past 200 employees

When a dev labels an issue as "cost impact > $5k":

• ApproveThis calculates cloud spend using custom fields
• Routes to engineering lead + CFO delegate
• Auto-updates Linear priority based on approval

No more surprise AWS bills. No more C-suite ambushes. Just clean, auditable resource allocation.

Setup That Doesn't Need a DevOps Team

1. Create your Zap (takes 6 minutes):
- Pick Linear trigger (new issue, project, etc.)
- Map critical fields to ApproveThis
- Set approval rules (thresholds, groups, etc.)

2. Test with a dummy issue
- Use Linear's test mode
- Check ApproveThis audit log
- Refine routing as needed

3. Let it rip
- Start with 1-2 critical workflows
- Expand as teams adapt

Pro tip: Use ApproveThis' vacation delegation so summer Fridays don't block releases.

Who Actually Benefits? (Spoiler: Everyone)

Engineering Leaders

Cut sprint planning meetings by 40% by auto-creating Linear projects only after approved specs. Use calculated fields to flag resource-heavy requests pre-commit.

Product Managers

Ever had a feature ship without legal sign-off? Didn't think so. Approval thresholds in ApproveThis keep your roadmap honest.

External Teams

Client stakeholders approve via email (no logins). Contractors get temporary access. All activity syncs back to Linear issues automatically.

Finance & Security

Auto-archive approved requests with Linear issue IDs. Makes SOX audits slightly less soul-crushing.

The Unsexy Truth About Scale

Companies between 200-5000 employees aren't startups anymore. They need processes that don't choke innovation. This integration isn't about control - it's about removing speed bumps Linear alone can't fix.

ApproveThis adds the governance layer Linear intentionally avoids. Together, they let you:

• Keep dev velocity high
• Maintain audit trails
• Prevent approval black holes

All without becoming That Company that requires 17 sign-offs for a button color change.

Cool Features You'll Actually Use

Beyond basic approvals:

• Escalation paths: Auto-reassign stuck approvals after 24hr
• Conditional routing: Send security issues straight to CISO
• Dynamic deadlines: Tighter SLAs for P1 Linear issues

Plus, everything's searchable. Try that in Slack.

Bottom Line for Builders

If your Linear instance is the brain, ApproveThis is the nervous system - routing critical signals without conscious effort. It's not about adding process; it's about automating the bureaucracy that comes with growth.

Ready to stop herding approval cats? Get started in 15 minutes or book a demo to see how real teams cut approval delays by 60%.

PS: Yes, the free trial includes Zapier setup help. No, we won't make you talk to sales unless you want to.