ApproveThis manages your Microsoft To Do Integration approvals.

When Checklists Meet Sign-Offs: Why This Combo Works

Let's be real - most task management tools are great at telling you what needs doing but terrible at handling who says it's done right. That's where things get stuck in CC-all email threads and "waiting on Steve" delays. ApproveThis isn't another task app. It's the missing layer that turns completed items into accountable decisions.

Microsoft To Do users already live by their lists. Connect it to ApproveThis via Zapier, and you've just solved two problems:

• For the checklist crew: No more guessing if checking off a task actually means it's approved to move forward
• For the approvers: Stop digging through completed tasks to find what needs your eyes

Not Your Grandma's Task Approval

This integration isn't about adding bureaucracy. It's about fixing these specific headaches:

Problem 1: "I thought someone else reviewed that!"

Example: Your marketing team uses Microsoft To Do for campaign tasks. Designer marks "social media graphics" complete → ApproveThis pings the compliance lead automatically. No graphics go live without legal okay, but the designer isn't playing email tag.

Problem 2: "Why is this approval in my inbox AND Slack AND Asana?"

Example: Your IT team's hardware requests become To Do tasks when initiated. But the actual approval happens in ApproveThis with calculated fields (auto-checking budget vs. request cost). Approved? Task status updates. Denied? Comments sync back to To Do with reasons.

Real-World Use Cases That Don't Suck

Use Case 1: When "Done" ≠ "Approved" (Which is Always)

Zap: Completed To Do task → ApproveThis request

Who cares: Quality control teams in manufacturing. Lab tech completes "safety check" task → must be approved by shift supervisor before next batch starts. ApproveThis uses conditional logic: if any check fails, route to plant manager automatically.

Use Case 2: Approvals That Create Action Items

Zap: New ApproveThis request → To Do task

Who cares: HR teams onboarding new hires. Manager approves equipment request → automatically adds "set up laptop" and "assign security badges" to IT's To Do. Bonus: ApproveThis tracks approval time, so you know if delays are from approvers or execution.

Use Case 3: List? More Like a Launch Sequence

Zap: New To Do list → ApproveThis request

Who cares: Retail chains rolling out promotions. Marketing creates a "Q4 Holiday Sale" list → triggers regional manager approval. Approved lists auto-populate location-specific tasks. Denied? Comments tell marketers exactly what to fix.

Department-Specific Wins

Finance Teams: Killing Paper Trails

Expense reports in To Do get approved via ApproveThis thresholds:
- Under $500? Auto-approved with receipt check
- Over $500? CFO gets email/SMS to review
Key detail: Approvers don't need To Do licenses. Your external auditor gets approval emails without cluttering your task system.

Operations: Bridging Office and Field

Facility managers mark maintenance tasks complete → approvals route based on issue type:
- Plumbing → vendor manager
- Electrical → safety officer
All comments log in ApproveThis for audit trails, even if field teams only use To Do.

Setting This Up Without Losing Your Mind

Step 1: Create your ApproveThis account (takes 3 minutes)
Step 2: In Zapier, connect ApproveThis + Microsoft To Do
Step 3: Pick your trigger - we recommend starting with "Completed Task → Approval Request"
Step 4: Test with a real task (pro tip: name it "TEST - Ignore" so your team knows)

Why this works: ApproveThis handles the complex routing rules, To Do stays your task source. No one has to learn new tools.

Features You'll Actually Use

Email Approvals That Don't Get Lost

Approvers click "Approve" or "Reject" right from their inbox. No login needed. Yes, even for external partners. If they ignore it? ApproveThis escalates after your set time period.

Vacation Mode for Approvers

Steve from accounting is OOO? Delegation rules auto-assign his approvals. No more "waiting on Steve" delays clogging up your To Do tasks.

Calculated Fields = Fewer Meetings

Example: A To Do task for "Office Supplies Order" pulls total cost from a form. ApproveThis auto-approves if under department budget, flags if over. No back-and-forth for routine checks.

When to Use This vs. Going Solo

Microsoft To Do alone works if:
- You just need personal task tracking
- Approvals are simple (one person, no conditions)

You need ApproveThis when:
- Multiple departments sign off
- Approvals require data checks (budgets, compliance)
- You're tired of "I approved that?" lies

TL;DR - This Isn't Just Another Integration

Companies between 50-5k employees use ApproveThis + Microsoft To Do to:
- Cut approval delays by 60%+ (real data from our customers)
- Stop using tasks as pseudo-approval systems
- Give auditors a single trail instead of digging through emails + tasks

The kicker? Most teams set this up in under an hour. Your CFO will like the per-approver cost savings. Your ops team will like not being micromanaged. You'll like finally knowing where things stand.

Get Started Free (no CC required) or schedule a 10-minute demo if you're the skeptical type.