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Simplify Integration

ApproveThis manages your Simplify Integration approvals.

April 22, 2025

Integration Category: Todo Lists

When Bureaucracy Meets Automation

Let's be real - approval processes are where productivity goes to die. You've got client details stuck in emails, invoice sign-offs waiting on someone's vacation to end, and service updates buried in Slack threads. This is exactly why pairing ApproveThis with Simplify through Zapier isn't just convenient - it's a straight-up survival tactic for companies scaling past 50 employees.

Simplify handles the operational heavy lifting for service-based businesses, while ApproveThis acts as the traffic cop for decisions. Together, they turn "Hey, did you approve that thing?" into a relic of 2010s business operations. The kicker? Approvers in ApproveThis don't need Simplify licenses. That means your external contractors or finance team can greenlight requests without you buying seats for every part-time approver.

Where the Magic Happens

This integration isn't about replacing your existing tools - it's about making them actually talk to each other. When a new client pops up in Simplify, ApproveThis can immediately route their contract for review. When your team updates a service template, the approval happens before the change accidentally bills 50 clients at the wrong rate. It's like giving your operations team a sixth sense for bottlenecks.

The real advantage? Approval logic that adapts to your business rules. Set thresholds so $500 invoices auto-approve but $50k contracts get flagged. Use calculated fields to automatically determine whether a client request needs legal review. It's decision-making with guardrails, not bureaucracy.

Real World Fixes for Real Teams

1. Client Onboarding That Doesn't Embarrass You

Property management companies know this pain: New tenant applications coming through Simplify need immediate reviews, but chasing down approvals via email leaves units sitting empty. Connect the Zapier trigger for new Simplify clients to auto-create an ApproveThis request with all relevant docs. Leasing managers get email approvals (they can literally approve from their phone while showing another unit), and approved tenants automatically flow back into Simplify for next steps.

ApproveThis feature highlight: Vacation delegation ensures property managers don't bottle-neck approvals during industry conferences or summer vacations.

2. Invoices That Don't Cause Heart Attacks

Here's how accounting teams sleep better: When Simplify generates an invoice with GST, ApproveThis cross-checks it against project budgets using calculated fields. If numbers look fishy, it escalates to the CFO. If everything adds up, the AP team gets immediate approval to process payment. We've seen marketing agencies use this to prevent overbilling from freelancers - because nobody wants to explain a $50k oops-invoice to the board.

3. Service Updates That Don't Break Things

IT teams in managed services companies live this nightmare: A "minor" service template change in Simplify accidentally rolls out to all clients. By requiring ApproveThis approvals before any template updates, you ensure the right people validate changes. Better yet - set conditional logic so high-risk changes require client success sign-off. It's version control meets accountability.

4. Client Data That Stays Accurate

For professional services firms, outdated client info is revenue leakage. When account managers update Simplify client records, ApproveThis can require partner approval for sensitive changes (like billing contacts or project scope). Bonus move: Set approval thresholds so minor address changes auto-approve, but payment term adjustments get eyeballed by finance.

Setting This Up Without Losing Your Mind

If you can order lunch through an app, you can connect these systems:

  1. Grab your Simplify admin credentials and ApproveThis account
  2. In Zapier, choose Simplify as your trigger app (pick events like "New Client" or "Invoice Created")
  3. Select ApproveThis as your action app to create approval requests
  4. Map critical fields - client IDs in Simplify to custom fields in ApproveThis
  5. Test with a $1 test invoice or dummy client before going live

Pro tip: Use ApproveThis' conditional logic to handle 80% of routine approvals automatically. Save human attention for the exceptions that actually matter.

Who Gets Their Time Back

Operations Teams

Stop playing approval operator. Multi-step workflows in ApproveThis automatically route requests to the right people based on amount, project type, or client tier. Real-time tracking means you can actually answer "Where's that approval?" without digging through systems.

Finance Departments

Configure approval thresholds so junior staff can approve small invoices but anything over $10k pings the controller. Automatic audit trails in ApproveThis simplify month-end reconciliations - no more guessing who approved what.

IT & Security

Enforce approval chains for system changes without becoming the bottleneck. Service template updates in Simplify require approvals based on risk level, with automatic delegation if primary approvers are OOO.

Client-Facing Teams

External approvers (client contacts, vendors) can review and sign off directly via email without needing Simplify access. Approval groups ensure both your legal team and their project lead sign off on contract changes.

Why This Isn't Just Another Integration

Most approval tools just digitize paper processes. ApproveThis adds decision-making intelligence to Simplify's operational data. Example: When a Simplify client invoice exceeds their historical average by 20%, ApproveThis can flag it for review before payment. Or automatically approve contract renewals under $25k if the client has 90+ satisfaction scores.

It's about creating dynamic guardrails, not rigid rules. Approval groups adapt as team structures change. Calculated fields prevent human math errors. Vacation coverage stops approvals from piling up on someone's out-of-office reply.

The Bottom Line

For companies between 50-5k employees, approvals aren't about control - they're about velocity. Every minute saved on chasing sign-offs is a minute spent actually delivering client work. Every automated approval threshold reduces risk without adding overhead.

ApproveThis + Simplify via Zapier works because it respects how teams actually operate. Approvers don't need to learn new systems - they can approve via email or a simple dashboard. Admins get central control without micromanaging. And clients? They just see faster turnaround times without knowing about the automation magic happening backstage.

Next Steps That Don't Suck

If you're using Simplify and still handling approvals through email chains or worse - actual paper - it's time to stop bleeding productivity. Book a 15-minute demo of ApproveThis and we'll show exactly how to connect your messiest approval process first. Or just sign up and try the Zapier integration yourself - we won't make you talk to sales unless you want to.

Get Started with ApproveThis | Simplify's Website

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Integrate with Simplify Integration and get 90 days of ApproveThis for free.

After you create a Zapier integration, please email us at support@approve-this.com with your account name and we'll add 3 months of ApproveThis to your account. Limit one redemption per account.

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Best Approval Workflows for Simplify

Suggested workflows (and their Zapier components) for Simplify

Create approval request for new tenant clients

When a new tenant client is added in Simplify, this integration creates an approval request in ApproveThis to verify client details. *Note: Ensure client information is mapped correctly for approvals.*

Zapier Components

Simplify Logo

Trigger

New Tenant's Client

Triggers when a new client is created.

Action

Create Request

Creates a new request, probably with input from previous steps.

Update client for received approval requests

When an approval request is initiated in ApproveThis, this automation updates the associated client details in Simplify. *Note: Confirm client ID mappings between both systems.*

Zapier Components

Trigger

New Request

Triggers when a new approval request workflow is initiated.

Simplify Logo

Action

Update Client

Update a Client

Create approval request for new tenant invoices

This integration creates an approval request in ApproveThis whenever a new invoice with GST is recorded in Simplify, ensuring invoice details are verified before processing. *Note: Adjust approval thresholds as needed.*

Zapier Components

Simplify Logo

Trigger

New Tenant's Invoice With GST

Triggers when a new invoice if with GST is created.

Action

Create Request

Creates a new request, probably with input from previous steps.

Update service item template for completed approvals

When an approval decision is finalized in ApproveThis, this integration updates the corresponding service item template in Simplify. *Note: Verify that update mappings align with approval outcomes.*

Zapier Components

Trigger

A Request Is Approved/Denied

Triggers when a request is approved or denied.

Simplify Logo

Action

Update Service Item Template

Update Service Item Template