When Approval Management Meets Auto-Pilot Projects: Why ApproveThis + TimeHero Is Your New Power Move

Let’s cut to the chase: approvals suck. They’re the traffic jam in your workflow highway, the "waiting for manager" status that haunts your Monday mornings. But what if you could make approvals actually keep up with the rest of your operations? That’s where slapping ApproveThis and TimeHero together via Zapier becomes your secret weapon. We’re talking about connecting the dots between airtight approval processes and project management that runs itself. No motivational posters required.

Why This Combo Works Like a Double Shot of Espresso

ApproveThis isn’t just another "approve this PDF" tool. It’s built for companies juggling multiple approval layers – think procurement teams chasing down signatures or marketing leads vetting campaign budgets. TimeHero? It’s the auto-pilot for your projects. While other tools make you manually update task statuses, TimeHero shifts deadlines automatically when priorities change.

Combine them, and you get a self-driving workflow where:

• Completed tasks in TimeHero instantly trigger approval requests (no humans playing middleman)
• Approved requests in ApproveThis automatically spawn new action items in TimeHero (no tasks falling through cracks)

It’s like giving your approval processes a central nervous system that talks directly to your project execution engine. For companies between 50-5k employees? That’s the difference between “Why is this stuck?” and “How’d we finish early?”

Real-World Use Cases That Don’t Sound Like Corporate Fluff

1. The “Don’t Let Perfect Be the Enemy of Done” Play

Zap: When TimeHero marks a task complete → Create ApproveThis request for final sign-off
Who needs it: Creative agencies doing client work, manufacturing teams shipping prototypes

Picture this: Your design team finishes a client deliverable in TimeHero. Instead of Slack-bombing the account lead for approval, ApproveThis automatically pings the client (who doesn’t need a TimeHero license) via email. They approve directly from their inbox, which auto-updates both systems. No “Did you see my email?” No duplicate uploads. Just done.

2. The “Approvals Shouldn’t Be Where Work Goes to Die” Strategy

Zap: New ApproveThis request detected → Create TimeHero task to handle it
Who needs it: Legal teams reviewing contracts, finance teams auditing expenses

Example: HR submits a new vendor contract for legal review via ApproveThis. TimeHero instantly creates a task for your legal team with all attached docs, due date = SLA deadline. If the lawyer’s OOO, ApproveThis delegates to their backup. Review gets done, task marked complete in TimeHero, approval logged in ApproveThis. Paper trails that even auditors would high-five.

3. The “Stop Putting Band-Aids on Broken Processes” Fix

Zap: New TimeHero task created → Launch related project framework
Who needs it: IT teams handling equipment requests, operations managing facilities tickets

Scenario: An employee submits a new laptop request (ApproveThis). Once approved, TimeHero doesn’t just create a task – it spins up an entire procurement project: assign to IT, schedule setup, add to onboarding checklist. All without someone manually copying details between systems.

Setting This Up Without Needing an IT Degree

If you can make a Zoom call, you can connect these systems:

1. Grab your Zapier account (free tier works)
2. Pick your trigger (e.g., “Task Completed” in TimeHero)
3. Choose ApproveThis as the action app (“Create Request”)
4. Map the key fields (task name → approval title, due date → approval deadline)
5. Test it with a real task (protip: use something low-stakes first)

Total setup time: Less than your average stand-up meeting. Maintenance? Zero – it’s all auto-pilot from there.

Why Different Teams Are Stealing This Combo

Finance Teams: Killing Expense Report Chaos

ApproveThis handles multi-layer approvals (manager → accounting → CFO) with conditional thresholds. TimeHero auto-schedules payment runs once approved. Bonus: Approvers only need email access – no software licenses for external accountants.

HR: Onboarding That Doesn’t Require Mind Reading

New hire approved in ApproveThis? TimeHero builds their 30-60-90 day project, assigns training tasks, and adjusts timelines if IT’s late provisioning gear. All while HR tracks compliance sign-offs in ApproveThis.

Operations: Procurement Without the Spreadsheet Hangover

Vendor contract approvals in ApproveThis trigger TimeHero projects for negotiations, legal reviews, and onboarding. Real-time budget calculations in ApproveThis prevent overspending before requests even launch.

The Nuts and Bolts You Actually Care About

ApproveThis isn’t just playing middleman here. When combined with TimeHero, you unlock:

• Email approvals: Clients/contractors approve via email → updates both systems
• Auto-escalations: Requests past SLA in TimeHero? ApproveThis bumps it to the VP
• Delegated approvals: Approver on PTO? Tasks and approvals reassign automatically

And because ApproveThis approvers don’t need TimeHero seats, you’re not paying $20/month for that freelancer who approves two invoices a year.

No-BS Next Steps

If you’ve got more than 50 people and approval delays are your silent productivity killer, this integration isn’t a “nice to have” – it’s duct tape for your workflow leaks.

Do this now:
1. Register for ApproveThis (free trial, no CC)
2. Bookmark TimeHero’s integration docs
3. Pick one process to automate (expenses, contracts, content approvals)

Or if you’re the “show me first” type: Grab a 12-minute demo. We’ll skip the sales poetry and show how this actually works in your world.

Either way – stop letting approvals be the reason your team’s waiting on paperwork while competitors eat your lunch.