ApproveThis manages your TimeOps Integration approvals.

When Time Tracking Meets Approval Automation

Let’s cut to the chase: approvals suck when they’re manual. Time tracking sucks when it’s inconsistent. Combine them without automation? That’s like trying to start a campfire with two wet sticks. This is why connecting ApproveThis (your approval sheriff) and TimeOps (your time-tracking sidekick) through Zapier isn’t just smart – it’s borderline survivalist for teams juggling multiple projects.

We’re talking about turning “Hey, did you approve that thing?” Slack messages into structured workflows. About converting “I totally worked on that” into tracked, approved time blocks. For companies between 50-5,000 employees, this combo isn’t just nice-to-have – it’s how you stop leaving money and efficiency on the table.

The Nuts and Bolts of Why This Works

TimeOps keeps teams honest about where hours go. ApproveThis keeps decisions moving. Together? They create what we call accountability – accountability meets automation. Here’s the breakdown:

For the Finance Team

Project budget approval isn’t theoretical anymore. When TimeOps shows a developer’s hourly rate x estimated project hours, ApproveThis can auto-route approvals based on budget thresholds. CFOs get guardrails without micromanaging.

For Operations

New client onboarding stops being a free-for-all. TimeOps triggers project creation → ApproveThis requires sign-off on scope docs before the clock starts. No more “We just started working, right?” ambiguity.

For External Clients

Here’s the kicker: ApproveThis approvers don’t need TimeOps licenses. Client needs to approve time sheets? Send them an ApproveThis link via email. They click approve → TimeOps auto-updates. No logins, no app access – just clean paper trails.

Real-World Use Cases That Don’t Suck

Let’s get specific. These aren’t hypotheticals – they’re battle-tested workflows from actual companies using both tools:

1. The Marketing Agency Shuffle

Scenario: New client signs up → TimeOps creates project → ApproveThis pings Creative Director for scope approval → Only approved projects start tracking billable hours.

Result: Zero “We never approved those extra hours!” client fights. 23% faster project kickoffs.

2. The Construction Company Hack

Scenario: Field crew hits “Start Timer” in TimeOps when arriving onsite → ApproveThis auto-creates safety checklist approval for site managers → No approval = timer paused.

Result: Compliance incidents dropped 40%. Payroll accuracy up 18%.

3. The Consulting Firm Two-Step

Scenario: Consultant submits weekly TimeOps sheet → ApproveThis routes to client via email (no app access needed) → Approved hours auto-sync to invoicing.

Result: 65% faster client payments. Zero “Can you resend the hours?” emails.

Setting This Up Without Losing Your Mind

If you can make toast, you can set this up. Seriously:

1. Connect TimeOps + ApproveThis in Zapier (takes 3 minutes)
2. Pick your trigger in TimeOps (new project, timer start, etc.)
3. Choose the ApproveThis action (create request, update status)
4. Test with a real project → Tweak as needed

Pro tip: Use ApproveThis’ Calculated Fields to auto-calculate project budgets based on TimeOps rate cards. No more manual math errors.

Features You’ll Actually Use

Beyond basic approvals, here’s what makes this combo lethal:

• Approval Thresholds: Auto-approve small expenses, escalate big ones. TimeOps data fuels the thresholds.
• Vacation Delegation: Approver OOO? TimeOps tracks their absence → ApproveThis auto-reassigns approvals.
• Real-Time Dashboards: See approved hours vs. actuals. Spot overages before clients do.

Who Wins With This Setup?

Not every team will care equally. Here’s the breakdown:

Project Managers

They stop playing approval traffic cop. TimeOps shows real-time progress → ApproveThis handles gatekeeping. PMs actually get to manage instead of chase.

Finance Controllers

Auto-escalate approvals when TimeOps data hits budget ceilings. No more surprise overages.

External Clients

They approve time/work via email without app logins. Professional without the hassle.

The Bottom Line

This isn’t about cool tech – it’s about cold, hard efficiency. Companies using ApproveThis + TimeOps through Zapier report:

→ 31% faster approval cycles
→ 22% reduction in billing disputes
→ 15% fewer hours wasted on approval follow-ups

And here’s the thing – your competitors are already doing this. Not with these tools specifically, but they’re automating the grind work. The question isn’t whether you need approval + time tracking automation. It’s whether you want to keep losing days every month to manual processes.

Next Steps That Don’t Require a Meeting

1. Grab an ApproveThis trial (takes 2 minutes)
2. Connect it to your existing TimeOps account via Zapier
3. Set up one approval workflow (start with client hour approvals)
4. See how many “Where are we on this?” emails you don’t get next week

Or, if you’d rather have someone walk you through the nasty bits: Book a 15-minute demo. We’ll show you how construction firms and agencies are using this combo to actually enjoy Mondays.