ApproveThis manages your Whova Integration approvals.

When Approval Bottlenecks Meet Event Mayhem

Let’s be real: planning events is like herding cats. Between registration approvals, vendor contracts, and last-minute attendee changes, things slip through the cracks. Enter Whova – the Swiss Army knife of event platforms – and ApproveThis, the no-BS approval system. Together? They turn approval gridlock into a well-oiled machine.

Here’s the kicker: 73% of event planners say delayed approvals cause at least one major screw-up per event. We’re talking about unpaid vendors, unvetted attendees, and budget overruns. But when Whova’s attendee management shakes hands with ApproveThis’s automated workflows, you get decisions made faster than a conference attendee swarming a free coffee station.

Why This Combo Works (Besides Saving Your Sanity)

Whova handles the what of events – registrations, schedules, networking. ApproveThis owns the who said yes. Connect them through Zapier, and you’ve got a system where:

• Approvers don’t need Whova logins (external vendors? Board members? No problem)
• Budget approvals auto-escalate based on spend thresholds
• Attendee lists update in real-time without manual copy-paste hell

Take a 500-person conference. Without this setup: 3 people manually checking 237 registration forms, 45 vendor invoices stuck in email threads, and one intern having a stress meltdown. With it? Approvals route instantly, contracts get signed before rates increase, and that intern actually gets to attend sessions.

Real-World Fixes for Teams Who Hate Wasting Time

For Event Ops: No More “Who Approved This?!”

Use case: A healthcare conference needs to verify attendee credentials. Every Whova registration triggers an ApproveThis workflow requiring sign-off from both the events team and compliance. Approved? They’re in. Denied? Automatically notified with refund instructions.

ApproveThis features doing heavy lifting here: Calculated Fields check attendee quotas per organization, Vacation Delegation ensures Dr. Smith’s absence doesn’t bottleneck approvals.

Procurement Teams: Stop Overpaying for Last-Minute Orders

When Whova’s order list updates (AV equipment, catering), ApproveThis auto-routes requests based on spend: Under $5k? Auto-approved. Over? Escalates to CFO with contract terms highlighted. One manufacturing summit saved $12k in AV upcharges by approving rates before the 24-hour penalty window.

Finance’s New Favorite Word: “Audit Trail”

Every approved sponsor payment in Whova gets time-stamped with approver comments in ApproveThis. Come audit season, search by event ID and have every decision documented. Bonus: Approval Thresholds prevent junior staff from accidentally OK’ing five-figure expenses.

Setting This Up Without Involving IT

Translation: No code needed. Here’s the drill:

1. Connect the Pipes: In Zapier, link Whova and ApproveThis (takes 2 minutes)
2. Pick Your Trigger: “New Whova Registrant” → “Create Approval Request”
3. Add Logic: Set thresholds (e.g., auto-approve under $X, escalate over $Y)
4. Test Drive: Submit a dummy registration. Watch approvals flow both ways

Pro tip: Use ApproveThis’s Calculated Fields to auto-flag registrations from high-risk domains (looking at you, competitors) before they hit approvers’ inboxes.

Why Your Current Process is Leaking Money

Manual approvals aren’t just slow – they’re expensive. For a 200-person user conference:

The Old Way:
3 approvers x 5 minutes per request x 200 registrations = 50 hours lost
Plus 12% error rate from missed emails → 24 incorrect badges printed

With Automation:
70% auto-approved via thresholds = 140 requests never touched
Remaining 60 get routed correctly → 0 errors, 20 hours saved

That’s $4,700 saved on labor alone. Enough to upgrade the coffee at breakfast sessions from “brown water” to “actual espresso”.

Beyond Registrations: Where Else This Duo Wins

Speaker Contracts That Don’t Disappear

Keynote speaker agrees via Whova? Trigger an approval for legal to review terms. Approved? Contract auto-sends via Whova. Denied? Routing to programming chair with redlines. All tracked.

Exhibit Hall Management That Doesn’t Suck

Vendor submits booth specs through Whova. ApproveThis routes to fire marshal for safety checks, then operations for layout approval. No more “I thought you handled that” emails at 2 AM.

Post-Event Settlements Without the Spreadsheets

Final attendee count in Whova triggers approval workflows for vendor payments. Marketing lead signs off on actual vs. projected numbers. Finance cuts checks only for verified services.

The Nuts and Bolts (Without Making Your Eyes Glaze Over)

ApproveThis plays nice with Whova through two main Zaps:

Zap 1: Whova → ApproveThis
New registrant/order → Auto-create approval request with key data (budget codes, attendee type). Approvers get email with one-click approve/deny. No logins required.

Zap 2: ApproveThis → Whova
Approved request? Update attendee status, trigger badge printing. Denied? Remove from list, send custom Whova email. All synced in <5 minutes.

And because we’re not monsters: All data stays in Whova. ApproveThis just handles the decision paper trail.

Who Actually Cares About This Integration?

Corporate Event Teams

Imagine sales kickoffs where every participant is pre-approved by regional managers. No more HR chasing down unapproved travel requests.

Association Conference Planners

Members get auto-approved based on membership tier. Non-members route to board review. Renewals spike 22% because no one’s stuck in approval limbo.

Trade Show Organizers

Exhibitor applications auto-check for unpaid fees from past events. Cleanest vendor list you’ve ever had, with zero manual checks.

“But We’re Different” – Cool, Here’s Flexibility

ApproveThis isn’t some rigid approval robot. For Whova users:

Conditional Routing: VIP registrations from C-suite? Skip junior approvers, go straight to executive assistant.

Hybrid Approvals: Some teams require Slack approvals, others email. Mix and match without breaking the Zap.

Post-Event Autopsy: Run reports showing which approval steps caused delays. Next year’s planning just got 37% less painful.

Getting Started (Before Your Next Event Goes Sideways)

1. Grab an ApproveThis trial – takes 2 minutes
2. Connect to Whova via Zapier using the triggers we covered
3. Set up your first workflow: Start with speaker contracts or VIP registrations
4. Let approvers test the email/Slack process – no training needed
5. Watch as that approval backlog magically disappears

Pro tip: Use ApproveThis’s real-time dashboard during event crunch time. Spot bottlenecks live (“Why is Legal sitting on 23 contracts?!”) and reassign instantly.

Bottom Line: Approval Red Tape is Optional

In the time it took to read this, you could’ve set up three approval workflows. The real cost isn’t the tool – it’s continuing to let manual processes tank your event ROI. Whova handles the logistics; ApproveThis handles the decisions. Together, they handle your peace of mind.

Next step: Book a 12-minute demo. We’ll show how a 500-attendee conference cuts approval delays from 3 days to 47 minutes. Or keep fighting email chains – your call.