ApproveThis manages your Webhooks by Zapier Integration approvals.

When Approval Processes Meet the Real World

Let’s cut to the chase: approvals suck. They’re the traffic jams of business operations. But here’s the thing – they don’t have to. Pair ApproveThis with Webhooks by Zapier and you’ve got a backstage pass to the kind of efficiency that makes middle managers cry happy tears. We’re talking about connecting the structured, rules-based world of approvals with the wild west of custom API interactions. It’s like giving your approval workflows a Swiss Army knife.

Why This Combo Works (When Others Don’t)

ApproveThis is the organized friend who color-codes their calendar. Webhooks by Zapier is the mad scientist who can make any two systems talk. Together, they handle the two biggest headaches in approvals:

• Structure vs. flexibility: Maintain audit trails and compliance while interacting with random legacy systems or niche tools
• Human oversight vs. system autonomy: Keep people in the loop exactly when needed, without manual busywork

Real example: A regional bank uses this combo to handle loan approvals where 23 different systems need updating post-approval. Their compliance team gets structured workflows, their dev team doesn’t have to build custom connectors, and nobody’s chasing down VP signatures in parking lots.

Use Cases That Don’t Put People to Sleep

1. The “Make My Legacy System Play Nice” Scenario

Template: Create approval requests from new webhook submissions
Translation: When your 90s-era inventory system finally gets a webhook (bless its heart), automatically convert those stock alerts into purchase approval requests. Approvers get email notifications they can respond to without logging into Jurassic Park-era software.

Who cares: Manufacturing companies using old ERP systems. Instead of having warehouse managers fill out PDFs that get emailed around, the system pings ApproveThis when stock hits critical levels. Approval happens via email, then Webhooks updates the ERP automatically. No new licenses needed for external suppliers who just need to approve orders.

2. The “Update All The Things” Workflow

Template: Send approval decisions as POST requests for new workflows
Translation: When someone approves a contract in ApproveThis, instantly update 15 different cloud tools via webhooks. Because manually updating Salesforce, HubSpot, and your project management tool is for masochists.

Who cares: Marketing agencies approving client content. Approve a campaign draft once, and Webhooks auto-updates the project management board, notifies the client portal, and pings the social media scheduler. Bonus: Clients approve via email without needing access to your internal tools.

3. The “We Need Adult Supervision” Protocol

Template: Update systems when new poll data and approvals are confirmed
Translation: Monitor external data sources, then require human sign-off before acting. Perfect for when you need to trust but verify automated systems.

Who cares: Logistics companies tracking shipping rates. Webhooks pulls latest carrier pricing every 4 hours. If rates jump more than 15%, ApproveThis requires manager approval before updating customer quotes. Approval thresholds handle routine updates, escalation routing brings in the big guns when needed.

Setup That Won’t Make You Hate Technology

Here’s the 30-second version:

1. In Zapier, create a new Zap
2. Choose Webhooks by Zapier as trigger (either Catch Raw Hook or Retrieve Poll)
3. Add ApproveThis action – map fields from webhook data to approval request
4. Set up approval rules in ApproveThis (thresholds, groups, etc.)
5. Optional: Add Webhooks actions post-approval to update other systems

Pro tip: Use ApproveThis’s calculated fields to auto-flag requests needing special attention. Example: If webhook data includes order value over $10K, route to CFO automatically.

Who Actually Benefits (Besides Your Sanity)

IT Teams

Finally stop playing help desk for approval-related tickets. Webhooks handle system integrations without custom code, while ApproveThis gives users self-service approval tracking. Vacation delegation means you’re not stuck re-routing approvals every time someone takes PTO.

Finance Departments

AP teams: Automate PO approvals with vendor-specific thresholds. Got a supplier where orders over $5K need dual signatures? Set it once. Approval groups ensure the right people are involved without manual routing.

Operations Managers

Turn approval bottlenecks into throughput. Real-time dashboards show exactly where requests get stuck. Combine with Webhooks to auto-escalate if external systems don’t respond within SLA windows.

The Unspoken Perks

This integration shines for external approvals:

• Clients approve via email – no new logins to manage
• Auto-translate webhook data into human-readable approval requests
• Audit trails that actually make sense during compliance reviews

Case in point: A healthcare SaaS company uses this combo for client data export approvals. External compliance officers get email requests, approve via mobile, and Webhooks triggers the secure data pipeline. Zero internal tool access for external parties.

Common Mistakes (So You Don’t Make Them)

Don’t: Try to handle complex conditional logic in Zapier – use ApproveThis’s workflow rules instead
Do: Set up approval templates for recurring processes
Don’t: Forget to use vacation delegation – nothing kills momentum like an approver being OOO
Do: Combine approval thresholds with Webhooks to create “auto-approve but notify” workflows

Bottom Line

If your approval processes still involve people manually passing the baton, you’re leaving money on the table. This integration isn’t about flashy features – it’s about eliminating the 17% productivity drain that comes from chaotic approvals.

Next steps:
- Register for ApproveThis (free trial, no CC required)
- Explore Webhooks by Zapier integrations
- For custom use cases: Book a 15-minute demo

Because life’s too short to chase approvals.