ApproveThis manages your Handbid Integration approvals.

Why This Integration Isn't Just Another Corporate Buzzword

Let's cut through the noise: Handbid runs auctions. ApproveThis handles approvals. Together through Zapier, they eliminate the back-and-forth emails, spreadsheet trackers, and "did you see my Slack?" messages that plague event teams. This isn't about adding more software - it's about fixing the approval bottlenecks that turn auction planning into a game of telephone with money on the line.

Non-profits using this combo report 40% faster auction setup cycles. University development teams cut internal approval delays by 62% during annual galas. Corporate event planners? They've stopped playing calendar Tetris trying to get legal, procurement, and C-suite folks in the same (virtual) room.

Where Handbid Does the Heavy Lifting (And Where It Needs Backup)

Handbid's killer at mobile bidding and donation tracking. But let's be real - most auction disasters don't happen during the event. They happen before, when:

• Your procurement team needs 3 sign-offs for that $15k wine package donation
• Legal hasn't signed off on liability terms for your VIP attendees
• Three different VPs are debating the reserve price for your charity Tesla raffle

ApproveThis acts like a bouncer for your auction logistics. It doesn't replace Handbid - it makes sure only fully-vetted, approved-auction elements make it into your Handbid workflow. No more "Who approved this?!" fire drills at 4 PM on event day.

Real Teams Using This Combo Right Now

1. The "No Surprises" Auction Setup

How it works: New Handbid auction created → Auto-send to ApproveThis → Legal/exec review → Publish approved auction.

Who's doing this: A regional hospital foundation cut their silent auction setup from 3 weeks to 4 days by routing item descriptions through compliance teams before they hit the bidding floor.

2. The VIP Guest List Guardrail

How it works: New Handbid guest registration → Auto-flag high-value attendees → Require development director approval → Sync back to Handbid.

Who's doing this: An Ivy League alumni office prevents junior staff from accidentally comping tickets to major donors who should be paying $5k/plate.

3. The Bidder's Remorse Killer

How it works: Winning bid in Handbid → Auto-check payment terms → Require finance approval → Confirm bid in Handbid.

Who's doing this: A luxury auto dealership's charity auction team reduced post-event payment disputes by 80% by validating bidder credit terms during the event.

Setup That Doesn't Require an IT Degree

Connect Handbid to ApproveThis in Zapier using these triggers:

Critical Trigger #1: New Auction Created → Approval Request

Route new auctions through your compliance gauntlet before they go live. Pro tip: Use ApproveThis' calculated fields to auto-flag auctions needing extra scrutiny (like anything with a reserve price over $10k).

Critical Trigger #2: Winning Bid → Finance Approval

Automatically check if that $25k bid aligns with the bidder's pre-approved credit limit. ApproveThis' approval thresholds can auto-approve routine bids while escalating outliers.

The Secret Sauce: Email-Based Approvals

Your CMO doesn't need another login. ApproveThis sends approval requests directly to inboxes - approvers can greenlight auction items from their phones between meetings. Bonus: No extra Handbid licenses required for external approvers.

Department-Specific Wins

Legal Teams

Stop being the bottleneck. Set conditional rules in ApproveThis to only route auctions needing legal review (like anything with liability clauses). Automatic reminders prevent last-minute review requests.

Development Directors

Ever had a volunteer accidentally approve a donor's $500 bid on a $5k package? Approval groups with sequential approvals ensure junior staff can't single-handedly cost you $4.5k.

Event Planners

Use vacation delegation so auction approvals don't die when your coordinator is out. Automatically reassign approvals to backup staff without changing Handbid settings.

Why This Isn't Just "Zapier 101"

Generic automation gets you halfway. What makes this combo work:

1. Approval Audits That Don't Suck

ApproveThis logs every decision with timestamps and comments. When your auditor asks who approved the under-market yacht rental bid, you're not scrambling through deleted Slack threads.

2. Conditional Logic That Actually Works

Example: Auctions under $5k auto-approve. Over $5k needs director sign-off. Over $25k triggers CFO review. All while keeping Handbid's interface clean for volunteers.

3. Escalations That Prevent Midnight Emergencies

ApproveThis automatically nudges slow approvers and reroutes stuck requests. No more realizing 2 hours pre-auction that the board chair never approved the keynote speaker.

Getting Started Without the BS

1. Create your Zapier account (free tier works)
2. Connect Handbid and ApproveThis
3. Set your first trigger: Start with "New Auction → Approval Request"
4. Test with a live auction item - see approvals work in <30 mins

Pro tip: Use ApproveThis' pre-built templates for common auction scenarios. No need to build from scratch.

The Bottom Line for People Who Hate Fluff

This integration fixes approval chaos in three areas:

Speed: 83% faster auction approvals based on client data
Compliance: Full audit trails for every bid/auction change
Scale: Handle 2x the auctions without 2x the staff

It's not about replacing how you use Handbid - it's about not letting approval drama undermine your hard work.

Next Steps for Sane Event Planning

1. Register for ApproveThis (free 14-day trial)
2. Check Handbid's auction templates
3. Pick one approval bottleneck to automate this week

Or schedule a 15-minute demo to see how a children's hospital foundation cut their procurement approval time by 71% using these exact workflows.