How ApproveThis + Brilliant Automate Corporate Gifting (Without the Headaches)

When Approval Bureaucracy Meets Global Gifting

Let’s be real – corporate gifting should be about building relationships, not chasing down sign-offs. But between compliance checks, budget approvals, and delivery confirmations, sending a $50 branded notebook can feel like launching a moon mission. That’s where pairing ApproveThis with Brilliant changes the game.

Why This Combo Actually Makes Sense

Brilliant handles the logistics of global gifting – sourcing, shipping, tracking. ApproveThis handles the red tape – who needs to sign off, when, and why. Together via Zapier, they remove the two biggest friction points in strategic gifting: delays and compliance gaps.

The Nuts & Bolts

ApproveThis acts as the traffic cop for Brilliant campaigns. Every time someone adds a gift recipient, submits a response, or marks a delivery, Zapier pings ApproveThis to route approvals. No more spreadsheet trackers or “Did you see my email?” Slack messages. Key perks:

• External approvers don’t need Brilliant seats – Clients or execs review gifts via email without logging into another platform
• Auto-escalation – Stuck approval? Routes up the chain after 48hrs
• Real-time audit trail – Every decision timestamped with comments

Real-World Use Cases (That Don’t Suck)

We’ll skip the fluff. Here’s how mid-market teams actually use this integration:

1. Client Gift Approvals That Don’t Tank Deals

Scenario: A sales rep wants to send a $500 gift basket to a procurement lead. Compliance requires legal + finance sign-off.

Old Way: Email thread with 12 people, 3 versions of the gift description, approval comes 2 days after the client’s birthday.

Integration Fix: When rep adds recipient in Brilliant, ApproveThis auto-routes request with:

- Gift details
- Budget code
- Compliance checklist
Legal approves via email, finance checks against quarterly budget. If both greenlight, Brilliant ships. If denied, rep gets reason instantly.

2. Employee Recognition That Doesn’t Creep Out HR

Problem: Managers sending weirdly personal gifts (looking at you, scented candles).

Automation Guardrails: Configure ApproveThis to require HR review on gifts over $75 or containing specific items. Brilliant blocks shipment until HR approves. Bonus: Use calculated fields to flag gifts exceeding per-employee annual limits.

3. Event Swag That Actually Arrives On Time

Nightmare Fuel: 500 conference attendee gifts stuck in customs because someone approved the wrong shipping docs.

Zapier Flow: When event team uploads attendee list to Brilliant, ApproveThis triggers parallel approvals:

- Logistics reviews shipping method
- Legal checks compliance docs
- Budget owner confirms costs
All must approve within 24hrs. If any reject, Brilliant holds shipment. Vacation delegation covers approvers out sick.

Setting This Up Without Losing Your Mind

If you can order DoorDash, you can build this integration:

1. Connect ApproveThis + Brilliant via Zapier (takes 3 minutes)
2. Pick triggers:
   - New Brilliant recipient → Approval request
   - Approval in ApproveThis → Ship Brilliant gift
3. Set thresholds (auto-approve gifts under $25? Require CEO sign-off over $1k?)
4. Test with a $5 Starbucks e-gift (trust us)

Department-Specific Wins

Sales Teams

Close more deals by attaching approved gift options to contract stages. Example: When CRM shows “Contract Sent” status, ApproveThis pings sales manager to approve sending Brilliant’s “Let’s Finalize This” gift box.

HR Teams

New hire? ApproveThis auto-requests manager approval for welcome swag package via Brilliant. If manager doesn’t respond in 48hrs, escalates to HRBP. New employee gets gift Day 1 instead of Week 6.

Finance Teams

Real-time budget tracking. Every approved Brilliant gift deducts from departmental budgets in ApproveThis. Attempt to overspend? Approval request auto-denies with “Q4 Budget Exhausted” reason.

Why This Isn’t Just Another Zap

Most approval tools treat all requests the same. ApproveThis adds context Brilliant needs:

- Dynamic Fields: Show remaining team gift budget during approval
- Conditional Routing: APAC gifts go to regional CFO first
- Compliance Logs: Every approved gift includes audit trail for SOX/etc

Red Flags to Avoid

We’ve seen teams screw this up. Don’t:

- Auto-approve all gifts under $100 (That’s how you get 87 “motivational” lava lamps)
- Skip recipient validation (ApproveThis can cross-check Brilliant addresses against CRM)
- Forget time zones (Use ApproveThis’ delay rules to avoid waking up APAC approvers)

Bottom Line

Gifting shouldn’t require more process than hiring a VP. With ApproveThis and Brilliant connected via Zapier, you get:

- 67% faster approvals (actual client metric)
- 100% compliance on gifts
- 0% chance of sending whiskey to a recovering alcoholic (real horror story)

Next Steps:
If you’re using Brilliant and still handling approvals via email chaos, book a 12-minute demo. We’ll show how to set up your first workflow using existing Zapier connections. No “platform overview” BS – just exact steps to fix your gifting process by Friday.