ApproveThis manages your MailSlurp Email Plugin Integration approvals.

Why Combine an Approval System With Email Automation?

Let's cut through the corporate speak: approval processes suck when they rely on forwarded emails and "did you see my Slack?" follow-ups. Now imagine your finance team automatically routing invoice approvals from vendor emails, or your legal department instantly flagging contract attachments that need executive review. That's what happens when you connect ApproveThis's workflow engine with MailSlurp's email automation through Zapier.

MailSlurp isn't just another email client - it's built for developers to create test environments and automate email handling at scale. When paired with ApproveThis, you get a system that turns email-based requests into tracked, auditable approval processes without forcing external partners to learn new software. The kicker? Approvers only need email access - no extra licenses required for the apps involved.

The Nuts and Bolts of the Integration

ApproveThis handles the decision-making logic: multi-step approvals, conditional routing, and real-time tracking. MailSlurp manages the email layer - receiving messages, parsing attachments, and sending notifications. Zapier acts as the bridge between them. Here's why this matters for teams of 50-5,000 employees:

For Technical Teams

Developers using MailSlurp for testing can now simulate real-world approval scenarios in staging environments. QA engineers can trigger approval workflows by sending test emails with specific subjects or attachments.

For Business Units

Departments stuck managing approvals through shared inboxes gain structure without changing how partners interact with them. Vendors email invoices to your mailslurp address → ApproveThis routes them through your approval chain → Payments get processed faster.

Three Real-World Automation Scenarios

1. Auto-Create Approvals from Incoming Emails

The Problem: Legal teams drowning in contract requests sent via email. Attachments get lost in threads, versions get mixed up, and nobody knows who approved what.

The Fix: Set up a MailSlurp inbox like contracts@yourcompany.mailslurp.com. When emails containing PDF attachments arrive:

• Zapier detects the new email
• ApproveThis creates a request with the attachment
• General Counsel gets an email approval link
• Once approved, the contract auto-saves to your CLM

Bonus: Use ApproveThis' calculated fields to flag contracts over $500k for additional exec review.

2. Send Approval Status Updates via Email

The Problem: External vendors constantly checking on invoice approval status. Your AP team wastes hours answering "where's my money?" emails.

The Fix: When ApproveThis approves a procurement request:

• Zapier triggers MailSlurp
• Auto-send a branded payment status email
• Include approved amount and expected payment date
• Attach the signed PO as PDF

Pro Tip: Use ApproveThis' vacation delegation so approvals never stall when approvers are OOO.

3. Auto-Escalate Attachments Needing Review

The Problem: Security teams missing malware scan requests because emails get buried. IT needs a way to prioritize attachment reviews.

The Fix: When .ZIP files hit your security@ mailslurp inbox:

ApproveThis creates a high-priority request with:

• 24-hour SLA timer
• Automatic escalation to backup approvers
• Custom fields showing file type/size

Critical Detail: Approvers get a secure link to download the attachment - no local saves required.

Setting Up Your First Integration

Here's the 5-minute version:

1. Create a MailSlurp inbox for your use case (e.g., invoices@company.mailslurp.com)
2. In Zapier, make a new Zap with MailSlurp as trigger (New Email)
3. Filter emails by subject/attachment type if needed
4. Add ApproveThis action: Create Request
5. Map email data to approval fields (sender, subject, attachments)
6. Test by sending an email to your MailSlurp address

Pro Tip: Use ApproveThis' approval thresholds to auto-approve small invoices (under $1k) but flag larger amounts for manual review.

Why This Combo Beats Shared Inboxes

Shared inboxes turn approval processes into free-for-alls. ApproveThis adds structure without complicating how people submit requests:

For Cross-Functional Teams

Marketing agencies can route client content approvals from email → creative team → account managers → clients. All without exposing internal tools to external users.

For Regulated Industries

Healthcare providers can audit exactly who approved PHI-related document requests, with timestamps and attached files.

For Scaling Startups

Founders stop being approval bottlenecks. Investor updates sent to board@ get auto-routed to appropriate approvers based on content type.

The Hidden Advantage: No License Sprawl

Most approval tools force you to buy seats for every approver - including external partners. With this setup:

Internal Teams: Use ApproveThis' dashboard and advanced features

External Approvers: Just click email links to approve/reject

Example: A manufacturing company's suppliers approve purchase orders via email without needing ApproveThis logins. Compliance team maintains full audit trails.

When to Consider This Integration

This isn't for every company. It makes sense if:

✓ You receive >50 approval-worthy emails/week
✓ Multiple teams need to review email-based requests
✓ You've had compliance issues with informal approvals
✓ External partners resist using your internal tools

Cold Hard Benefit: A logistics company reduced invoice approval delays from 6.2 days to 11 hours by auto-converting carrier emails into tracked requests.

Getting Started

Don't overcomplicate it:

1. Pick one pain point (invoices, contracts, content approvals)
2. Set up a dedicated MailSlurp email address
3. Build a simple ApproveThis workflow (2-3 steps)
4. Connect via Zapier using the templates above

Most teams see ROI within 2 weeks. The real win? Finally killing those "Approval chase" calendar reminders.

Bottom Line

ApproveThis + MailSlurp via Zapier is about enforcing process without bureaucracy. It's for companies that are tired of approval-related fires but don't want to lock teams into yet another platform.

Book a demo to see how it handles your specific use case, or start a free trial and connect your first workflow in 18 minutes flat.