ApproveThis manages your Explara Integration approvals.

Why Combine ApproveThis with Explara?

Event management thrives on precision. Between coordinating registrations, handling cancellations, and ensuring compliance, teams often juggle multiple approval processes manually. This is where integrating Explara with ApproveThis through Zapier creates a competitive edge. Together, they automate decision-making loops that typically slow down operations, letting teams focus on delivering exceptional events rather than chasing signatures.

ApproveThis brings structure to approvals with customizable workflows, conditional logic, and real-time tracking. Explara handles the heavy lifting of event logistics. When connected via Zapier, actions in Explara – like new attendee signups or ticket purchases – automatically trigger approval requests in ApproveThis. This eliminates manual handoffs, reduces errors, and accelerates processes that require oversight.

Key Benefits for Event Teams

Marketing and operations teams gain the most from this integration. For example, when a high-value sponsor registers via Explara, ApproveThis can route their application to legal and finance teams for contract review before confirmation. Approval thresholds ensure requests bypass unnecessary steps – a $500 refund might auto-approve, while larger amounts escalate to managers.

External stakeholders (like clients or vendors) can approve requests via email without needing Explara licenses. This simplifies collaboration between event planners, venues, and third-party vendors who don’t require full system access. Vacation delegation also prevents bottlenecks by automatically rerouting approvals if a key decision-maker is unavailable.

Real-World Use Cases

1. Attendee Compliance Checks

When a new attendee registers for a restricted event (like a healthcare conference), Explara triggers an approval request in ApproveThis. The workflow verifies credentials, dietary restrictions, or payment status before confirming attendance. A university managing alumni events could use this to automate VIP guest approvals, ensuring only authorized attendees receive access.

2. High-Volume Ticket Sales Review

For festivals or multi-day conferences, sudden spikes in ticket purchases may require fraud checks. ApproveThis can flag orders exceeding a threshold (e.g., 10+ tickets) for manual review. A travel agency selling event packages could automate payment verification, reducing chargeback risks while speeding up valid transactions.

3. Cancellation Refund Automation

Attendee cancellations in Explara trigger refund approval workflows in ApproveThis. Conditional logic routes requests based on cancellation timing – full refunds within 48 hours, partial after. A nonprofit hosting fundraisers could enforce strict refund policies while automating exceptions for donors.

4. Event Proposal Approvals

New events created in Explara can require cross-departmental sign-off. ApproveThis routes proposals to marketing, legal, and finance teams sequentially. A corporate event planner might use this to ensure venue contracts align with budget and brand guidelines before tickets go live.

Setup Guide: Connecting Explara to ApproveThis via Zapier

Zapier acts as the bridge between Explara and ApproveThis. To start:

1. Create a Zapier account if you don’t have one.
2. Choose an Explara trigger (e.g., “New Attendee”).
3. Select ApproveThis as the action app and pick “Create Request.”
4. Map Explara data (attendee email, event ID) to ApproveThis fields.
5. Test the Zap with a real registration or order.

Approval thresholds and groups can be configured directly in ApproveThis. For instance, set a $1,000 threshold so refunds below that amount auto-approve. Use calculated fields to dynamically adjust approval rules based on attendee type or event size.

Cross-Functional Advantages

Marketing Teams

Ensure event promotions align with brand spend. When Explara registrations spike, ApproveThis can require CMO approval before increasing ad budgets tied to event performance metrics.

Finance Departments

Automate invoice approvals for event vendors. Payments triggered in Explara (like venue deposits) route to ApproveThis with predefined thresholds, reducing manual PO reviews.

Operations Managers

Track venue contracts and supplier agreements. New vendor entries in Explara trigger compliance checks in ApproveThis, ensuring insurance certificates and licenses are current.

Maximizing Advanced Features

ApproveThis adds layers of efficiency beyond basic approvals. For recurring events, use templates to clone workflows – a monthly webinar series could reuse the same approval chain for speakers and budgets. Real-time dashboards provide visibility into pending requests, helping teams prioritize based on event timelines.

Email-based approvals let external stakeholders (like speakers or sponsors) review contracts without logging into Explara. Combined with Explara’s attendee tracking, this creates a closed-loop system where every decision is auditable and tied to specific events.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

While setting up the integration, ensure Explara’s webhooks are correctly configured in Zapier. Test edge cases – like simultaneous cancellations from multiple attendees – to confirm approval rules scale. Avoid overcomplicating workflows; start with one trigger (e.g., ticket orders) before expanding to cancellations or new events.

Regularly review approval thresholds as event scales. A startup hosting 50-person meetups might need manual reviews for all refunds initially, but at 500+ attendees, auto-approve sub-$50 requests to save time.

Final Thoughts

Integrating ApproveThis with Explara isn’t just about automating clicks – it’s about creating accountability in fast-moving environments. Event teams reduce last-minute scrambles by baking approvals into their workflow, while finance and legal gain control without slowing down operations. With Zapier handling the connection, there’s no technical barrier to start streamlining.

Ready to eliminate approval bottlenecks? Register for ApproveThis or book a demo to see how it transforms event management with Explara. For existing users, explore pre-built Zapier templates to launch your first integration in under an hour.