When Approval Management Meets Fitness Tracking
Let’s be real: nobody got into business to chase down signatures for gym membership reimbursements or debate whether Dave from accounting actually ran that 10K. Yet here we are – stuck coordinating fitness-related approvals across departments, time zones, and actual marathons. That’s where pairing ApproveThis with Strava changes the game.
ApproveThis cuts through approval gridlock with automated workflows that adapt to your rules. Strava tracks athlete activities better than a personal trainer with a spreadsheet obsession. Together? They turn fitness-related approvals from a bureaucratic obstacle course into a relay race where everyone actually passes the baton.
Why This Combo Works Like a Perfect Training Partner
Strava’s great at tracking what happened on the trail. ApproveThis handles who needs to sign off on it back at HQ. Connect them through Zapier, and you’ve got a three-way integration that:
- Auto-creates Strava activities when budget requests get approved
- Triggers approval chains for unexpected fitness expenses
- Syncs club event data without manual copy-paste hell
Best part? Approvers don’t need Strava logins. Perfect for approving vendor contracts with your cycling club’s sponsor or validating expense reports for that sales team "team-building" ski trip.
Real-World Use Cases (No Corporate Jargon Allowed)
1. Automatic Event Logging for Fitness Franchises
Picture this: A F45 studio owner approves a new class schedule in ApproveThis. Zapier instantly creates a Strava event for members. No more:
→ Manual data entry errors
→ Late-night texts about class times
→ "I didn’t know it was legs day!" excuses
2. Expense Approvals That Actually Understand Athletes
When your ultramarathon-running employee submits a $200 gear reimbursement, ApproveThis can:
→ Check against their Strava activity logs
→ Auto-approve if they hit 50+ miles/month
→ Flag suspicious claims (Nice try, couch potato)
3. Corporate Wellness Programs That Don’t Suck
HR teams use ApproveThis thresholds to:
→ Approve fitness bonuses when employees hit Strava goals
→ Auto-approve gym membership requests after 90 days employment
→ Route marathon sponsorship requests to the right budget holder
Setting It Up: Less Time Than a Coffee Run
Here’s how to connect ApproveThis and Strava in Zapier:
- Create Zapier triggers for either platform:
- New Strava club activity → Create ApproveThis request
- Approved budget in ApproveThis → Log Strava event - Map custom fields like "Event Type" or "Max Attendees"
- Test with a real-world scenario (Pro tip: Make team leads approve their own test request)
Total setup time: 15 minutes. Time saved per month: About 3 spin classes’ worth.
Who Actually Benefits From This Integration?
Operations Teams
Stop being the middleman between finance and that triathlon-obsessed sales director. Set approval thresholds so:
→ Events under $500 auto-approve if Strava participation is >75%
→ Large expenses require C-suite signoff + verified activity history
Focused Fitness Businesses
CrossFit gyms, marathon training groups, corporate wellness providers – automate the admin so you can focus on:
→ Auto-logging class attendance via Strava check-ins
→ Approving member perks based on actual participation
→ Validating personal trainer certifications without spreadsheets
HR Departments That Hate Paperwork
Use ApproveThis’ calculated fields to:
→ Prorate wellness stipends based on Strava activity frequency
→ Require VP approval only for >$1K fitness reimbursements
→ Auto-decline PTO requests conflicting with mandatory fun runs
Why This Isn’t Just Another Integration
ApproveThis brings unique features that matter for fitness-driven companies:
Approval Groups: Need consensus from both the CFO and head coach? Done.
Vacation Delegation: No approval bottlenecks when Karen’s climbing Kilimanjaro.
Real-Time Dashboards: Track approval rates like you’d track race times.
Meanwhile, Strava’s API via Zapier handles the fitness data heavy lifting. Together, they’re like a Peloton for business processes – except nobody has to wear yoga pants to meetings.
Common Objections (And Why They’re Wrong)
"We already use [Other Approval Tool]."
Cool. Does it sync with Strava to auto-approve expenses based on actual activity data? Didn’t think so.
"Our team isn’t techy enough."
If they can log a 5K on Strava, they can click "Approve" in an email. We promise.
"This seems too niche."
Founders: 64% more likely to approve requests while on a treadmill. (Source: Our very scientific team survey.)
Ready to Stop Chasing Approvals?
If you’re still manually processing Strava-related requests, you’re basically running your approval processes in flip-flops. Time to upgrade to proper running shoes.
→ Get Started with ApproveThis (Free 14-day trial)
→ Explore Strava’s Business Features
→ Book a Live Demo (We’ll bring the energy gels)
Pro tip: Ask about our "Approval Marathon" package – because nobody should do 26.2 approval steps manually.
Integrate with Strava Integration and get 90 days of ApproveThis for free.
After you create a Zapier integration, please email us at support@approve-this.com with your account name and we'll add 3 months of ApproveThis to your account. Limit one redemption per account.
Learn More
Best Approval Workflows for Strava
Suggested workflows (and their Zapier components) for Strava
Create Strava activities for approved requests
Streamline your activity creation process by automating the approval workflow. Once an ApproveThis request is approved, this integration will automatically create a new activity in Strava, ensuring your team stays on track with their fitness goals. *Note: Ensure your Strava account is connected and configured to accept new activities.*
Zapier Components
Trigger
A Request Is Approved/Denied
Triggers when a request is approved or denied.

Action
Create Activity
Creates an activity.
Initiate approval requests for new athlete activities
Automate your workflow by initiating an approval request when a new athlete activity is detected in Strava. This integration helps streamline approval processes, ensuring that each activity undergoes a standardized review in ApproveThis before proceeding to the next stage. *Note: Configure your ApproveThis settings to include relevant approvers.*
Zapier Components

Trigger
Transfer Athlete Activities
This trigger is for use in Transfer. If not using Transfer, use the new "New Athlete Activity" instant trigger instead.
Action
Create Request
Creates a new request, probably with input from previous steps.
Log Strava club activities as new events
Ensure seamless activity logging by creating new Strava events any time a club member posts or updates an activity. This integration maintains a consistent record of club activities, helping clubs keep track of members' engagements and performances in real-time.
Zapier Components

Trigger
New or Updated Club Activity
Triggers when any member of your selected club posts or updates an activity.

Action
Create Activity
Creates an activity.
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