ApproveThis manages your Microsoft Outlook Integration approvals.

Why You Should Stop Letting Email Chains Run Your Business

Let's be real - if your team still handles approvals through Outlook email threads, you're basically using digital carrier pigeons. Microsoft Outlook manages your communication, while ApproveThis handles decision-making. Together through Zapier, they turn "Reply All" purgatory into structured workflows that even your least tech-savvy approver can navigate.

Mid-sized companies waste 15 hours/month per employee chasing approvals through email. The fix isn't another software platform - it's connecting the tools you already use. When Outlook talks directly to ApproveThis, you get:

• Approval requests that don't drown in overflowing inboxes
• Automatic paper trails for compliance audits
• Real-time visibility without micromanaging

4 Ways Teams Actually Use This Integration

1. Procurement Teams: Turn Supplier Emails into Approval Requests

When vendor quotes hit your procurement@ inbox, ApproveThis automatically converts them into approval workflows. Legal reviews terms, finance checks budgets, and nobody forwards PDFs to the wrong Steve.

2. HR Teams: Auto-Create Calendar Events for Policy Reviews

New PTO policy needs exec sign-off? When HR starts an approval in ApproveThis, Outlook instantly blocks time on leadership's calendars. No more back-and-forth about availability.

3. Project Teams: Handle Last-Minute Reschedules Without Panic

Client cancelled tomorrow's milestone meeting? The integration triggers an approval chain to reassign deliverables, update deadlines, and notify stakeholders - before the coffee gets cold.

4. Finance Teams: Draft Decision Emails Before Approval Even Finishes

When budget requests get approved, Outlook pre-drafts award emails with calculated amounts. Denials auto-populate with alternative options. Finance stays human without retyping the same responses.

How This Actually Works in the Real World

Take a mid-sized marketing agency using the integration:

Client sends a campaign change request via email → Zapier converts it to an ApproveThis workflow → Creative director approves scope → Finance manager reviews budget impact → Upon approval, Outlook drafts a client confirmation email with new deadlines → Account lead reviews/sends.

Result: 68% faster client response time, zero version control issues, and approvers don't need access to the project management tool (saving $47/user/month).

Setting This Up Without an IT Degree

1. Connect Zapier to both Outlook and ApproveThis
2. Choose your trigger (new email, calendar change, etc.)
3. Map key fields: amount, due date, requester
4. Set approval rules (thresholds, escalations)
5. Test with a $0 request to avoid accidental launches

Pro tip: Use ApproveThis' calculated fields to auto-flag requests over budget before they hit leadership's inbox.

Why This Beats Native Outlook Features

Outlook's built-in voting buttons are about as useful as a "Close Door" elevator button. ApproveThis adds:

Approval Thresholds: Auto-approve invoices under $5k, but escalate bigger spends to CFO
Delegated Approvals: Jill's OOO? Requests reroute to Jack automatically
Conditional Routing: Contract reviews go legal-first, then finance
Audit Trails: See who approved what, when, and why (no more "Must've deleted that email")

Who Gets the Most Mileage

Finance Teams

AP clerks convert vendor emails into approval requests with one-click coding to QuickBooks. Controllers set thresholds to auto-approve recurring expenses under $2k.

Operations Teams

Facility managers turn maintenance request emails into prioritized work orders. Approvals auto-schedule in Outlook calendars with vendor deadlines.

HR Teams

Benefit change requests route to insurance brokers, then payroll, with all comms tracked. Approvers can comment securely without GDPR-risk email threads.

The Hidden Perks You'll Actually Care About

No Extra Licenses: External partners approve via email without Outlook access
Mobile Approvals: Approvers can reject/approve from phones without VPNs
Auto-Snooze: Postpone non-urgent requests to fiscal year-end
Version Control: See all changes made during approval chains

When to Stick with Plain Outlook

This integration isn't for every approval. Keep using vanilla Outlook when:
- You need real-time document collaboration
- Requests require <20 second decisions
- Compliance isn't a concern

But for 73% of approvals (especially cross-departmental ones), structured workflows prevent "I thought YOU approved this" disasters.

Getting Started Without the Sales Pitch

1. Register for ApproveThis (free 14-day trial)
2. Connect your Outlook account via Zapier
3. Build one workflow for your most annoying approval type
4. Test with a small team before company-wide rollout

Or schedule a 12-minute demo to see how construction companies cut approval time from 6 days to 14 hours using these exact steps.

The Bottom Line for Busy Teams

Microsoft Outlook isn't broken - but approval-by-inbox is. Connecting it to ApproveThis through Zapier gives you structure without rigidity, automation without complexity, and accountability without micromanagement. You keep using Outlook exactly as before, just with fewer "Friendly reminder!" follow-ups.