ApproveThis manages your Okta Integration approvals.

When Approval Workflows Meet Identity Management

Let’s be real: approvals suck when they’re manual. Someone sends an email, you lose it in your inbox, finance starts chasing people, and the new contractor still can’t access the project tools three days later. This is why pairing ApproveThis with Okta through Zapier isn’t just convenient – it’s a nuclear option against bureaucratic slowdowns.

ApproveThis handles the messy human part of approvals (the reminders, the escalations, the “who’s out of office?”). Okta handles the technical gatekeeping (who gets access to what). Together, they turn “waiting for approval” from a bottleneck into an automated handoff. No spreadsheets. No lost requests. And definitely no passive-aggressive Slack follow-ups.

Why This Combo Works for Mid-Sized Companies

Companies between 50-5k employees hit a sweet spot: complex enough to need structure, but agile enough to hate red tape. Here’s where ApproveThis and Okta collide:

• Security without speed traps: Okta manages access, ApproveThis manages approvals. Together, they ensure people get access only after proper sign-off – without IT playing middleman.
• Budget control: Approvers in ApproveThis don’t need Okta licenses. External clients or department heads can greenlight requests without you paying for another Okta seat.

Example: A marketing agency needs their client to approve access to a campaign dashboard. The client approves via ApproveThis (no Okta account needed), which triggers Okta to grant access. No back-and-forth. No license costs for someone who just needs to say “yes.”

Real-World Use Cases That Don’t Feel Like Corporate Fluff

1. IT Teams: Automate User Onboarding/Offboarding

The Problem: HR submits a new hire request. IT creates the Okta account, then waits for manager approval to add them to specific groups (like “Sales” or “Engineering”). Except the manager’s on vacation, so the new dev starts Monday without access to GitHub. Classic.

The Fix: - HR submits request in ApproveThis with role details
- Upon approval, Zapier triggers Okta to create the user and add them to the right groups
- ApproveThis automatically pings the next approver if someone’s OOO
Result: New hires get access Day 1. IT stops playing approval secretary.

2. Finance Teams: Control SaaS Sprawl

The Problem: Employees self-subscribe to tools using corporate cards. Finance finds out during audits – usually after paying for 47 unused Figma licenses.

The Fix:
- Set up ApproveThis thresholds: Any app request over $500/month auto-escalates to CFO
- Approved requests trigger Okta to provision access
- Denied requests? ApproveThis auto-emails the requester with a rejection reason
Result: Finance controls spend upfront. No more zombie subscriptions.

3. External Collaborations (Agencies/Contractors)

The Problem: You need a client’s approval to share project files, but sending them an Okta account feels like overkill.

The Fix:
- Share files via a client-specific Okta group
- Client approves access via ApproveThis (email-based – no login required)
- Upon approval, Okta adds them to the group
Result: Clients get access faster without drowning in passwords.

Setting This Up Without a PhD in Zapier

For the “Create Okta users upon approval” workflow:

1. Zapier Trigger: “A Request Is Approved” in ApproveThis
2. Filter: Only proceed if status = Approved
3. Zapier Action: “Create User” in Okta, pulling data from the ApproveThis request (name, email, department)
4. Bonus: Add a step to notify the requester in Slack/Teams when done

Total setup time: 15 minutes if you’ve used Zapier before. Under an hour if you’re learning as you go. No coding – just mapping fields between apps.

Why This Isn’t Just Another Integration

Most approval tools stop at “Send an email, get a yes/no.” ApproveThis adds layers Okta can’t handle alone:

• Calculated Fields: Auto-calculate contract values or license costs during approval. If a request exceeds budget, ApproveThis routes it up the chain before Okta even gets involved.
• Approval Groups: Require consensus from Legal and IT before Okta provisions access to sensitive data.
• Audit Trails: Every approval (including comments) is logged. During compliance checks, you’re not scrambling to find who approved what.

Who Benefits Most (Besides Your Sanity)

IT Managers: Reduce “When will access be ready?” tickets by 60-80%. Automate group assignments based on approval criteria (e.g., “Contractor” vs “Full-Time”).

Finance Directors: Enforce spend controls before purchases happen. ApproveThis’ thresholds stop rogue subscriptions before they hit Okta.

HR Teams: New hires get access matched to their approved role. Offboarding? Revoke Okta access automatically when termination requests are approved.

Common Objections (And Why They’re Wrong)

“We already have Okta workflows.”
Cool. But Okta can’t handle multi-department approvals with conditional logic. ApproveThis does the human coordination; Okta enforces the tech policies.

“External users won’t adopt this.”
They don’t have to. Approvers get email links to approve/reject – no app installs or logins. Less friction than your average Google Doc.

Getting Started Without the Sales Circus

1. Grab an ApproveThis trial (no CC required)
2. Connect to Okta via Zapier (we have pre-built templates)
3. Test with a low-stakes workflow: Office access requests or software trial approvals

If it sticks? Scale to financial approvals, contractor onboarding, or compliance reviews. If not? You’ve wasted 20 minutes and learned Zapier basics. Not bad.

Bottom Line

ApproveThis + Okta isn’t about flashy features. It’s about fixing the approval bottlenecks that make employees resent process. Less waiting. Less chasing. More doing actual work.

Start automating approvals or schedule a 10-minute demo if you prefer seeing it live. Either way, stop letting approvals be the reason projects stall.