ApproveThis manages your Steady Integration approvals.

When Subscription Management Meets Approval Automation

Let's get real: managing memberships and content subscriptions is messy enough without adding approval bottlenecks into the mix. That's why connecting Steady's subscription platform with ApproveThis' approval automation creates something actually useful - a way to keep your content business moving while still maintaining control.

Steady handles the money and memberships. ApproveThis handles the "should we allow this?" decisions. Together through Zapier, they handle the stuff that normally falls through the cracks - like vetting new newsletter subscribers before onboarding them, or getting sign-off on membership tier changes without playing email tennis with your CFO.

Why This Combo Works for Teams That Hate Red Tape

Most approval processes fail for one of three reasons:

• They're too slow: By the time something gets approved, the opportunity's gone
• They're too opaque: No one knows where requests get stuck
• They're too rigid: Can't adapt to different types of content or membership tiers

Here's where the Steady-ApproveThis integration flips the script:

For content teams: Automatically flag high-value membership changes for review while letting routine updates flow through. No more begging editors to check their inbox.

For finance teams: Set approval thresholds so big-ticket subscription deals get CFO eyes automatically, while smaller renewals handle themselves.

For operations: Track every decision in one dashboard instead of hunting through Steady logs, email chains, and Slack threads.

Real-World Use Cases That Don't Suck

1. Newsletter Gatekeeping That Actually Works

Newsletter spam isn't just an annoyance - it can tank your deliverability. But manually vetting every new subscriber? Please.

How it works:

When Steady detects a new newsletter sign-up (especially for premium content), ApproveThis automatically:

• Checks if the user's membership tier allows access
• Flags suspicious domains for manual review
• Approves valid sign-ups instantly

Media company example: A niche journalism outlet uses this to prevent free-tier subscribers from accessing paid newsletters. Their editors only see exceptions needing review, cutting approval time by 80%.

2. Membership Upgrades Without the Paperwork

Ever had a member upgrade their subscription... only to realize they shouldn't have access to that tier? Yeah, refunds are fun.

The fix:

Configure ApproveThis to require manager approval for any Steady membership changes exceeding:

- Dollar thresholds (e.g., upgrades over $500/year)
- Access levels (e.g., adding VIP forum access)
- Custom rules (e.g., members with past payment issues)

E-commerce example: A fitness brand automatically routes premium membership upgrades through their customer success team. If the member has unresolved support tickets? Approval gets paused until resolved.

Setting This Up Without Losing Your Mind

Here's the 5-minute version:

1. Connect via Zapier: Create your Zap between Steady and ApproveThis
2. Pick your trigger: Start with either "New Newsletter Subscription" or "Membership Change" in Steady
3. Set approval rules: Use ApproveThis' conditional logic to define what needs human review
4. Test with real data: Try approving/denying requests to see how Steady updates accordingly

Pro tip: Use ApproveThis' calculated fields to automatically flag requests that exceed your custom thresholds (like membership fees over X dollars). No coding - just spreadsheet-like formulas.

Why Your Finance Team Will Stop Yelling at You

Approval workflows aren't just about speed - they're about audit trails. The Steady-ApproveThis combo gives finance two things they actually care about:

1. Proof of compliance: Every membership change or subscription approval is logged with who approved it and why. No more mystery decisions.

2. Escalation guardrails: If a request sits too long, ApproveThis can either auto-approve (for low-risk items) or escalate to a backup approver. Late-night "URGENT" emails decrease by roughly 100%.

Bonus: Approvers don't need Steady licenses. Your external accountant can review financial approvals without getting full system access.

When to Use This vs. Steady's Built-In Tools

Steady's great at handling subscriptions. ApproveThis is great at handling decisions. The line between them?

Use Steady alone for:
- Basic membership tier changes
- Routine newsletter sign-ups
- Standard renewal workflows

Bring in ApproveThis when:
- You need multi-person approvals (e.g., editor + legal)
- Decisions require external input (clients, partners)
- You want conditional logic (approve if X, deny if Y)
- Audit trails are non-negotiable

Keeping This From Breaking in 6 Months

Integrations aren't "set and forget." Here's how to maintain this one:

Monthly check: Review ApproveThis' escalation rules against current team roles. People change jobs. Approvers shouldn't be ghosts.

Quarterly audit: Spot-check a few approved/denied requests in Steady. Do the outcomes still make sense?

Holiday proofing: Use ApproveThis' vacation delegation so membership approvals don't stall when someone's OOO.

Bottom Line for Teams Over 50 People

If you're using Steady at scale, manual approvals become a silent killer. They're not just slow - they create inconsistent decisions that erode trust in your subscription tiers.

ApproveThis adds just enough structure to prevent chaos, without the overhead of enterprise software. The Zapier integration means you're not rebuilding your Steady workflows - just layering smart approvals on top.

Ready to stop being the approval bottleneck? Get started with ApproveThis or schedule a live demo to see the Steady integration in action.

FAQ: Things People Actually Ask

Q: Can approvers use email instead of logging in?
A: Yes - ApproveThis sends decisions straight to email. No new logins for external partners.

Q: What if we need to change approval rules later?
A: Update them in ApproveThis anytime. No need to touch your Steady setup.

Q: How long does setup take?
A: Most teams connect Steady and ApproveThis via Zapier in under 20 minutes. Complex approval logic might take an hour.