ApproveThis manages your Contentstack Integration approvals.

Two Platforms, One Powerful Solution

Contentstack’s headless CMS gives teams the flexibility to manage content across websites, apps, and IoT devices. But when every piece of content needs legal review, brand alignment checks, or stakeholder sign-offs, even the best CMS can’t prevent delays. That’s where ApproveThis steps in – not as a replacement, but as the missing piece that brings accountability to content operations.

By connecting Contentstack with ApproveThis through Zapier, businesses gain a closed-loop system where content creation triggers automated approval workflows, and approvals trigger actionable next steps. This integration isn’t about adding complexity – it’s about eliminating the back-and-forth emails, missed deadlines, and version control issues that plague marketing teams, e-commerce retailers, and enterprise content publishers.

Where Contentstack Shines (And Where ApproveThis Completes the Picture)

Contentstack excels at decoupling content from code, letting developers build once while marketers update content freely. But when compliance-sensitive industries like healthcare or finance require four-eye principles for content publishing, or when global brands need regional managers to approve localized campaigns, manual processes creep back in. ApproveThis adds structured governance without sacrificing Contentstack’s agility.

Key Integration Benefits

For Marketers: Launch campaigns faster by routing new product descriptions or landing pages from Contentstack to legal teams via ApproveThis – all while keeping approvers in email (no CMS logins required).

For Developers: Maintain clean APIs – instead of custom-building approval logic into your Contentstack architecture, let ApproveThis handle complex workflows with calculated fields and conditional routing.

For Compliance Teams: Automatically archive approval decisions alongside content versions in Contentstack, creating audit trails that prove who approved what – and when.

Real-World Use Cases That Move the Needle

1. Regulated Content Publishing

A pharmaceutical company uses Contentstack to manage patient education materials. Every new entry triggers an ApproveThis workflow requiring sequential approvals from medical, legal, and compliance teams. Approval thresholds auto-route high-risk content to senior reviewers, while routine updates get expedited treatment. Once approved, the entry publishes automatically – with a timestamped record stored in Contentstack.

2. Global Campaign Rollouts

An apparel brand’s regional marketers use Contentstack to adapt campaigns for local markets. When the Paris team uploads a new product image (asset), ApproveThis routes it to the global brand director and legal counsel. Consensus-based approval ensures alignment with brand guidelines before the asset goes live. If either rejector requests changes, comments sync back to Contentstack for revision tracking.

3. E-Commerce Agility

During a flash sale, a retailer’s content team updates pricing in Contentstack entries. ApproveThis calculates discount percentages using dynamic fields – anything over 20% off automatically escalates to the CFO. Approved changes publish immediately; denied requests alert the team via Slack with reasons, all within the 1-hour sale window.

Building Your Integration: A Tactical Guide

Step 1: Contentstack setup – Ensure content types have required fields for approval metadata (e.g., “Approval Status” dropdown).

Step 2: In Zapier, create a Zap with Contentstack as the trigger app. Choose triggers like “New Entry” or “New Asset.”

Step 3: Set ApproveThis as the action app. Map Contentstack fields to ApproveThis’ approval request form. Configure approval rules – sequential vs. parallel, thresholds, fallback approvers.

Step 4: Add a second Zap for post-approval actions. Triggered by “Request Approved/Denied” in ApproveThis, update Contentstack entries/assets or trigger publishes.

Pro Tip: Multi-Channel Governance

Use ApproveThis’ calculated fields to enforce business rules. Example: If a Contentstack entry’s “Target Region” field is set to EU, require GDPR compliance officer approval. These rules adapt as content evolves – no developer tickets needed.

Why Teams Choose This Combo Over Native Alternatives

Contentstack’s built-in workflows work for simple internal reviews. But when external partners or cross-functional teams are involved, ApproveThis solves three critical gaps:

External Approvers: Agencies or clients can approve via email without Contentstack licenses – you control what they see via ApproveThis’ permission settings.

Complex Logic: Native tools can’t handle “Approve in 24 hours or escalate to VP” rules. ApproveThis does, with escalation paths and deadline reminders.

Audit Trails: Contentstack stores content history; ApproveThis stores decision history. Together, they answer both “who changed what?” and “who approved it?”

Beyond Marketing: Unexpected Teams That Benefit

HR Teams

When updating employee handbooks in Contentstack, route changes through legal and C-suite via ApproveThis. Use vacation delegation to prevent delays during holidays.

IT Departments

Manage infrastructure change requests logged as Contentstack entries. ApproveThis enforces ITIL-style approvals with SLAs – if L1 doesn’t respond in 2 hours, auto-escalate.

Partner Ecosystems

Distributors submitting promotional content via Contentstack forms can have materials reviewed and approved by your team in ApproveThis – all without granting CMS access.

The Bottom Line: Speed Meets Control

Content teams waste 15 hours/month chasing approvals manually (according to 2023 CMSWire data). This integration recaptures that time while reducing compliance risks. It’s not about adding bureaucracy – it’s about making every approval cycle auditable, actionable, and predictable.

Whether you’re a Contentstack power user frustrated with missed deadlines or an ApproveThis customer seeking deeper CMS integration, this workflow solves the “last mile” problem in content governance. The setup takes under 45 minutes, but the efficiency gains compound with every piece of content launched.

Ready to eliminate approval bottlenecks? Start your ApproveThis trial or book a custom demo to see how it transforms Contentstack from a content hub into a compliance engine.