ApproveThis manages your Simply Studio Integration approvals.

When Bureaucracy Meets Burpees

Let's be real: running a fitness studio is like juggling chainsaws while teaching a spin class. Between membership signups, class scheduling, and keeping trainers happy, approval bottlenecks can turn your smooth operation into a cardio nightmare. That's where ApproveThis and Simply Studio come in – like a protein shake for your operational muscles.

Simply Studio handles the front-facing stuff – bookings, memberships, scheduling. ApproveThis handles the backstage politics – getting decisions made without endless Slack threads. Together through Zapier, they automate the bullshit so you can focus on what matters: making sure Karen from accounting actually shows up to her reformer pilates sessions.

Why This Combo Doesn't Suck

Most approval tools treat fitness studios like corporate offices. ApproveThis gets that your "board meetings" happen between bootcamp classes. When connected to Simply Studio via Zapier, you're looking at:

• Zero approval limbo: Members don't wait days for class booking confirmations
• Manager-proof workflows: Automatically route decisions to trainers, owners, or whoever's not currently spotting a deadlift

The kicker? Approvers don't need a Simply Studio login. Perfect for getting quick sign-offs from external partners or that investor who thinks yoga is "just stretching."

Real-World Use Cases That Don't Involve Corporate Jargon

1. Class Booking Guardrails

The problem: New clients booking advanced aerial yoga classes without vetting. Cue liability concerns and pissed-off members when they can't keep up.

The fix: Zapier triggers an ApproveThis workflow whenever someone books a tier 2+ class. Managers get an email to approve/reject based on the member's skill level. Bonus: Use ApproveThis' calculated fields to auto-approve members with 20+ classes under their belt.

Studio type this works for: CrossFit boxes with skill-based WODs, pole dancing studios with level requirements

2. Membership Onboarding That Doesn't Sleep

The problem: New member signups at 2AM because someone just finished a Tony Robbins seminar. Your sales team isn't nocturnal.

The fix: Simply Studio triggers ApproveThis to validate membership tier requests. Use approval thresholds to auto-approve basic packages, but flag premium tiers for human review. Vacation delegation means approvals never get stuck if your GM is at a yoga retreat.

Studio type this works for: High-end pilates studios with tiered memberships, MMA gyms with fight team eligibility

3. Emergency Class Changes Without the Panic

The problem: Trainer calls in sick, you need to cancel/postpone classes, but require owner approval per union rules.

The fix: Simply Studio schedule changes trigger multi-step approvals in ApproveThis – first to assistant manager, escalate to owner if no response in 30 mins. Approved cancellations auto-post to Simply Studio's announcements.

Studio type this works for: Unionized yoga collectives, franchises with corporate oversight

Setting This Up Without an IT Degree

1. Connect the dots in Zapier: Hook up Simply Studio's "New Class Booking" trigger to ApproveThis' "Create Request" action.
2. Map the important stuff: Send booking details → approval request, attach member history as PDF.
3. Set your rules: Auto-approve repeats under $200, escalate anything requiring equipment rentals.
4. Test with real data: Book a fake "Extreme Zumba" class and see if your GM gets the approval prompt.

Pro tip: Use ApproveThis' conditional logic to route yoga teacher training requests to senior instructors, but kids' birthday party bookings to the front desk.

Who Actually Benefits Here?

Front Desk Staff

Stop playing telephone between members and managers. Approval statuses update in real-time – tell Karen exactly why her hot yoga pass renewal needs director approval without the awkward back-and-forth.

Owners/Investors

Get visibility into class utilization rates via approval data. Notice that 80% of boxing class requests get denied? Maybe stop scheduling them during work hours.

Trainers

Approve workshop proposals directly from Simply Studio's interface. No more chasing signatures when you want to add that new mobility workshop.

But Wait, There's More (Because We Hate Upsells Too)

ApproveThis brings some underrated features to your studio ops:

• Approval groups: Need 3 trainers to sign off on new equipment purchases? Set it and forget it.
• Mobile-first approvals: Managers can approve/deny from their phone between sets
• Audit trails: Prove compliance when regulators ask why little Timmy was allowed into advanced capoeira

Common "Yeah But..." Scenarios

"We use WhatsApp for approvals!"
Cool. Now imagine that chat history actually connecting to your membership system. And not getting lost when Javier gets a new phone.

"Our studio is small, we don't need this!"
How many hours this week did you spend texting owners for permission to comp a session? Exactly.

How Not to Screw This Up

- Do: Start with one workflow (class bookings → approvals) before automating everything
- Don't: Let managers micromanage every $10 late fee waiver – set thresholds
- Do: Use vacation delegation so approvals don't die when staff is at fitness conferences
- Don't: Forget to sync denied requests back to Simply Studio as declined bookings

Bottom Line

This integration isn't about replacing human decisions – it's about not wasting human time on decisions that could be automated or streamlined. Fitness studios live on tight margins and tighter schedules. Every minute saved on admin work is a minute you can spend actually growing the business (or finally taking that lunchtime yoga class you keep postponing).

Ready to stop being a glorified approval messenger? Book a demo or start a free trial. We promise no workout required.