ApproveThis manages your ChainRecorder approvals.

Why Approval Automation Needs Blockchain Security

Modern businesses face two critical challenges: moving decisions forward faster while maintaining airtight document security. ApproveThis solves the first problem through intelligent approval automation, while ChainRecorder addresses the second with blockchain-based file verification. Together via Zapier, they create an immutable record of business decisions that satisfies both operational and compliance needs.

Consider how most organizations handle sensitive document approvals today. A contract gets emailed to three executives, who forward their approvals to an assistant. The final version lives in someone's inbox while the legal team manually logs the decision chain. This process risks version confusion, delays, and compliance gaps.

Now imagine the same workflow where every approval automatically triggers blockchain recording through ChainRecorder. The marketing director approves a vendor contract via email, which simultaneously updates your project management system and permanently timestamps the decision on the Bitcoin blockchain. Finance teams gain real-time visibility into approval statuses while auditors get self-verifying documentation.

Core Capabilities Compared

ApproveThis Strengths

Specializes in routing decisions efficiently with features like conditional approval paths (e.g., escalating high-value requests) and automated reminders. Unique advantages include vacation delegation to prevent bottlenecks and calculated fields that auto-determine approval requirements based on request data.

ChainRecorder Advantages

Provides cryptographic proof of document existence and integrity through Bitcoin blockchain timestamps and IPFS distributed storage. Ideal for compliance-heavy industries needing to prove when files were created/modified without relying on centralized servers.

Combined Value Proposition

When integrated through Zapier, these platforms enable what we call "verified workflow automation." Approvals aren't just faster - they're cryptographically sealed. This combination particularly benefits:

• Legal teams requiring audit trails for contract sign-offs
• Healthcare organizations managing PHI documentation
• Public companies needing SOX-compliant financial approvals

Real-World Use Cases

1. Regulated Document Processing

A pharmaceutical company uses ChainRecorder to timestamp clinical trial data. When researchers submit new findings, ApproveThis:

1. Routes files to medical, legal, and compliance reviewers
2. Applies conditional logic (e.g., auto-escalates studies involving controlled substances)
3. Upon final approval, triggers ChainRecorder to create permanent blockchain record

Result: 63% faster FDA submissions with built-in audit trail.

2. Intellectual Property Protection

An animation studio's legal team receives 200+ NDA drafts weekly. Their Zapier integration:

1. New NDAs uploaded to ChainRecorder generate ApproveThis requests
2. General counsel reviews terms with calculated fields highlighting unusual clauses
3. Approval automatically updates the IPFS record with execution timestamp

Outcome: Reduced default approvals of problematic contracts by 41%.

3. Financial Control Automation

A manufacturing company processes $2M+ in monthly invoices through this integration:

1. AP team uploads vendor invoices to ChainRecorder
2. ApproveThis routes payments based on amount thresholds
3. Auto-approved payments under $5K get immediate blockchain timestamp
4. Larger invoices require CFO approval with IPFS version control

Impact: 22% faster vendor payments while eliminating duplicate payments.

Implementation Guide

Technical Setup

1. Create Zapier account at zapier.com
2. Connect ApproveThis and ChainRecorder
3. Choose trigger event:
  - New ChainRecorder file hash → Create ApproveThis request
  - Approved request in ApproveThis → Chain file update
4. Map data fields between systems
5. Test with low-risk documents first

Team Enablement

• Legal: Use approval comments as blockchain metadata
• Finance: Set amount thresholds to auto-chain invoices
• IT: Leverage IPFS hashes for version control
• External partners: Approve via email without ChainRecorder logins

Cross-Functional Benefits

For Executives

Gain real-time visibility into approval bottlenecks through ApproveThis dashboards while maintaining provable compliance via ChainRecorder's immutable records. Vacation delegation ensures decisions keep moving during travel.

For Operational Teams

Automatically route documents based on content (e.g., contract value, document type) using ApproveThis calculated fields. ChainRecorder integration means no more manual version tracking - every approved file has a permanent fingerprint.

For External Partners

Suppliers, clients, and regulators can verify document authenticity through ChainRecorder's public proofs without accessing sensitive systems. Approval requests come via email with zero software installation required.

Strategic Advantages

This integration turns approval workflows into competitive differentiators. A logistics company reduced customs clearance times by authenticating shipment docs via blockchain. A university accelerated research grants by proving approval dates without audit requests.

Key operational improvements:
• Eliminate "approval black holes" with real-time tracking
• Reduce compliance overhead through auto-documentation
• Prevent version conflicts with hashed file records
• Scale securely with external approvers

Getting Started

Begin with high-impact, low-risk workflows:
1. Expense report approvals with receipt verification
2. Contract amendments with version chaining
3. Policy acknowledgments requiring audit trails

ApproveThis requires no long-term contracts, and ChainRecorder offers pay-as-you-go hashing. Together through Zapier, they provide enterprise-grade workflow security without enterprise complexity.

Next Steps:
Register for ApproveThis and book a integration workshop
Explore ChainRecorder's document hashing capabilities
Build your first Zap at zapier.com