ApproveThis manages your ServiceNow Integration approvals.

Why This Integration Isn’t Just Another “Workflow Solution”

Let’s cut through the noise: ServiceNow manages your IT workflows like a champ, but when it comes to approvals, you’re still stuck with clunky email chains, forgotten requests, and executives who “didn’t see the notification.” That’s where ApproveThis comes in – not to replace ServiceNow, but to handle the human part of the equation.

Think of it this way: ServiceNow tells you what needs approval. ApproveThis handles who approves it, when they need to decide, and how it gets done. Together via Zapier, they turn approval bottlenecks into a straight-through process. No more chasing down sign-offs or wondering if Karen from Finance ever saw your procurement request.

Where This Combo Hits Different

We’re not talking about some theoretical “future of work” crap. Here’s what actually changes when you connect these two:

For IT Teams:

That new server procurement request in ServiceNow? Instead of manually creating an approval ticket, ApproveThis automatically routes it to the right approvers based on cost thresholds. If it’s under $5K, maybe it auto-approves. Over $50K? Escalate to the CTO with calculated ROI metrics baked into the request.

For HR:

New hire request pops up in ServiceNow. ApproveThis instantly pings department heads for approval via email – no logins needed. If someone’s OOO, it reroutes to their backup. All while keeping the candidate’s offer letter synced between systems.

For Finance:

Invoice approvals in ServiceNow trigger multi-tiered approval chains in ApproveThis. AP clerks get first look, controllers handle bigger amounts, and everything’s auditable without digging through 14 different tools.

Three Use Cases That Don’t Suck

1. Auto-Create Approvals for New ServiceNow Records

The problem: Your team creates a new change request in ServiceNow. Now what? You manually tag someone in Slack, hope they check their ServiceNow inbox, and pray they don’t forget.

The fix: Zapier triggers ApproveThis to create an approval request the second that ServiceNow record hits. Approvers get a clean email with one-click approve/reject – no need to log into ServiceNow. For external partners? They don’t even need a ServiceNow license to sign off.

Real example: A mid-market SaaS company uses this to handle security review approvals. Their external auditors get ApproveThis emails, click approve, and ServiceNow auto-updates the record status. No more “Can you export this to PDF?” nonsense.

2. Update ServiceNow the Second Approvals Happen

The problem: Someone approves a vendor contract in ApproveThis… and now you’ve got to manually update three fields in ServiceNow. Cue human error and delays.

The fix: When an ApproveThis request is approved/denied, Zapier pushes that decision back to ServiceNow. Fields like “Approval Status” or “Next Steps” auto-populate. For denials, you can even auto-add a task to ServiceNow for re-submission.

Real example: A manufacturing firm links capital expenditure approvals to their ServiceNow asset management. Approved? ServiceNow auto-generates a purchase order. Denied? It creates a follow-up ticket with notes from the approver.

3. Attach Approval Docs to ServiceNow Automagically

The problem: Legal approved the NDA in ApproveThis, but now you need to manually attach it to the ServiceNow record. Everyone hates you for the extra step.

The fix: New ApproveThis requests trigger Zapier to attach relevant files (contracts, specs, compliance docs) directly to the linked ServiceNow record. Version control issues? Gone.

Real example: A healthcare provider uses this to attach signed PHI compliance forms to patient data access requests in ServiceNow. Auditors get a complete paper trail without hunting through emails.

Setting This Up Without Losing Your Mind

We’ve all seen those “15-minute setup” guides that take three days. Here’s the real deal:

1. Connect ServiceNow & ApproveThis to Zapier: Use their OAuth integrations – no API keys required.
2. Pick your trigger: Most teams start with “New ServiceNow Record” → “Create ApproveThis Request.”
3. Map your fields: Pull ServiceNow data into ApproveThis requests (e.g., ticket ID → reference number).
4. Set approval rules: Use ApproveThis’ thresholds to auto-approve small requests or escalate big ones.
5. Test with a real request: Create a dummy ServiceNow record and watch the approval flow happen.

Pro tip: Start with one workflow (like IT change requests) before scaling to company-wide processes.

Why This Isn’t Just “Another Integration”

ApproveThis brings three things ServiceNow alone can’t handle:

• Approvals that don’t require a ServiceNow license: External vendors, clients, or execs can approve via email without logging in.
• Smart routing logic: Vacation delegation, approval thresholds, and conditional steps keep things moving.
• Real-time visibility: ServiceNow shows ticket status; ApproveThis shows why it’s stuck and who’s holding it up.

Example: A logistics company uses calculated fields in ApproveThis to auto-flag freight costs that exceed budget. ServiceNow handles the ticket; ApproveThis handles the financial governance.

Who Actually Benefits From This?

IT Directors: Reduce change request approval times from days to hours. Auto-escalate high-risk items without manual tagging.

Procurement Teams: Route purchase approvals based on amount, vendor risk, or category. No more “I approved it in email but can’t find the thread.”

Compliance Officers: Every approval decision is logged with timestamps and comments. Perfect for audits without the spreadsheet hell.

HR Managers: New hire approvals with built-in delegation (because your CFO is always at some offsite).

Common Objections (And Why They’re Wrong)

“We already have ServiceNow approvals.” Cool. Now make them actually get approved instead of languishing in someone’s inbox.

“We don’t want another tool.” ApproveThis isn’t another tool – it’s the missing layer that makes ServiceNow approvals usable by humans.

“Our process is too complex.” That’s the point. If your approvals are simple, use ServiceNow. If they involve multiple teams, conditional logic, or external partners, that’s where ApproveThis takes over.

How to Not Screw This Up

Do:

• Start with one high-impact workflow (e.g., purchase orders)
• Use approval thresholds to auto-greenlight small requests
• Sync key data back to ServiceNow for a single source of truth

Don’t:

• Try to boil the ocean with 20 workflows on day one
• Forget to set up vacation delegates (your process will stall)
• Skip testing with actual approvers (their email client matters)

What’s Next

If you’re using ServiceNow but still have approval delays, you’ve got two options: Keep herding cats manually, or fix the actual bottleneck. ApproveThis isn’t a magic bullet, but it’s the closest thing you’ll get for cross-functional approvals.

Register for ApproveThis and connect it to ServiceNow in under an hour. Or book a demo if you’d rather see it work first. Either way, stop letting approvals be the reason projects miss deadlines.