ApproveThis manages your Grist approvals.

Let’s be real: approvals suck. Chasing down signatures, digging through email chains, wondering if Karen in accounting saw your request… it’s 2024. We have self-driving cars but still can’t get a PO approved without 17 follow-up emails? Enter ApproveThis and Grist – the spreadsheet-database hybrid that finally makes sense of your messy data. Together, they’re like caffeine for your workflows.

Why This Combo Works (Besides Saving Your Sanity)

ApproveThis handles the who approved what drama. Grist wrangles your data into something actually useful. Connect them via Zapier, and you’ve got a system where approvals trigger data updates (and vice versa) without anyone lifting a finger. Think of it as duct tape for your business processes – but less janky.

What You’re Really Getting Here

For teams tired of playing approval whack-a-mole:

• Zero “I didn’t see the email” excuses: Approvers get notified via email (they can reply directly – no login required)
• Data that actually matches reality: Approved budgets in Grist? Automatically updated. New project requests? Instantly logged.
• Rules that make sense: Auto-approve small expenses, escalate big ones. Because chasing down the CEO for $20 office supplies is dumb.

Real-World Use Cases (That Don’t Suck)

1. Procurement Teams: Stop Being a Human Spreadsheet

Scenario: Every new vendor request in Grist kicks off an approval chain. Legal reviews contracts, finance checks budgets, and somehow it all gets logged without you copy-pasting data between 12 tabs.

How it works: New Grist record → ApproveThis workflow with conditional routing. Legal gets contracts over $50k automatically. Finance only sees requests from departments over budget. When approved, Grist updates the status and triggers payment processing. Procurement team stops wanting to quit.

2. Marketing Agencies: Client Approvals That Don’t Kill Momentum

Scenario: Client needs to approve campaign copy. Your team uses Grist to track versions. Instead of emailing PDFs and hoping, every new Grist entry triggers an ApproveThis request to the client. They approve via email (no login), Grist auto-updates, and your team gets notified. No more “I thought we were using version 3_FINAL_v2?”

3. Healthcare Operations: Compliance Without the Papercuts

Scenario: Patient intake forms in Grist need nurse supervisor approval. New entries trigger ApproveThis workflows with calculated fields – if patient age >65, auto-route to geriatric specialist. Approved? Locked in Grist with audit trail. Denied? Comments logged automatically. HIPAA happy, nurses less stabby.

Setting This Up Without an IT Degree

Here’s the dirty secret: if you can forward an email, you can set this up. Zapier does the heavy lifting:

1. Pick your trigger (New Grist record? Approval completed?)
2. Map the important fields (amounts, departments, whatever matters)
3. Test it with a $1 expense approval (so you don’t accidentally approve a Ferrari)

Pro tip: Start with one workflow. Nail it. Then clone it for other teams. No need to boil the ocean.

Features You’ll Actually Use (Not Just Corporate Buzzwords)

We know you’re busy. Here’s what matters:

• Email approvals: Approvers don’t need another login. External clients? Perfect.
• Thresholds: Let the $50 office chair auto-approve. Make the $5k conference trip get 3 signatures.
• Vacation coverage: Karen’s on PTO? Requests automatically reroute. No more bottleneck.

Why This Beats “Just Using Email”

Emails get lost. Spreadsheets get stale. ApproveThis + Grist gives you:

Actual accountability: See who’s sitting on requests (looking at you, Dave in legal).
Data that connects: Approved budgets in Grist automatically reflect in your reports.
Scale that doesn’t hurt: Add new approval steps as you grow without starting over.

Bottom Line: This Isn’t Just Another Integration

It’s about cutting the approval crap that wastes 3 hours every Monday. Teams between 50-5000 employees use this combo to:

- Slash approval times from days → hours
- Reduce errors (no more manual data entry oopsie)
- Actually trust their data (because approvals and records sync automatically)

Ready to stop herding approval cats? Get started with ApproveThis or book a 15-minute demo. Your future self (and Karen from accounting) will thank you.

Grist + your workflows = Check out Grist’s free trial here.