ApproveThis manages your Fonn Integration approvals.

When Approval Paperwork Slows Down Bulldozers

Let’s be real: construction projects don’t fail because of bad cement or lazy crews. They get derailed by change orders stuck in email threads, budget approvals waiting on someone’s vacationing boss, and compliance checklists lost between field teams and the office. Fonn’s great at organizing the physical work – but when your approvals live in spreadsheets, sticky notes, or Jeff’s inbox, even the best project management software can’t save you.

Why This Combo Works Like a Concrete Mixer for Approvals

ApproveThis isn’t another tool to clutter your tech stack. It’s the glue between Fonn’s project tracking and the people who need to say “yes.” Think of it like this: Fonn tells you there’s a change order. ApproveThis automatically routes it to the architect, client, and finance lead – with deadlines, reminders, and a paper trail. No chasing. No “I didn’t see the email.” Just build stuff.

What You Actually Get

When you connect Fonn and ApproveThis through Zapier, you’re not just automating clicks. You’re fixing the three big leaks in construction workflows:

• Speed: Approval delays cost $5k/day on mid-sized projects. This cuts decision time from days to hours.
• Compliance: Every “approve/deny” is logged with timestamps, comments, and versions. No more audit panic.
• Visibility: Superintendents see approval statuses in Fonn without calling the office. Office teams track progress without chasing superintendents.

Use Cases That Actually Matter (Not Just Fluffy Theory)

We could talk features all day. Let’s talk about not getting screamed at by clients:

1. Change Orders That Don’t Require a Mind Reader

The Problem: Client wants bigger windows. Your PM updates Fonn. Then…nothing. The electrician needs answers now, but the client’s decision is stuck between their legal team and a vacationing project manager.

The Fix: New Fonn change request → Auto-create ApproveThis workflow. Route to client’s legal, your PM, and the architect. Set a 48-hour deadline. If no response, ApproveThis escalates to the client’s VP automatically. Electrician gets a “approved” Fonn update without 12 check-in calls.

Real-World Twist: Use ApproveThis’ calculated fields to auto-add the change order’s cost impact. Budget thresholds mean anything over $15k routes to the CFO first. No surprises.

2. Material Purchases That Don’t Require a Loan Shark

The Problem: Field team needs emergency rebar. They log a Fonn issue. Your procurement guy is out sick. The crew buys it anyway at 3x markup. CFO rage ensues.

The Fix: Fonn issue created → ApproveThis checks budget vs. request. If under $2k, auto-approves and notifies procurement. If over, routes to CFO with vendor comparison from last purchase. Approval updates Fonn issue → procurement gets notified to order. No markup. No rage.

3. Subcontractor Approvals That Don’t Require a Babysitter

The Problem: New painter submits certs. Your safety lead needs to approve, but they’re on PTO. Project stalls. Foreman “accidentally” lets them start anyway. Compliance risk unlocked.

The Fix: Subcontractor docs uploaded to Fonn → ApproveThis starts workflow. Safety lead is out? Vacation delegation auto-routes to their backup. Approved? Fonn updates with compliance badge. Denied? Automatic hold placed on contractor portal. No “I didn’t know” excuses.

Setup That Doesn’t Need an IT Degree

If you can use a hammer, you can set this up:

1. Connect: Create a Zapier account (takes 2 minutes). Link Fonn and ApproveThis.
2. Pick Your Trigger: Like “New Change Request in Fonn” or “Issue Created.”
3. Map Fields: Tell ApproveThis where to find Fonn’s data (budget, due date, etc.).
4. Test: Zapier sends a fake request. Approve it. Watch Fonn update. High-five someone.

Pro Tip: Start with one workflow (like change orders). Once that’s smooth, add others. No need to boil the ocean.

Who Actually Benefits (Spoiler: Not Just the Boss)

This isn’t about micromanaging. It’s about letting teams do their jobs:

Project Managers

Stop being a nag. Set the approval rules once, then focus on actual problems. Real-time dashboards show which approvals are stuck – so you can chase the right person, not everyone.

Finance Teams

Budget thresholds in ApproveThis mean no more “Oops, we spent $50k without approval.” Automatic escalations to your team for big spends. Plus, all approvals feed into your audit trails automatically.

Field Teams

Check Fonn for approval statuses instead of waiting for a callback. If it’s green, work. If it’s red, move to the next task. Less downtime. Fewer “Why aren’t you done?!” calls.

The Elephant in the Room: “But Our Approvers Don’t Use Fonn!”

That’s the point. ApproveThis approvers get emails (or Slack/MS Teams messages) with one-click approve/deny. They don’t need a Fonn login. Clients, legal, execs – they never touch your project software. Less training. Fewer passwords to reset. More approvals actually happening.

Bottom Line: This Isn’t About Software

It’s about fixing the approval bottlenecks that turn $2M projects into $2.5M nightmares. ApproveThis + Fonn via Zapier is like giving your team a bulldozer for paperwork – so they can focus on the actual bulldozing.

Next Step: Get an ApproveThis demo (takes 15 minutes). We’ll show how to connect it to Fonn and start killing approval delays this week. Or keep letting Jeff’s inbox run your projects. Your call.