ApproveThis manages your GoCardless approvals.

Two Platforms, One Powerful Workflow

When payment processing meets approval automation, businesses unlock new levels of operational efficiency. GoCardless simplifies direct debit collections, while ApproveThis brings structure to decision-making. Together through Zapier, they create closed-loop workflows that eliminate manual handoffs between finance teams and approvers.

Why This Integration Matters

Payment authorization isn't just about moving money – it's about maintaining financial controls while keeping cash flow moving. Traditional processes create bottlenecks when approvers can't access payment systems or lack context. With ApproveThis handling approvals and GoCardless executing payments, teams gain:

• Automatic routing of payment requests to relevant stakeholders
• Real-time visibility into approval status and payment execution

Approvers don't need GoCardless licenses to review requests – ideal for external partners or cross-department collaboration. Finance teams maintain control while empowering other teams to initiate compliant payment workflows.

Real-World Workflow Accelerators

1. Mandate Authorization for Recurring Revenue

SaaS companies using GoCardless for subscription billing can automate customer onboarding approvals. When a new GoCardless mandate request appears:

1. ApproveThis automatically creates an approval ticket
2. Sales managers review contract terms via email
3. Approval triggers GoCardless payment setup

Impact: A UK-based HR platform reduced subscription activation time from 72 hours to 4 hours using this workflow.

2. Instant Payment Execution Post-Approval

Nonprofits processing donor commitments through GoCardless now automate pledge fulfillment. When board members approve major donations via ApproveThis:

1. Approval status syncs to GoCardless
2. Direct debit payments initiate automatically
3. Finance receives completion alerts

Key Feature: Approval thresholds in ApproveThis allow auto-approving small donations while flagging large amounts for review.

3. Failed Payment Recovery Workflows

Ecommerce companies using direct debit for bulk orders prevent revenue leakage with automated retry approvals. When GoCardless detects a failed payment:

1. ApproveThis generates a review ticket
2. CS teams assess customer status
3. Approval triggers payment retry or alternative method

Benefit: A furniture wholesaler recovered 62% of failed payments within 48 hours using this approach.

Cross-Functional Benefits

For Finance Teams

Automated audit trails combine approval rationale with payment execution details. Calculated fields in ApproveThis automatically flag payments exceeding department budgets before routing for approval.

For Operations

Vacation delegation ensures payment approvals never stall. If a billing manager is out, requests automatically reroute to designated backups without GoCardless access changes.

For Leadership

Real-time dashboards show approval cycle times alongside payment success rates. Identify bottlenecks where delayed approvals lead to payment execution issues.

Implementation Made Simple

Setting up the integration requires no coding expertise:

1. Create a Zapier account
2. Connect your GoCardless and ApproveThis accounts
3. Choose trigger events (e.g., new mandate request)
4. Map approval request fields in ApproveThis
5. Test with live data

Most teams configure basic workflows in under 90 minutes. Advanced configurations using calculated fields or approval groups might require 2-3 hours.

When to Consider Customization

While out-of-the-box integrations work for most teams, consider custom rules if:

• Approval logic varies by payment type (e.g., B2B vs B2C)
• You require multi-currency approval thresholds
• Payment retries need tiered approval routing

ApproveThis's conditional logic handles these scenarios without additional development.

Beyond Basic Approvals

The integration's real power emerges when combining features:

Example: A marketing agency approves client campaign budgets in ApproveThis. Upon approval:

1. GoCardless initiates client billing
2. Approval date triggers project management tool updates
3. Accounting software receives reconciled data

This multi-app workflow reduces campaign launch delays by 83% for some users.

Security Considerations

Both platforms maintain enterprise-grade security:

1. Bank-level encryption for payment data
2. Role-based access controls in ApproveThis
3. Audit logs for all approval actions

Approvers only see payment details relevant to their review – no full system access required.

Getting Started

To implement this integration:

1. Sign up for ApproveThis
2. Connect your GoCardless account via Zapier
3. Configure your first approval workflow

Most teams see ROI within 30 days through reduced payment delays and fewer failed transactions.

The Future of Payment Governance

As payment regulations tighten and transaction volumes grow, combining approval automation with payment execution isn't just convenient – it's becoming essential. Companies using these integrated tools report:

• 47% faster payment processing cycles
• 92% compliance with financial controls
• 68% reduction in approval-related support tickets

The integration scales from startups processing hundreds of payments to enterprises managing millions – all while maintaining human oversight where it matters most.

Next Steps

Ready to transform your payment approval processes?

1. Register for ApproveThis
2. Book a workflow consultation
3. Implement your first automated approval flow

For teams wanting hands-on guidance, request a custom demo showing how your specific payment scenarios would work with the integration.