
ApproveThis manages your IRIS CRM Integration approvals.
April 22, 2025
Integration Category: Payment Processing
Let's cut to the chase: If your company handles payment processing - whether you're an ISO, a sales organization, or manage merchant portfolios - you're drowning in approvals. Lead escalations, contract sign-offs, residual calculations. Every "quick sign-off" turns into a three-day email thread where someone's assistant's cousin gets CC'd. Enter ApproveThis and IRIS CRM. Together, they're like a bureaucratic exorcism for your payment operations.
Why Pair ApproveThis with IRIS CRM?
IRIS CRM is the backbone for payment teams - it tracks leads, manages residuals, and keeps the merchant onboarding train moving. But when every decision needs a rubber stamp? That's where IRIS starts to feel like a sports car stuck in traffic. ApproveThis acts as the HOV lane: automated approval workflows that plug directly into IRIS via Zapier. No coding, no IT tickets, no waiting for your "Zapier person" to get back from PTO.
The Nuts and Bolts
ApproveThis doesn't just send emails. It adds conditional logic to your IRIS data. Example: A $50K merchant deal in IRIS triggers a multi-level approval chain in ApproveThis - but a $5K deal auto-approves. Sales ops gets notified via Slack, the CFO gets an email, and the legal team gets a carrier pigeon (just kidding - they get a PDF in their CRM).
Use Cases That Actually Matter
We've seen teams waste 11 hours a week chasing approvals. Here's how to claw that time back:
For Sales Teams: No More Lead Limbo
Scenario: Your IRIS CRM pipeline gets a new lead from a referral partner. Instead of Slack-bombing your VP with "Can we offer this merchant 1.4% pricing?", ApproveThis automatically:
- Checks the lead's projected volume in IRIS
- Routes to regional sales director if under $100K/month
- Escalates to CFO + legal if pricing exceptions apply
Real-world impact: A Pennsylvania ISO reduced approval delays on time-sensitive leads by 68% in Q1. How? They stopped playing phone tag and started using approval thresholds tied to IRIS deal size.
For Operations: Approval Papercuts? Gone.
IRIS manages residuals like a champ - until someone needs to approve a merchant's pricing exception. Now, when residual calculations in IRIS hit a snag (say, a merchant's PCI compliance lapse), ApproveThis:
- Auto-generates an approval task with the merchant's history
- Routes to compliance teams based on issue type
- Updates IRIS with resolution notes post-approval
Bonus: Approvers don't need IRIS licenses. Your external auditor can review residual disputes without you buying another CRM seat.
For Finance: Stop Playing Approval Whack-A-Mole
When IRIS flags a high-risk merchant application, ApproveThis enforces checks before the deal hits your portfolio. Think:
- Auto-attach KYC docs from IRIS to approval requests
- Require dual signatures for businesses in restricted industries
- Sync approved/denied decisions back to IRIS as internal notes
Pro tip: Use calculated fields to display residual projections during approvals. Gives approvers context without needing to log into IRIS.
How to Set This Up Without Losing Your Mind
We know you're busy. Here's the 60-second version:
1. Zapier Setup: Connect IRIS CRM and ApproveThis in Zapier (takes 3 clicks)
2. Pick Your Trigger: New lead? Status change? Residual alert?
3. Build Logic: Add conditional rules like "If deal size > $X, require CFO approval"
4. Test Drive: Send a test lead through IRIS '9 Watch the approval magic happen
Full setup guide: ApproveThis + IRIS CRM Walkthrough
Why This Isn't Just Another Integration
Most CRMs bolt-on approval tools that feel like filing taxes. What makes this combo different?
Email approvals that don't suck: Approvers can greenlight deals directly from Gmail. No passwords, no portals. Even your least techy board member can handle it.
Vacation coverage that actually works: IRIS lead about to expire but your approver's in Bora Bora? ApproveThis auto-reassigns based on out-of-office calendars.
Audit trails you'll love during compliance reviews: Every approval decision is timestamped, with comments synced back to IRIS as notes. Perfect for those "Why did we approve this merchant?!" moments.
The Niche Stuff You'll Appreciate
For teams neck-deep in payment processing:
Residual Split Approvals: When IRIS detects a partner split exceeding 50%, ApproveThis requires CRO sign-off. Prevents commission overpayments without manual checks.
Merchant Exit Autopsy: If a merchant churns in IRIS, trigger a post-mortem approval workflow. Forces teams to document root causes before archiving.
Underwriting Safeguards: Auto-flag high-risk MCC codes in IRIS, requiring extra approvals before onboarding. Because one bad merchant can wreck your chargeback ratio.
Who Actually Benefits?
ISOs & Sales Orgs: Cut deal approval times from days to hours. Stop losing leads because your VP forgot to check their inbox.
Payment Facilitators: Keep underwriting consistent across large teams. No more "special exceptions" that come back to bite you.
Enterprises with Franchisees: Let franchise managers submit pricing requests via IRIS, with corporate approvals handled in ApproveThis. Maintain control without micromanaging.
Common Objections (And Why They're Wrong)
"We already have approval checks in IRIS."
Cool. Now make them enforceable. ApproveThis adds accountability - no more "I didn't see the email" excuses.
"Our process is too complex."
We've seen 11-stage approvals with cross-department dependencies. If your workflow can be drawn on a whiteboard, we can automate it.
"We use another tool for this."
Unless it's built for payment operations, you're duct-taping. ApproveThis speaks IRIS' language - residuals, leads, MCC codes.
Ready to Actually Fix Your Approval Process?
This isn't about flashy tech. It's about:
- Closing more leads because you're not waiting on approvals
- Reducing compliance risks with airtight audit trails
- Letting your team focus on payments, not paperwork
Book a 15-minute demo (we'll show IRIS-specific workflows) or start a free trial. No payment info needed - just your IRIS login and a petty cash form. (Kidding about the last part.)
Integrate with IRIS CRM Integration and get 90 days of ApproveThis for free.
After you create a Zapier integration, please email us at support@approve-this.com with your account name and we'll add 3 months of ApproveThis to your account. Limit one redemption per account.
Learn More
Best Approval Workflows for IRIS CRM
Suggested workflows (and their Zapier components) for IRIS CRM
Create approval requests for new IRIS CRM leads
Prevent unauthorized lead actions by creating an approval request every time a new lead is created in IRIS CRM. This ensures all lead actions are reviewed consistently and efficiently, improving decision-making and accountability.
Zapier Components

Trigger
Lead Created
Triggers when a lead is created.
Action
Create Request
Creates a new request, probably with input from previous steps.
Open IRIS CRM tickets when approvals are completed
Automatically open a new ticket in IRIS CRM once an approval request is completed or denied. This streamlines follow-up action, ensuring no approved requests go unchecked, thus enhancing efficiency in response management.
Zapier Components
Trigger
A Request Is Approved/Denied
Triggers when a request is approved or denied.

Action
Create New Ticket
Create a new Ticket.
Initiate approvals for received lead emails in IRIS CRM
Ensure received emails related to leads in IRIS CRM don't go unnoticed by automatically creating an approval request for each. This process keeps your team informed and ready to make quick decisions based on new email insights.
Zapier Components

Trigger
Lead Email Received
Triggers when a lead email is received.
Action
Create Request
Creates a new request, probably with input from previous steps.
Add IRIS CRM lead notes for new ApproveThis requests
Automatically document new approval requests in IRIS CRM by adding a note to the relevant lead when a request is initiated. This ensures complete communication records are maintained and accessible for easy reference during review processes.
Zapier Components
Trigger
New Request
Triggers when a new approval request workflow is initiated.

Action
Add Note to Lead
Add note to a lead.
Request approvals for IRIS CRM lead status updates
Automatically generate an approval request every time a lead status changes in IRIS CRM. This helps in maintaining a smooth oversight of status changes, ensuring that updates are vetted appropriately, enhancing accountability in lead management processes.
Zapier Components

Trigger
Lead Status Updated
Triggers when a lead's status is updated.
Action
Create Request
Creates a new request, probably with input from previous steps.
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