When Checklists Meet Approval Chains
Let's get real - most operations teams using Trail checklists still waste hours chasing down approvals. Managers complete their daily safety inspection in Trail, then play email tag with finance to get the repair approved. The maintenance team finishes equipment calibration tasks, but the work order gets stuck in accounting limbo. This is why connecting Trail to ApproveThis through Zapier changes the game.
Why This Combo Works
Trail keeps frontline teams accountable for completing tasks. ApproveThis keeps decision-makers accountable for reviewing them. Together, they create closed-loop operations where completed checklists automatically trigger approvals, and critical approvals automatically generate follow-up tasks. For companies managing 5+ locations, this integration acts like an operations manager who never sleeps.
No More Approval Black Holes
Here's what dies when you connect these systems:
- The "I thought Janet approved that?" meetings
- PDF checklists floating in shared drives
- Approval requests lost between departments
Real-World Math
A regional restaurant chain with 12 locations cuts 23 approval-related emails per store daily by auto-converting completed Trail checklists into ApproveThis requests. That's 276 fewer "Did you see my approval request?" follow-ups across the org every single day.
Two-Way Automation Street
The magic works both directions through Zapier:
1. From Completed Task → Approval Request
How it flows: Trail task marked complete → Zapier trigger → ApproveThis creates approval request with task details → Automatic routing to correct approver
Who loves this:
• Hospitality: Nightly safety check approval → maintenance tickets
• Retail: Inventory counts → purchase order approvals
• Healthcare: Equipment sterilization check → compliance sign-off
2. From New Request → Tracked Task
Reverse flow: ApproveThis request created → Zapier trigger → Trail adds task to relevant site → Team completes task → Loop back to approval
Killer use cases:
• Marketing approvals generating content production tasks
• Budget approvals spawning procurement tracking
• Contract approvals kicking off compliance checklists
Department-Specific Wins
Operations Teams
Auto-escalate unresolved issues from daily checklists using ApproveThis' approval thresholds. If a Trail food safety score drops below 85%, immediately route to regional manager with high priority.
Finance Teams
Connect Trail equipment maintenance tasks to ApproveThis' calculated fields. When HVAC servicing task is completed, auto-calculate repair vs replace costs and route to correct budget approver.
Facility Management
Use approval groups for multi-site issues. Completed Trail task about parking lot repairs? ApproveThis automatically gets signatures from property manager, legal, and vendor - in sequence.
Setup That Actually Works
Here's how to connect them in Zapier without pulling your hair out:
- Pick your trigger: Start with either "Task Completed in Trail" or "New Request in ApproveThis"
- Map critical data: Trail task details → ApproveThis request fields (or vice versa)
- Set approval rules: Use ApproveThis to define who approves what based on Trail data
Pro tip: Start with one integration direction first. Most teams begin with Trail→ApproveThis to solve immediate approval bottlenecks.
Why This Beats Native Approvals
Trail's basic approval features work for simple yes/no decisions. ApproveThis brings the heavy artillery:
• Conditional routing: $500 repair? Store manager approves. $5k+? Route to CFO
• Approval chains: Legal → Procurement → Facilities sequence for contracts
• Delegate coverage: Auto-reassign approvals when approvers are OOO
The License Advantage
Here's the kicker: approvers only need ApproveThis access, not Trail licenses. Perfect for:
• External partners approving vendor tasks
• Cross-department approvals (finance approving ops requests)
• Temporary approvers during audits
Beyond the Basics
Once you've nailed the core integration, layer in ApproveThesecret weapons:
• Calculated fields: Auto-flag Trail tasks exceeding budget thresholds
• Real-time dashboards: Live view of approval bottlenecks across locations
• Mobile approvals: Approvers can review Trail task evidence and approve via email
Cold Hard ROI
A multi-location cannabis dispensary group using this integration:
• Cut compliance approval time from 72hrs → 4hrs
• Reduced missed approvals during manager vacations by 89%
• Automated 217 monthly approvals across 18 locations
Getting Started
Ready to turn completed tasks into approved actions?
Next steps:
1. Create free ApproveThis account
2. Connect to Trail via Zapier
3. Pick your first integration path (we recommend Trail→ApproveThis)
Or skip the trial-and-error and book a custom demo showing exactly how your approval flows would work with Trail.
Final Reality Check
This isn't about fancy tech - it's about eliminating the approval limbo that costs multi-site businesses weeks of productivity annually. Either keep pasting Trail screenshots into Slack threads, or build an actual system that holds everyone accountable.
More Todo Lists integrations you might like
-
Todoist
Published: March 10, 2025Managing millions of tasks, Todoist is an online task management app and todo list. It has Web, iPhone, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Outlook flavors (and more!).
-
mintBlue
Published: March 10, 2025mintBlue connects organizations to the blockchain to make them future-proof.
-
FacileThings
Published: March 10, 2025FacileThings is a personal management tool to organize tasks and projects following the Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology.
You'll ❤️ these other ApproveThis integrations
-
PhoneRaise
Published: March 10, 2025PhoneRaise is an app built specifically for moves management, tracking your donor relationships and implement your outreach plan – right from your phone.
-
forms.app
Published: March 10, 2025forms.app is a platform where you can build forms, share them and get responses. You can create sales order form and collect payment, too.
-
Taiga
Published: March 10, 2025Taiga is the project management tool for multi-functional agile teams