Automating Internal vs External Team Approval Requests.

You may have times when you need a particular request to be approved and then have it move onto an altogether separate group of people who are required to go through the same but separate process. This article is about how you can completely automate this process with Approval Donkey and Zapier.

Business approvals - Internal vs External

For example, you may have an internal management team that is required to approve a new hire but then an external team like a board that is required to provide the final sign-off only after the internal management team has approved things.

How do I set this workflow up?

Firstly, we would advise getting your separate Panels set-up on Approval Donkey in advance. One Panel would be the first group to receive the initial request and would be the trigger Panel on Zapier ‘Approval Status Updated’.

The second Panel would be the action ‘Create New Approval’ on Zapier. When the first group (Panel) approves anything dedicated to them Zapier picks this up and automatically creates a new approval request to the second group (Panel).

We have provided a Zap template for this so you can get going really quickly, click the link below to get this workflow. Zapier then steps you through how to set these up to your requirements.

Get this workflow here.

How to – Get your approval request status updates in Slack

We, like a lot of people use Slack on a regular basis and think it’s a great tool cause its really easy to use and does what it sets out to do really well. We, also like a lot of other like to get status updates on where each of our approval requests is at, whether they are Overdue or Approved etc.

Approval request notifications

This post is about providing an alternative to getting these via email (which is core Approval Donkey functionality) and getting all your status updates posted to your own Slack channel via Zapier. Fortunately, we already have a Zap Template set-up to make it ridiculously easy to get going.

You will need an Approval Donkey account (of course) a Slack account (of course) and a Zapier account to provide the integration in the middle. If you don’t have a Zapier account just go here and sign up for free https://zapier.com/sign-up/

Once you have all these items just follow these simple steps:

1. Firstly, sign into your Approval Donkey account and go to your ‘Settings’ page (just click the gear icon top left)

2. Navigate to the ‘Integrations section click ‘Enable’ beside the Automate by Zapier and then select ‘Make a Zap with Approval Donkey templates’

Automate by Zapier

3. You will be presented with a number of Zap templates, find the one like below and select ‘Use this Zap’

Approval Donkey Zap Templates

4. Complete the necessary Integration steps as required and you will eventually end up at the Zapier integration builder screen like below

5. Zapier have made it really easy to step through the requirements to set-up the Zap and connect your accounts

6. Once completed you will see a screen like below indicating everything is up and running OK

Zap complete

7. Finally, if you want to stop receiving status updates via Email just un-tick and save any in the email notifications section of your settings page.

Email Notifications Configuration

Finally if you need any help with this or any other integrations involving Zapier and Approval Donkey feel free to get in touch by sending us an email to info@approvaldonkey.net

Regards, The AD Team

Add an Approval Workflow to Wave Accounting (via Zapier).

Do you use or want to use Wave Accounting Software (https://www.waveapps.com/) and often need to get approval for invoices you have created in Wave from more than one person? Now with the help of Zapier the tedious work is done for you. Use our Zap template to create a new approval request on Approval Donkey for every draft invoice you create in Wave. That way, stakeholders can quickly approve and you can send the invoice confidently.

How this Wave-Approval Donkey integration works

1. A new invoice is created in Wave

2. Zapier creates an approval request on Approval Donkey

Apps involved

• Wave

• via Zapier

• Approval Donkey

Steal this Workflow

• Login to Approval Donkey and use our Zap Template (enable Zapier integration first)

• Go to this Zapier page - https://zapier.com/app/editor/template/22908

• Check out other Zap templates here - https://zapier.com/apps/approval-donkey/integrations

What is Zapier?

Connect the apps you use everyday to automate your work and be more productive. 1000+ apps and easy integrations - get started in minutes.

What is Wave?

Wave is free financial software for small businesses. Track expenses, send invoices, get paid and balance your books with Wave.