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Approval Workflows

Set up automated approval processes for payments to ensure proper oversight and financial control across your production projects.

Updated over a week ago

Overview of Approval Workflows

Approval workflows provide automated oversight for payments and expenses by requiring designated team members to review and approve transactions before they're processed. This ensures proper financial controls while maintaining efficient payment processing.

When to Use Approval Workflows

  • Large payment amounts requiring executive oversight

  • New vendor payments needing verification

  • Project-specific approval requirements

  • Compliance with company financial policies

  • Multi-level approval for different payment types

Payment Types Supporting Approvals

Approval workflows can be configured for three payment types:

  • Internal Payment Requests: Direct payments to vendors and contractors

  • Payment Links: Vendor-initiated payment requests through payment links

  • Purchase Orders (POs): Formal purchase order approvals

Setting Up Approval Workflows

Accessing Approval Configuration

  1. Navigate to the workspace "Approvals" section in the main menu

  2. Click on the "Flows" tab to view existing workflows

  3. Select "New Approval Flow" to create a new workflow

Workflow Configuration

Step 1: Payment Criteria

Payment Type Selection:

Choose which type of payments trigger the approval:

  • Internal payment requests (also called "Payments")

  • Payment link requests (also called "Payment requests")

  • Purchase orders

Project Scope:

  • All Projects: Apply workflow to entire workspace

  • Specific Projects: Limit workflow to selected projects only

Amount Thresholds:

Set minimum dollar amounts that trigger approval:

  • Any amount ($0 and above)

  • Specific dollar thresholds (e.g., $1,000, $5,000, $10,000)

  • No maximum limits

Step 2: Approver Assignment

Approver Selection Options:

  • Any Admin: Any workspace admin can approve

  • Specific People: Designate individual approvers

  • Multiple Approvers: Require approval from multiple people

Approval Requirements:

  • Single Approval: Any designated approver can approve

  • All Approvers: All designated approvers must approve

  • Sequential Approval: Approvers must approve in specific order

Multiple Workflow Management

Workflow Hierarchy:

When multiple workflows apply to the same payment:

  • Tighter (more restrictive) limits apply first

  • Project-specific workflows override workspace-wide workflows

  • Lower dollar thresholds trigger before higher thresholds

Example Hierarchy:

  1. Project-specific workflow: $500+ requires project manager approval

  2. Workspace workflow: $5,000+ requires executive approval

  3. A $6,000 project payment would require both approvals

The Approval Process

Payment Submission

When a payment requiring approval is submitted:

  1. Payment details are captured and held in pending status

  2. Designated approvers receive notification

  3. Payment appears in approvers' dashboards

  4. Original submitter receives confirmation that approval is required

Approver Review Interface

Approvers see complete payment information:

Payment Details:

  • Payment amount and description

  • Vendor information and banking details

  • Project assignment and budget category

  • Payment method and routing information

Supporting Documentation:

  • Uploaded invoices and receipts

  • Contract documents and purchase orders

  • Previous payment history with vendor

  • Full document preview capabilities

Review Actions:

  • Approve: Process payment immediately

  • Reject: Return to submitter with comments

  • Request More Information: Ask for additional documentation

Approval Notifications

Approver Notifications:

  • Email notifications when approval is required

  • Dashboard alerts for pending approvals

  • Reminder notifications for overdue approvals

Submitter Updates:

  • Confirmation when approval is granted

  • Notification if payment is rejected with reason

  • Updates on approval progress for multi-level workflows

Managing Approvals

Approval Dashboard

The Approvals section provides complete oversight:

Pending Approvals:

  • All payments awaiting your approval

  • Payment amounts and submitter information

  • Time since submission

  • Priority indicators for urgent payments

Approval History:

  • Complete record of all approval decisions

  • Comments and reasoning for rejections

  • Processing times and approval patterns

  • Audit trail for compliance reporting

Approval Status Tracking

Status Types:

  • Pending: Awaiting approval

  • Approved: Payment authorized and processing

  • Rejected: Payment denied with reason

  • Payment Sent: Successfully processed payment

Filter and Search:

  • Filter by approval status

  • Search by payment amount or description

  • Sort by submission date or priority

  • View by specific projects or time periods

Rejection and Resubmission Process

When Payments Are Rejected:

  1. Rejection Notification: Submitter receives detailed rejection reason

  2. Correction Instructions: Approver provides specific feedback for resubmission

  3. Resubmission Process: Submitter can address concerns and resubmit

  4. New Review Cycle: Corrected payment enters approval workflow again

Common Rejection Reasons:

  • Insufficient supporting documentation

  • Incorrect vendor or banking information

  • Missing budget category assignment

  • Payments outside approved project scope

Emergency Overrides and Special Cases

Owner Override Capabilities

Workspace Owners have special override powers:

  • Bypass Approval Workflows: Process urgent payments immediately

  • Modify Existing Workflows: Adjust approval requirements as needed

  • Emergency Payment Processing: Handle time-sensitive payments

  • Approval on Behalf: Approve for unavailable approvers

Troubleshooting Approval Issues

Common Approval Problems

Approvers Not Receiving Notifications:

  • Verify approver email addresses are current

  • Check spam/junk folders for approval emails

  • Confirm approvers have appropriate workspace permissions

  • Ensure notification settings are enabled

Payments Stuck in Approval:

  • Check if all required approvers have responded

  • Verify approval workflow configuration is correct

  • Contact designated approvers directly for urgent payments

  • Use owner override if approvers are unavailable

Workflow Configuration Issues:

  • Verify payment types are correctly selected

  • Check that amount thresholds are set appropriately

  • Ensure project assignments match intended scope

  • Test workflows with small test payments

Approval Delays

Preventing Delays:

  • Set clear approval timeframes and expectations

  • Provide complete documentation with payment requests

  • Use appropriate urgency indicators for time-sensitive payments

  • Establish backup approvers for coverage

Handling Overdue Approvals:

  • Send reminder notifications to designated approvers

  • Escalate to workspace owners for urgent payments

  • Document approval delays for process improvement

  • Consider adjusting approval thresholds if delays are frequent

Permission and Access Issues

Approver Access Problems:

  • Confirm approvers have Admin role or appropriate permissions

  • Verify approvers are members of relevant projects

  • Check that approvers can access the Approvals section

  • Ensure workspace invitations have been accepted

Submitter Issues:

  • Verify submitters have permission to request payments

  • Check that payment requests include all required information

  • Ensure submitters understand approval workflow requirements

  • Provide training on proper payment submission procedures

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