Configure the purchase approval process

Overview

The purchasing approval workflow helps you stay on budget by setting clear limits with purchasing tiers and approval roles for employees. Any purchase above the limit requires approval, helping you control spending.

Who uses this feature

Administrators and managers
Applies to all business types

Feature configuration

Account configuration is required to use this feature. Please contact Technical Support for details.

Set up purchasing approval tiers

Go to the navigation bar and click Settings.
In the side panel, click Purchasing or Inventory, then click Configuration.
On the Inventory Configuration screen that opens, click the Purchasing tab.
Go to Purchase Order Approval Tiers and set up the purchasing approval process:
1. In the Notifications field select how you want to manage notifications:
  1. Select email notifications for users to alert them when their purchase order (PO) requests are approved or rejected.
  2. Select email notifications for approvers to notify them when PO requests are ready for review and approval.
2. In the Set tiers based on field:
  1. Select PO total to include taxes and shipping.
  2. Select PO subtotal to exclude taxes and shipping.
  3. Click Add Approval Tier to add tiers.
    Note: The system automatically generates the ending point of the tier.
  4. When finished, click Save.
    After you've created your tiers, assign them to different user roles. For more, see Assign tiers to user roles.

Assign tiers to user roles

In the Purchase Order Approval Tiers field, click Bulk Assign Approval Tiers.
On the Bulk Assign Approval Tiers screen that opens, assign tiers to different user roles.
When finished, click Next.
On the Updated Employee Tiers screen that opens, review your updates and click Save.

Edit tiers for an individual role

Go to the navigation bar and click Settings.
In the side panel, click Settings > People, then click Employee.
On the Employees screen that opens, select the specific user and click Edit.
On the Edit Employee screen that opens, go to the Inventory section.
Update the user's approvals as needed and click Save Changes.
Tip: Click Manage Tiers to go to the Purchase Order Approval Tiers screen for additional updates.

Want to learn more?

See Manage and approve purchase order requests