Available steps

By default, the system can support five steps

• Secretary

• First line approval

• Second line approval

• First overall approval

• Second overall approval

The system determined based on the amount of the invoice line, if additional approval is needed. This does not apply to the secretary step, to this step no amount is linked.

First line approval is always needed. The other steps will be used if needed (based on amount) and when they are activated.

To explain the difference between line approval and overall approval, the following example is used.

Your organisation has a main office and multiple branches. Every subsidiary has department leader and a branch manager. Management is established in the main office.

Best practice is to give the department leader the first line approval. This is the first and lowest level of approval. An approval amount is linked to this first line approval set. If the invoice line stays below this approval amount, the department leader can approve this invoice with additional approval of others.

If the invoice has a higher amount that the first line mandate of the department leader, the branch manager also had to sign for approval. And if the amount linked to the mandate of the branch manager is insufficient, the invoice can be send to management for an overall approval (and if needed a second overall approval). The difference between line and overall approval becomes more important when the invoice is divided into multiple invoice lines. For example, if the first invoice line is for branch A and the second invoice line is for branch B. The invoice will be send to department managers of each branch. If for both department leaders, the invoice line amount is higher than their mandate, the invoice is send to both of the branch managers.

If the invoice line amount is higher than their mandate, the invoice needs the overall approval of one main office manager. The main office needs rights to approve both of the invoice lines.