Approval Workflows¶
Configure how expenses are reviewed and approved in your organization.
Understanding Approval Workflows¶
By default, expenses follow a simple path:
Employee Submits → Manager Approves → Ready for Payment
With multi-level approvals, you can add more steps:
Employee Submits → Manager → Finance → Admin → Ready for Payment
Visual Workflow Diagram¶
Simple Workflow (Manager Only)¶
┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐
│ Employee │ │ Manager │ │ Finance │
│ Submits │────▶│ Reviews │────▶│ Pays Out │
│ Expense │ │ & Approves │ │ │
└──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘
│
▼ (if rejected)
┌──────────────┐
│ Employee │
│ Revises & │
│ Resubmits │
└──────────────┘
Multi-Level Workflow¶
┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐
│ Employee │ │ Manager │ │ Finance │ │ Admin │
│ Submits │────▶│ Approves │────▶│ Approves │────▶│ Approves │
│ │ │ │ │ (if >$500) │ │ (if >$2000) │
└──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘
│
▼
┌──────────────┐
│ Ready for │
│ Payment │
└──────────────┘
Rejection Flow¶
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ At Any Approval Level │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
┌──────────────┴──────────────┐
▼ ▼
┌────────────┐ ┌────────────┐
│ Approve │ │ Reject │
│ (Continue)│ │ (Return) │
└────────────┘ └────────────┘
│
▼
┌──────────────┐
│ Employee │
│ Notified │
│ Can Edit │
│ & Resubmit │
└──────────────┘
Accessing Workflow Settings¶
- Click Admin in the sidebar
- Click Approval Settings
- Configure your workflow
Admin Role Required
Only organization Admins can modify approval workflows.
Approval Levels¶
Level 1: Manager Approval¶
Always enabled - Managers approve their direct reports.
- Employees must have an assigned manager
- Managers see items in their Approval Queue
- Self-approval is not allowed
Level 2: Finance Approval¶
Optional - Add a Finance review after manager approval.
Enable Finance approval:
- Toggle Require Finance Approval on
- Set threshold (optional):
- All expenses
- Only expenses over $X
- Click Save
Level 3: Admin Approval¶
Optional - Add Admin review for high-value items.
Enable Admin approval:
- Toggle Require Admin Approval on
- Set threshold:
- Only expenses over $X (recommended)
- All expenses (not recommended)
- Click Save
Threshold Configuration¶
Set when higher-level approval kicks in:
| Example | Manager | Finance | Admin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple | All | None | None |
| Medium | All | Over $500 | None |
| Strict | All | Over $250 | Over $2,000 |
Setting Thresholds¶
- Find the approval level
- Enter dollar amount threshold
- Expenses over this amount require that approval
- Expenses under skip to next step
Category-Specific Rules¶
Some categories may need stricter review:
- Click Category Rules
- Select a category (e.g., Entertainment)
- Set specific approval requirements:
- Always require Finance
- Lower threshold for Admin
- Click Save
Entertainment Category
All Entertainment expenses require Finance approval, regardless of amount.
Workflow Examples¶
Small Business (< 20 employees)¶
Manager only
- All expenses approved by manager
- Simple and fast
Settings: - Finance approval: Off - Admin approval: Off
Mid-Size Company¶
Manager → Finance (over $500)
- Manager approves all
- Finance reviews larger expenses
Settings: - Finance approval: On, threshold $500 - Admin approval: Off
Enterprise¶
Manager → Finance (over $250) → Admin (over $2,000)
- Multiple review levels
- High-value scrutiny
Settings: - Finance approval: On, threshold $250 - Admin approval: On, threshold $2,000
Sequential vs. Parallel¶
Expensed uses sequential approval:
- Each level must approve before the next sees the item
- Rejection at any level returns to employee
- No parallel approval paths
Notifications¶
Each approver receives notifications:
- Email when item arrives in queue
- Reminder if pending over 24 hours
- Alert for high-value items
Configure notification settings per level.
Testing Workflows¶
Before going live:
- Create a test expense
- Submit for approval
- Verify it routes correctly
- Test rejection → resubmission
- Test threshold boundary cases
Best Practices¶
Keep It Simple¶
- Start with manager-only approval
- Add levels only when needed
- Too many levels = slow reimbursements
Set Reasonable Thresholds¶
- Consider your typical expense amounts
- 80% of expenses should need only manager
- Reserve multi-level for exceptions
Ensure Coverage¶
- Every employee needs a manager
- Enough Finance users for volume
- Backup approvers for vacations
Communication¶
- Tell employees how it works
- Set expectations for timing
- Document escalation paths
Next: Expense Policies →