With the approval flow, a purchase invoice can only be booked if it matches the purchase order – or if an approver has signed off on the difference. The flow is optional and is enabled in the purchase invoice settings. When it is off, you see nothing of the flow.
When does a purchase invoice require approval?
A purchase invoice requires approval when it differs from the purchase order on at least one of these points:
Quantity: The quantity on the invoice does not match what is left to be invoiced on the purchase order or receipt.
Price: The net price per unit differs from the purchase order's price by more than the tolerance you have set.
Credit notes and invoices that are not based on a purchase order do not require approval. If you created the purchase orders with differences yourself and you are also responsible for the invoice, the invoice does not require approval either – this is shown in a bar at the top of the invoice.
Sapera evaluates this automatically every time you save a purchase invoice as a draft. The status is shown in the Approval column in the list and in a coloured bar at the top of the editor:
Not required: The invoice can be booked.
Approval required: The invoice differs from the purchase order and must be sent for approval before it can be booked.
Pending approval: The request has been sent and the invoice is waiting for a response.
Approved: The invoice can be booked.
Rejected: The approver has rejected the invoice. Correct the invoice, or request approval again.
As long as the status is Approval required, Pending approval or Rejected, Book is disabled.
How to request approval
Open Financial from the hamburger menu in the top left corner. Select Purchase and then Purchase invoices.
Open the purchase invoice.
Click Request approval in the toolbar. The button is shown only when the invoice requires approval or has been rejected.
Choose an Approver. You can choose among the people responsible for the purchase orders the invoice differs from – they are shown as "Name (purchase order #number)".
Write an Approval comment (required) and click Send for approval.
The approver gets a notification. The invoice now shows as Pending approval with the approver's name. If you no longer want the invoice approved, you can click Withdraw approval request. Only the person responsible for the invoice or a user with permission to approve for others can withdraw the request.
How to approve or reject
Open the Purchase invoices for approval notification, or select Purchase and then Purchase invoice approvals in Financial.
The list shows, by default, requests awaiting a response. Double-click a row to see the invoice, the comment and the lines, or click Open purchase invoice.
Click Approve or Reject.
Approve: You can specify Ordered for sales order (optional – Sapera suggests the sales orders the lines are ordered for) and an Approval comment (optional). Click Approve.
Reject: Write an Approval comment (required) and click Reject.
The person who requested approval is notified with the Approved purchase invoices or Rejected purchase invoices notification. Click the notification to see the invoice.
Only the approver chosen on the request can respond. If you have permission to approve for others, you can also approve or reject on their behalf – Sapera asks you to confirm first.
History on the invoice
The Approvals tab on the purchase invoice shows all requests with the approver, who requested it and when, who responded and when, and the comments.
Tolerance for small price differences
Small price differences between the purchase invoice and the purchase order do not require approval. You set the tolerance (an amount per unit) in the purchase invoice settings. Differences up to and including the tolerance per unit are ignored; if the difference is larger, the invoice requires approval.
Notifications and permissions
The flow uses three notification types: Purchase invoices for approval (to the approver), Approved purchase invoices and Rejected purchase invoices (to the requester). The notification is sent directly to the user it concerns and is closed automatically when the request is answered or withdrawn, or the invoice is booked.
Permission to approve or reject for other approvers is granted in Sales, purchasing and invoicing (permissions). If you cannot see the menu item, you probably do not have permission for it – contact support.
Want to know more?
Read more in these related articles:
Purchase Invoices
Complete guide to Purchase Invoices in Financial: list view, creation, the document editor with all header fields, line grid, toolbar actions, the Lines/Attachments/Purchase history tabs and the state flow from draft to paid.
Settings for purchase invoices
Overview of all settings under Setup → Settings → Financial → Purchase Invoice in Shop Manager. The settings control the behavior of the purchase invoice screen, including posting, stock handling, attachment requirements and calculation of payment dates.
Sales, purchasing and invoicing (permissions)
Permissions under the Financial area in Shop Manager — sales orders, purchase orders, invoices, gift cards, payments — plus which screens are visible.