> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://every.help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Bill Pay Approvals

> Setting up and managing bill approval workflows

## Bill Pay Approvals

Configure approval workflows to maintain control over company spending.

### Why Use Approvals?

Bill approval workflows help you:

* Maintain financial oversight
* Prevent unauthorized spending
* Distribute approval responsibility
* Create audit trails
* Enforce spending policies

### Setting Up Approval Workflows

<Steps>
  <Step title="Define Approval Rules">
    Set rules based on amount, category, or vendor
  </Step>

  <Step title="Assign Approvers">
    Designate who can approve bills
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Limits">
    Set approval authority limits by role
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Notifications">
    Configure approval request notifications
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test Workflow">
    Submit a test bill to verify workflow
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Approval Rules

Create rules based on:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Amount-Based">
    **Approval by Amount:**

    * Under \$500 - Manager approval
    * $500 - $5,000 - Director approval
    * Over \$5,000 - CFO approval
    * Over \$25,000 - CEO approval
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Category-Based">
    **Approval by Category:**

    * Office Supplies - Office Manager
    * Marketing - Marketing Director
    * IT - IT Director
    * Legal - General Counsel
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Vendor-Based">
    **Approval by Vendor:**

    * Approved Vendors - Auto-approve
    * New Vendors - Additional verification
    * High-Risk - Multiple approvals
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

### Multi-Level Approvals

Configure sequential approval chains:

1. **First Level** - Department manager ($0-$1,000)
2. **Second Level** - Director ($1,000-$10,000)
3. **Third Level** - VP/CFO (\$10,000+)
4. **Final Level** - CEO (over \$50,000)

### Approving Bills

When you receive an approval request:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Review Bill Details">
    * Check invoice authenticity
    * Verify amount and vendor
    * Review expense category
    * Examine attached documents
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Verify Budget">
    * Confirm budget availability
    * Check against spending limits
    * Review category totals
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Make Decision">
    * **Approve** - Move to payment queue
    * **Deny** - Reject with reason
    * **Request Info** - Ask for clarification
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Approval Notifications

Stay informed with automatic notifications:

* Email alerts for pending approvals
* Slack notifications (if integrated)
* Mobile push notifications
* Daily approval digest emails
* Overdue approval reminders

<Note>
  Set notification preferences in **Settings** > **Notifications**
</Note>

### Delegation

Temporarily delegate approval authority:

* Assign backup approvers
* Set delegation date ranges
* Specify approval limits for delegates
* Automatically revert after period

<Tip>
  Always set up backup approvers for vacations and absences
</Tip>

### Approval History

Track all approval activity:

* Who approved or denied
* Approval timestamps
* Comments and notes
* Approval routing path
* Time to approval metrics

### Auto-Approval

Configure auto-approval for:

* Recurring bills under threshold
* Pre-approved vendors
* Specific bill categories
* Bills within budget
* Previously approved amounts

<Warning>
  Use auto-approval cautiously and review settings regularly to maintain control
</Warning>