Smarter Week

How to automate it

How to automate “chase managers to approve invoices”

Here are 2 ways to spend less time on this, best first. Each comes with steps you can follow today.

20 min
typically, every day
60%
of the time can be automated
Some setup
to set up

Fix 1 of 2

Software featureBest fix

Route invoice approvals by rule, with reminders and mobile approve

AP tools send each invoice to the right approver based on vendor, department or amount, nudge them automatically, and let them approve from email or phone.

Typically saves about 60% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1List your approval rules: who approves what, and the amount limits.
  2. 2Build them in your AP tool (BILL, Ramp, Stampli, Tipalti, NetSuite approval routing).
  3. 3Turn on automatic reminders after 24 hours and escalation to a backup after 72.
  4. 4Ask approvers to install the mobile app or approve from the email.
  5. 5Send a weekly "waiting on you" list to department heads instead of individual chases.

Tools: BILL · Ramp · Stampli · Tipalti · NetSuite

Fix 2 of 2

Automation

Move approvals into a tracked workflow with reminders

Approvals in Teams/Power Automate, Slack Workflows, or your e-signature tool remind people for you and show what is stuck.

Typically saves about 60% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1List the approvals you chase most.
  2. 2Set up an approval flow (Power Automate Approvals, Slack Workflow Builder, DocuSign or your HR/finance system).
  3. 3Add automatic reminders after 24 hours.
  4. 4Agree a default: no answer in 48 hours means it goes ahead (where safe).

Tools: Power Automate Approvals · Slack Workflow Builder · DocuSign or Adobe Acrobat Sign

Quick wins

Have you tried…

Do invoices go to the right approver automatically, with reminders?
AP tools route each invoice by vendor, department or amount and nudge approvers for you. Approvers can approve from their phone.

Who does this task

Roles in our library that list this as one of their common tasks. Each guide covers the rest of that role’s week.

AP / AR specialist

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Other common tasks for AP / AR specialists