Purchase order approval workflow

How to set up a purchase order approval process so that large orders require authorisation before being confirmed.

Seller Producer Consumer

Enterprise plan+ Updated 06 Jun 2026

Before you start

Enterprise plan
At least one staff member with Manager or Admin role

What approval workflow is for

The purchase order approval workflow adds an authorisation step before a PO can be confirmed. This is useful when you want to ensure that large purchases are reviewed by a manager or owner before the order is placed with the supplier — preventing unauthorised spending.

Enabling approval workflow

Go to Settings → Purchase settings. Toggle on Require approval for purchase orders. Set the approval threshold — for example, any PO above ₦100,000 requires approval.

How it works for staff

When a staff member creates a PO that exceeds the threshold, they can save it but cannot confirm it. The PO status shows as Pending approval. The staff member cannot send it to the supplier until an authorised approver confirms it.

How approvers review and approve

Approvers — staff with Admin or Manager roles — see pending POs in their dashboard notifications. They can open the PO, review it, and either:

Click Approve — the PO is confirmed and can proceed
Click Reject — the PO is returned to draft with a note explaining why

Note: Approval workflow is available on Enterprise plan. On Standard and Power plans, all staff with purchasing access can confirm orders directly.

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Tracking outstanding supplier balances

→ Adding a supplier → Creating a purchase order → Receiving goods against a purchase order → Recording a supplier payment