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What are Approvals?

  • Updated

Weel’s Approvals feature provides a controlled and transparent way for businesses to review and authorise spending activity. Whether team members are submitting card transactions, reimbursements, or accounts payable, the approval process ensures that all spending aligns with your internal policies.

Approvers will be notified when an item is with them for approval. Approvers can review supporting documents, verify details, and action items from both the web and mobile app, creating a consistent and efficient workflow across the organisation.

This feature helps finance teams maintain oversight, reduces unauthorised spending, and gives clear visibility into what requires attention at any given time.

 

Key Benefits

  • Strong financial control: Every spend request is reviewed before funds are released, reducing the risk of unauthorised or incorrect payments.
  • Centralised visibility: All items requiring review appear in one place, so approvers always know what needs their attention.
  • Flexible delegation: Approval responsibility can be assigned to the right people across departments or cost centres.
  • Faster processing: Approvers can review and action items quickly from the web or mobile app, keeping workflows moving. 
  • ccurate audit trail: Every action is time-stamped, supporting reporting, compliance, and month-end processes.

 

Common Use Cases

  • Team spending oversight: Managers review card transactions and reimbursements submitted by their direct reports.
  • Accounts payable control: Accounts payable are reviewed before they move to Scheduled for Payment.
  • Multi-department approval: Items that involve different teams, such as shared supplier invoices, can be routed to designated approvers.
  • Spend verification: Business owners or finance leaders review high-value items as part of internal governance.
  • Month-end management: Approvers clear outstanding items to support accurate reporting.

 

How It Works (Feature Breakdown)

  1. Review items requiring approval: Approvers can view all pending items directly in their Approvals tab. They can choose to see everything or filter to only the requests that specifically require their action.
  2. Assess the details: Approvers review receipts, notes, supporting documents, coding selections, and any additional information provided by the submitter.
  3. Take action: From the web app or mobile app, approvers can approve, decline, or request changes. When declining an item, approvers can add a comment explaining their decision to provide clarity and feedback to the submitter.
  4. Self approval settings: Depending on your company settings, some approvers may be restricted from approving their own transactions.

 

Pro Tips and Best Practices

  • Check the Approvals tab regularly: Staying on top of pending items prevents delays in spending workflows and keeps your team unblocked.
  • Enable notifications for approvers: Real-time alerts mean items get actioned promptly, without approvers needing to manually check in.
  • Add comments when declining items: Clear feedback helps submitters understand what needs to change, reducing back-and-forth and resubmissions.
  • Set clear internal expectations: Let your team know what supporting information is required when submitting items for approval.
  • Encourage mobile use: Approvers can review and action items on the go, which keeps processes moving even when they're away from their desk.
  • Review your self-approval settings: Make sure these reflect your current governance requirements, especially as your team or approval structure changes.

 

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