Custom Workflow Based Invoice Approval

You can create a custom workflow or use the standard workflow for invoice approvals. A custom workflow offers the maximum flexibility for processing approvals. For more information, read Using Custom SuiteFlow Workflows for Approval Routing.

You can use SuiteFlow to create your own custom workflow to process invoice approvals.

For workflow based invoice approvals, you must create a custom workflow.

Consider including the following options in your custom invoice approval workflow:

To complete a basic invoice approvals workflow:

  1. Go to Customization > Scripting > Workflows > New (Administrator).

  2. Under Basic Information:

    • In the Name field, enter Invoice Approval

    • In the Record Type field, select Transaction

    • In the Sub-Types field, select Invoice

    • In the Release Status field, select Released

  3. Under Event Definition:

    • Check the On Create box

    • In the Context field, select CSV Import and use Ctrl+click to also select User Interface

  4. Click Save.

  5. Double-click State 1 to open the Workflow State page.

  6. In the Name field, enter Pending Approval, and then click Save.

  7. In the bottom, right side of the page, click New Action.

  8. Click Set Field Value.

  9. On the Workflow Action page:

    • Under Parameters, in the Field field, select Approval Status

    • Under Value, select Static Value

    • In the Selection field, click the double arrows, select List, and then select Pending Approval

    • Click Save

  10. Click New Action.

  11. Click Add Button.

  12. In the Event Type field, select View.

  13. In the Parameters section, enter Approve in the Label field.

  14. Click Save.

  15. In the Workspace, click New State.

  16. Double-click New State to open the Workflow State page.

  17. In the Name field, enter Approved, and then click Save.

  18. In the Diagram frame, click Approved.

  19. Click the Actions subtab, and then click New Action.

  20. Click Set Field Value.

  21. Under Parameters, select Approval Status in the Field field.

  22. Under Value:

    • Select Static Value

    • In the Selection field, click the double arrows, select List, and then select Approved

  23. Click Save.

  24. Click the icon at the bottom of the Pending Approval state then drag the arrow to create a transition to the Approved state.

  25. Double-click the arrow to open the Transition window and edit the workflow transition properties as needed.

Note:

If you use SuiteFlow for invoice approval, all invoices are created with a Pending Approval status by default.

You can always manually set an invoice to an approved status for basic approvals.

Note:

The SuiteFlow conditions used for Bulk Approvals for records using custom approvals have been updated for the invoice record. Prior to 2016.2, both the workflow button’s condition and the Next Approver condition were used to filter records for bulk approvals for the invoice record. The Next Approver condition checks that the Next Approver field on the record contains the current logged in user. Beginning in 2016.2, the Next Approver condition is no longer used to filter records for bulk approvals for this record. Records are now filtered for bulk approvals using only the workflow button’s condition. If you would like to continue to filter records based on the Next Approver field, you must add the condition to the workflow button condition. If you require assistance, contact Customer Support.

Related Topics

Transactional Impact for Workflow Based Invoice Approvals
Custom Workflow Based Invoice Approval
Global Invoicing Preferences
Creating an Invoice
Choosing an Invoice Type
Billing Operations
Billing or Invoicing a Sales Order
Invoicing Billable Customers
Closing or Voiding an Invoice
Creating Installments
Printing an Invoice
Progress Invoices
Billing Costs to Customers
Displaying Deposit Balance on Customer Statements and Remittance Slips

Transactional Impact for Workflow Based Invoice Approvals

Sales Orders – For invoices created against a sales order, the sales order status changes from Pending Billing to Fully Billed.

Payments – If an invoice is not approved, it does not appear in the customer payment queue. When approved, the invoice displays in the customer payment queue.

Inventory-standalone invoices – When pending approval invoices are created, there is no inventory impact. When the approval status changes to approved, quantity on-hand and quantity available are both decremented.

Inventory-Advanced Shipping – When Advanced Shipping is on, pending approval invoices created against sales orders have no inventory impact. When Advanced Shipping is on and when the approval status of an invoice changes from pending approval to approved, quantity on-hand is decreased at the location, inventory number, and bin level. Quantity available is decreased at the inventory numbers level if inventory numbers are not entered on the sales order.

Accounting – Transaction are non-posting until their state changes from pending approval to approved.

Revenue recognition – When invoices require approval, related revenue recognition schedules are not created until the approval is obtained.

Related Topics

Custom Workflow Based Invoice Approval
Custom Workflow Based Invoice Approval
Global Invoicing Preferences
Creating an Invoice
Choosing an Invoice Type
Billing Operations
Billing or Invoicing a Sales Order
Invoicing Billable Customers
Closing or Voiding an Invoice
Creating Installments
Printing an Invoice
Progress Invoices
Billing Costs to Customers
Displaying Deposit Balance on Customer Statements and Remittance Slips

General Notices