Setting Up Approval Workflows (Admin Tasks)
Assigned Users to Predefined Groups: Add specific users to the relevant approval groups based on their signatory level or authority.
Define Payment Thresholds: Set the payment limits (in EUR for now but in the client’s core currency) that will determine which approval rule applies. Ensure the thresholds cover all ranges from 0 to unlimited.
Configure Approval Rules: For each payment threshold, specify the combination of groups required for approval (e.g., for €0-€5K needs 1 “A”; €5.01-€250K needs “A”+”B” or “B”+”B”).
Configuration Approval: Remember that (if the dual admin is activated) any changes made to groups or thresholds by one administrator must be reviewed and approved by the second administrator before being activated.
Managing Existing Approval Workflows (Admin Tasks)
Modify Groups: User assignment within groups can be modified.
Adjust Thresholds: Update payment thresholds to align with changing financial policies.
Review Configuration Changes: Administrators need to review and approve/reject configuration changes made by other administrators.
Auditing: Access detailed logs to monitor configuration changes, payment activities and the application approval logic.
How Approvals Work (Authorised users Flow)
Payment Creation/Initiation: Users input payment details (amount, recipient, etc)
Approval routing: The system checks the payment amount against the configured thresholds (converting the amount to EUR (and to the client's core currency in the future) if necessary)) and determines the required approval rule.
Approval Action: Users (authorised contacts) with the necessary permissions in the required groups can review and approve or reject the payment. A user only needs to approve once per payment, even if they belong to multiple required groups for a specific step. User cannot approve payments they created themselves.
Status Tracking: Users can track the status of pending payments. If a user lacks permissions to approve a payment at its current stage, the status might indicate it's awaiting approval from others.
Important Considerations
Platform: This feature is available on EBO (Ebury Online) and Mobile (in the future). Configuration might primarily be done via EBO.
Permissions: Specific permissions are required for administrators to manage configurations ("Manage permissions" permission) and for users to approve payments. The initial administrator setup might be part of the onboarding/activation process.
Currency: Payment thresholds are based on EUR for now but they will be based on the client's core currency. Payments in other currencies will be converted using the applicable rate to determine the correct threshold.
Auditing (admin logs): Strong auditing is in place to track all the configuration changes and approval actions for transparency and dispute resolution.
Best practice recommendations for clients
Define clear and logical rules that reflect your internal policies.
Ensure all payment ranges (0 to unlimited) are covered by thresholds.
Maintain a manageable number of users in approval groups; ensure sufficient coverage for absences.
Assign users to groups based on their actual signatory authority.
Regularly review and update configurations (thresholds, user assignments) as business needs change.
Utilise the Dual Admin feature diligently for all configuration changes.