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Understanding the S.A.F. Approval Chain

  • Updated

This article will explain the S.A.F. Approval Chain in ExpenseWatch.

 

The S.A.F. creates an approval chain at the business unit based on the total dollar amount of the Purchase Requisition, Invoice, or Expense Reports. The number of approvers in the approval chain depends on the total sum of line items in each transaction.

 

When you add approvers with dollar amounts, the approver with the lowest dollar amount is always the first approver in the approval chain. The approver with the next greatest dollar amount is the second approver, and so on.

  • If an employee submits a transaction less than the lowest dollar amount in the chain, only the first approver needs to approve it.
  • If an employee submits a transaction greater than the lowest dollar amount in the chain, the first approver and then the second approver needs to approve it.
  • If an employee submits a transaction that is greater than all the dollar amounts in the chain, all approvers approve it in order (first approver, second approver, and so on) and then the No Limit Approver makes the final approval decision.

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Example: In one department, the S.A.F. for Purchase Requisitions is as follows. Assume that this is the approval chain set up for when the department is under-budget, and that the department is under-budget.

  • Matthew Manager – $1,000. (First Approver)
  • Abigail Executive – $2,000. (Second Approver)
  • Eileen Executive – $3,000. (Third Approver)
  • Andrew Account – None (No Limit Approver)
Transaction Total Amount Result
$900 Matthew Manager is the only approver needed. He has total authority to approve or disapprove
$1500

1. Matthew Manager is the first approver and can approve or
disapprove the transaction.
2. If he approves it, the transaction moves up the approval chain to
Abigail Executive, who can approve or disapprove it. 
$2500 1. Matthew Manager is the first approver and can approve or
disapprove the transaction.
2. If he approves it, the transaction moves up the approval chain to
Abigail Executive, who can approve or disapprove it.
3. If Abigail Executive approves it, then it moves up the approval
chain to Eileen Executive
$3500 1. Matthew Manager receives the transaction first.
2. If he approves it, the transaction moves to Abigail Executive.
3. If Abigail approves it, the transaction moves to Eileen Executive.
4. If Eileen approves it, it moves to Andrew Accountant.
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