Apply an approval flow to benefits and uploads

Pick an approval flow for a category's purchases, a single benefit or a category's uploaded expense reports in Benefit settings, see the order in which flows apply, and check what uses a flow on the Flows tab.

A flow you build under Approval settings does nothing on its own. It takes effect once you pick it where employees submit: the benefits they buy, or a category they upload expense reports in. You pick flows under Approval flow in Benefit settings. This article covers where to pick a flow, what applies when no flow is picked, and how to see what uses a flow.

Before you start

You need at least one saved flow. Build it on the Flows tab of Approval settings and select Save changes. Until your company has a flow, the Approval flow lists in Benefit settings only offer the default.

Pick a flow for a category's purchases

A flow picked for a category is used for purchases of every benefit in it that has no flow of its own. Benefits that are approved automatically stay automatic and don't take the category's default: their row reads Default (Automatic) whatever the category's default is.

The first option, Standard approvers, means the category has no default flow, and each benefit keeps its own built-in rule.

Pick a flow for a single benefit

On the same tab, each row in the Benefits list has an Approval flow column. Pick a flow there to give one benefit a flow of its own, then select Save changes. The benefit's own flow wins over the category's default. A benefit uses one flow at a time: picking another flow and saving replaces the first one.

To go back, pick the first option, Default (...), and save. It shows what the benefit then uses: the category's default flow by name, Automatic when purchases are approved automatically, or Standard when they wait for HR approval on the Expenses page. The built-in rule is set per benefit, so benefits in the same category can behave differently.

Pick a flow for a category's uploaded expenses

When an employee uploads an expense report, the category they pick can have a flow of its own, so that for example wellness receipts and travel receipts are reviewed by different people. This only affects uploaded expense reports, not benefits bought in the store.

To go back, pick the first option and save.

What happens when no flow is picked

A benefit purchase uses, in this order:

1. The flow picked on the benefit itself.
2. The flow picked as its category's default for purchases.
3. The benefit's built-in rule: approved automatically, or waiting for HR approval on the Expenses page.

An uploaded expense report uses, in this order:

1. The flow picked for its category on the Upload expense report tab.
2. Your company's default flow for uploads, if you have one. The first option in Approval flow then shows Default with its name.
3. Your standard approvers. The first option then reads Standard approvers. Each of them has to approve. If none are marked, the people in your HR group do.

Benefits that are approved automatically stay automatic and don't take the category's default. A purchase never uses the upload order, and an upload never uses the category's default for purchases.

See what uses a flow

On the Flows tab of Approval settings, the Used by line at the bottom of each flow lists the categories that use it, each with its icon and colour. A category is listed when the flow is picked for its uploads, as its default for purchases, or for one of its benefits, and it is listed only once even if several of these use the flow. If your company has a default flow for uploads, that flow lists the categories that have no flow of their own for uploads. Standard approvers lists the categories whose uploads no flow covers. The list of flows also shows how many categories use each one.

You can't delete a flow while something uses it. Pick another flow for those benefits and categories in Benefit settings first.

Troubleshooting

• Approval flow only offers the default. Your company has no saved flows yet. Create one on the Flows tab of Approval settings and select Save changes, then reload Benefit settings.
• My new flow is not in the list. Check that you selected Save changes on Approval settings, then reload Benefit settings.
• A purchase did not use the category's flow. The benefit has a flow of its own, shown in purple in its Approval flow column: pick its Default option to use the category's flow. Or the benefit is approved automatically, shown as Default (Automatic), and stays that way.
• I saved but nothing changed for earlier expenses. A flow you pick applies to expenses submitted after you save. Expenses already submitted keep the path they started on.
• An upload was approved with no reviewer. The category's flow approves automatically, has no steps, or uses groups with nobody in them. Open the flow on the Flows tab of Approval settings to check.
• I want one flow for every category. Pick the same flow for each category, on the tab for purchases, uploads or both.