Purchasing & Procure-to-Pay

Invoice Approval

Invoice approval is the review and authorisation of a supplier invoice for payment, confirming it is valid, accurate and matches the underlying purchase.

Before an invoice is paid, it is checked against the purchase order and goods received note, and its prices, quantities, tax and totals are verified. An authorised approver then sanctions payment. This step protects the organisation from paying for goods not ordered or received, from duplicate invoices and from pricing errors, and it ensures the correct budget and cost centre are charged.

Approval routing usually follows the same delegation of authority as purchasing, so higher-value invoices need more senior sign-off. Automating the workflow — routing invoices electronically and flagging matching exceptions — speeds approval, shortens payment cycles and captures a clean audit trail. Slow approval, by contrast, risks late payments and missed early-payment discounts.

Key points

  • Confirms the invoice is valid, accurate and matches the order and receipt.
  • Routed by delegation of authority, with higher values needing senior sign-off.
  • Automation speeds cycles and creates a clear audit trail.

Frequently asked questions

What is invoice approval?
Invoice approval is the review and authorisation of a supplier invoice for payment, confirming it is valid and accurate and that it matches the related purchase order and goods received.
Why is invoice approval important?
It prevents paying for goods not ordered or received, catches duplicates and pricing errors, ensures the right budget is charged, and keeps an audit trail for governance.

Explore related across the knowledge graph

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Operating model · diagram

  1. 01

    AI-first software

    AI-first procurement software for long-tail spend

  2. 02

    Live marketplace

    A live B2B marketplace

  3. 03

    Human services

    Human sourcing and support

  4. 04

    Optional add-on

    Fulfilment support for merchants