Authorization Rules in iVendNext are a powerful feature that allows businesses to enforce custom approval workflows for various documents, such as Sales Orders, Purchase Orders, and Invoices. These rules ensure that specific conditions are met before a document can be submitted or approved, adding an extra layer of control and compliance to your business processes. This article will guide you through the concept of Authorization Rules, how to set them up, and best practices for their effective implementation.
Authorization Rules are customizable conditions that determine whether a document requires additional approval before it can be processed. For example, if a Sales Order exceeds a certain monetary threshold, the system can be configured to require approval from a Sales Manager before the order can be submitted. This ensures that high-value transactions are reviewed by the appropriate personnel, reducing the risk of errors or fraud.
Authorization Rules can be applied to various documents, including:
Sales Orders
Purchase Orders
Quotations
Delivery Notes
Sales Invoices
Purchase Invoices
Purchase Receipts
Appraisals
Enhanced Control: Authorization Rules allow businesses to enforce strict controls over who can approve specific transactions, ensuring that only authorized personnel can process high-value or sensitive documents.
Improved Compliance: By requiring additional approvals for certain transactions, businesses can ensure compliance with internal policies and external regulations.
Error Reduction: Authorization Rules help reduce errors by ensuring that critical transactions are reviewed by experienced personnel before being finalized.
Flexibility: Rules can be customized based on various fields, such as Grand Total, Discount Percentage, or Customer-wise Discounts, allowing businesses to tailor the approval process to their specific needs.
Creating an Authorization Rule in iVendNext is a straightforward process. Follow these steps to set up a new rule:
Go to the Home screen in iVendNext.
Type "Authorization Rule" in the Awesome Bar located in the upper right-hand corner.
Click on the Authorization Rule List to open the list view.
Click on the Add Authorization Rule button to open the New Authorization Rule screen.
Select the Transaction Type (e.g., Sales Order, Purchase Order) to which the rule will apply.
Authorized Value: Enter the threshold value that will trigger the authorization rule. For example, if the rule applies to Sales Orders exceeding $10,000, enter $ 10,000.
Based On: Select the field on which the rule will be based. Common options include Grand Total, Net Total, or Discount Percentage.
Applicable Role: Select the role to which the rule applies. For example, if the rule applies to Sales Users, select Sales User.
Approving Role: Select the role that will approve the document if the condition is met. For example, if the Sales Manager should approve high-value orders, select Sales Manager.
Once all fields are filled in, click Save to create the rule.
The rule will now be active, and any document that meets the specified conditions will require approval from the designated role.
Let’s consider a practical example to better understand how Authorization Rules work.
Scenario: A company wants to ensure that all Sales Orders exceeding $10,000 are approved by the Sales Manager. Sales Users should only be able to submit orders below this threshold.
Steps:
Create an Authorization Rule for Sales Orders.
Set the Authorized Value to 10,000.
Select Grand Total as the field to base the rule on.
Set the Applicable Role to Sales User.
Set the Approving Role to Sales Manager.
Outcome: If a Sales User tries to submit a Sales Order with a Grand Total of $12,000, the system will display an error message and require approval from the Sales Manager.
Define Clear Thresholds: Ensure that the thresholds for authorization are clearly defined and aligned with your company’s policies. For example, set different thresholds for different roles or departments.
Regularly Review Rules: Periodically review and update Authorization Rules to ensure they remain relevant as your business evolves.
Use Role-Based Approvals: Assign approving roles based on job responsibilities to ensure that only the right personnel can approve critical transactions.
Test Rules in a Sandbox Environment: Before implementing Authorization Rules in a live environment, test them in a sandbox to ensure they work as expected.
Train Your Team: Ensure that all users understand how Authorization Rules work and how to handle documents that require additional approval.
Authorization Rules in iVendNext are an essential tool for maintaining control, compliance, and accuracy in your business processes. By setting up custom approval workflows, you can ensure that critical transactions are reviewed by the appropriate personnel, reducing the risk of errors and fraud. With the step-by-step guide provided in this article, you can easily create and manage Authorization Rules tailored to your business needs.