Workflow Rules
Automatic approvals and actions that run on your documents.
Why and when you use it
As the team grows, the owner cannot look at every invoice. Workflow Rules let you say in advance which documents need a manager's approval and which actions should happen by themselves. Requests that a rule holds back go to the Approval Queue. The owner or administrator sets the rules; everyone else simply works and the rules apply.
Before you start
- Set staff roles and limits in Staff & Limits
- Write down on paper which cases need approval and who approves
Step by step
- Open Workflow RulesClick Workflow Rules in the sidebar. You see the rules already set up for your business.
- Decide the casePick one situation to control, for example a large discount, a big purchase, or a document from a new staff member.
- Create the ruleAdd a rule, choose the kind of document it applies to, set the condition and say who approves. Fill in the form and save.
- Keep rules simpleOne clear condition per rule is easier to understand and check than one rule doing many things.
- Test itAsk a staff member to save a document that should trigger the rule, then check that it appears in the Approval Queue.
- Check that rules runUse Workflow Diagnostics to see which rules ran, which are waiting and which failed.
Worked example
Mehta Medicals in Pune wants the owner to approve any purchase above ₹50,000 entered by the store assistant.
- Open Workflow Rules and add a rule for purchase documents.
- Set the condition to amounts above ₹50,000 and choose the owner as approver. Save.
- The assistant saves a purchase of ₹62,400 from a medicine distributor.
- The owner sees it in the Approval Queue and approves it.
- Workflow Diagnostics shows the rule ran.
Result: Large purchases now wait for the owner. Smaller ones go through as before.
💡 Tips
- Start with one or two rules for the riskiest cases and add more later.
- Tell staff which documents will now wait for approval, so they are not surprised.
- Make sure there is always someone available to approve, or work will pile up.
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Creating so many rules that every document waits for approval.
- Setting a rule and never checking Workflow Diagnostics to see whether it actually ran.
Questions
Where do I approve what a rule holds back?
In the Approval Queue. The home Dashboard also shows Approvals Waiting.
🎬 Video walkthrough (script — recording coming soon)
- Scene 1: Open Workflow Rules and show existing rules.
- Scene 2: Add a rule for purchases above ₹50,000.
- Scene 3: Save a large purchase as another user.
- Scene 4: Show it waiting in the Approval Queue.
- Scene 5: Confirm in Workflow Diagnostics.