Purchase Order Approvals

Users can be restricted from spending more than a certain amount of money without approval from an authorized user. Checks and balances! Configure the PO approval minimum for your facility. Purchases under this dollar amount need no additional approval. Configure which users can approve purchases above this amount, and up to what amount. An audit trail of each purchase the user approves is recorded. PO's over the amount cannot be received. Instead, the user must request approval using one of various methods. The supervisor is notified via the selected method, then responds. Once the PO is approved, the user can receive the items.

Enable the Approvals Feature

The PO Approvals feature is optional. If you wish to use this feature, first it must be enabled.

1. Select (SSM) System > Setup System Switches > Main System Parameters > Main Parameters Tab > Switch #44.

2. Enable the option 'Use PO Approval' by setting it to YES.

Configure Approval Minimum

Employees with access to the Purchase Order module can create and receive purchases for dollar amounts lower than specified here without triggering the approvals process.

1. Select Master > Facility > File Maintenance from the RTA main menu (MFM).

2. Enter a facility number or press F1 to select a facility from the lookup list.

3. In the 'General' tab, fill in a dollar amount for PO Approval Minimum.

4. Repeat this step for each facility in your system.

Configure Approval Employees

For each employee that is authorized to approve purchases made by other employees, specify the dollar limits that they are authorized to approve.

1. Select Master > Employee > File Maintenance from the RTA main menu (MMM).

2. Enter an employee number or press F1 to select an employee from the lookup list.

3. In the 'PO Approval' tab, fill in a dollar amount for PO Approval Maximum. This is the largest amount that this employee will be able to approve for purchase.

4. Fill in a digital signature PIN. This PIN will be used by the employee when approving purchases in order to digitally certify that the employee, in fact, authorized the approval.

5. Repeat this step for each employee that will have approval responsibilities.

Purchase Order Status

Minimum Approval: Employee may complete the purchase order without approval, since it meets the facility approval minimum requirements.
Pending Approval: Employee has submitted the PO for approval, but it has not yet been granted.
Not Approved: Employee may not complete the purchase order until approval is granted by someone with the authority to do so.
Approved: Approval has been granted by someone with the authority to do so. Employee may now proceed with the order and receive the purchase order.

Requesting Approval Procedure

As employees create purchase orders as detailed in previous sections in this manual, they will be prevented from performing the process of receiving a Purchase Order if the total dollar amount on the PO exceeds the Approval Minimum configured for the facility. The STATUS field of the purchase order will indicate whether they may proceed without approval or if they need to request approval.
If the status displays 'Not Approved', the employee will need to request approval.

1. Select Parts > Purchase Orders > Create/Receive PO from the RTA main menu (PPC).

2. Enter a purchase order number or press F1 to select a PO from the lookup list.

3. Click on the 'Approval' button on the toolbar.

4. Optionally click the 'Edit Comments' button and fill in any comments as needed.

5. Click the 'Request Approval' button.

6. Fill in the employee requesting to make the purchase in the 'Requested By' section.

7. Choose a method to make the request:

   • RTA Messenger (add-on option to the software which must be installed and configured for sending messages between user accounts in the Fleet Management Software.)

   • E-Mail (internet email. Email account and server information must be configured for the user)

   • Verbal (signifying that the approver was notified verbally about the PO)

8. Select approver(s). A list of all employees authorized to approve a purchase order at this dollar amount is listed. Check the box next to one or more potential approvers and click the 'Save Request' button. If RTA Messenger or Email were selected in step 7, they approver(s) will receive notification via the chosen method.

9. The status of the PO will be changed to "Pending Approval".

Granting Approval Procedure

As approvers receive requests to grant approval for a pending PO, they will either approve the PO, request approval from someone else, or not approve the request.

1. Select Parts > Purchase Orders > Create/Receive PO from the RTA main menu (PPC).

2. Enter a purchase order number or press F1 to select a PO from the lookup list.

3. Click on the 'Approval' button on the toolbar.

4. Click the 'Approve this PO' button. A new window will open to certify the approval.

5. Fill in your employee number and your approval PIN to proceed.

6. Use the available buttons to process the PO as desired:

   • View PO: displays the detailed item list and prices of all of the items to be purchased.

   • Approve PO:

   • Deny Approval:

   • Forward Request: Select another employee to approve the PO.

7. Choose a method to notify the requestor of the approval decision and fill in any desired comments about the approval or denial decision.

8. Press Continue.