This article explains how to authorize the release of funds for Bill Pay and Reimbursement Accounts Payable (AP) payments from the Payments page. Authorization is required before payments can be processed.
To require authorization from multiple Administrators, see: Multi-Level Funds Release Policy Overview & Configuration Guide
Guide Overview
When does a payment require authorization?
- What happens if Authorization is not given before the scheduled payment date?
- How can I tell which authorizers need to authorize the payment?
- How can I tell which payments require my authorization and which ones I've already authorized?
Who can authorize payments?
Only the Primary Administrator and Administrators can authorize the release of funds for AP payments.
Bookkeepers and AP Clerks can schedule, view and track payments, but cannot authorize payments for processing.
When does a payment require authorization?
Authorization is required:
- After a bill or reimbursement has been approved
- After a payment date has been set
Payments in the Needs Authorization tab of the Payments page will remain pending until they are authorized.
How to authorize payments?
To authorize the release of funds for a scheduled payment:
- Go to the Payments page > Needs Authorization tab
- For batch authorization:
- To authorize all payments in this tab, select the "Authorize All Payments" button below the CSV download button
- To authorize a select number of payments in this tab, use the checkboxes to select multiple payments > Select the "Authorize All Payments" button at the bottom of the page
- For single payment authorization:
- Select the "Authorize" button to the right of the payment
- Once authorization has been provided by all of the authorizers, the payment will move to the Pending tab
FAQs
What happens if Authorization is not given before the scheduled payment date?
If the payment is not authorized by all authorizers before the scheduled payment date, the payment will not be processed, and the payment's status will update to "Authorization Overdue". The payment date will need to be rescheduled by selecting the "Reschedule" button in the Needs Authorization tab of the Payments page.
Once rescheduled, the authorizer(s) will need to authorize the funds to be released before the newly scheduled payment date.
How can I tell which authorizers need to authorize a payment?
If a payment requires approval from multiple authorizers, you can see which authorizers are still required directly in the Payments page.
How to check:
- Go to Payments > Needs Authorization
- Select the payment
- In the Funds Release Authorization section, select the drop-down menu to see which users have and haven't yet authorized the payment
How can I tell which payments require my authorization and which ones I've already authorized?
As an authorizer, you can verify which payments still require your authorization and which you've already authorized from the Status column in the Needs Authorization tab of the Payments page.
Payments that require your authorization:
Payments that you've already authorized: