HOW TO SOLVE INEFFICIENCY IN APPROVAL WORKFLOWS?

I once worked with a company that required three physical signatures for each check. While compliance only mandated two signatures, they had the following process in place:

• Controller’s signature: To ensure accuracy

• CEO’s signature: For executive approval

• Controlling partner’s signature: Just to keep him informed

However, both the CEO and the controlling partner were frequently traveling or too busy, causing significant delays. Payments were often late, leading to frustrated vendors—some even refused to work with the company—and putting unnecessary pressure on the A/P manager.

To address this, I implemented an automated system where each invoice was attached to the approval request. Once the A/P manager entered the correct expense and class, the invoice was digitally routed to the controller and CEO for signatures. This allowed the CEO to approve checks from any device, either individually or in bulk. The controlling partner received notifications to stay informed without needing to sign.

A process that once took up to two weeks is now completed in minutes.

Problem solved!