Unimarket offers a diverse range of approval configurations to suit different organizational needs, from high-level departmental routing to specific line-item budget checks.
1. Approval System Settings
These settings determine how the system evaluates the monetary value of a transaction, to select an approval chain.
Header Level: The total amount of the entire transaction, is used to find the appropriate approver in a chain.
Line Level (GL Code Routing only): Each individual line item is routed and approved/declined separately. Approved lines generate a PO, while declined lines do not.
Hybrid (GL Code Routing only): Similar to Line Level, but with a stricter requirement: if any single line is declined, the entire requisition is declined.
2. Approval Routing Rules
Transactions can be routed based on various metadata and criteria:
| Routing Rule | Logic |
|---|---|
| Sequential All | An approval routing option where approvers are notified one at a time, in a defined order, and every approver must approve before the workflow can move forward. Use this option when approvals must follow a strict chain and no step can be skipped. |
| Sequential Any | An approval routing option where approvers are notified one at a time, in a defined order, and approval from any one approver completes the step. Use this option when approvals should follow an order, but only one approval is required to move the workflow forward. |
| Org Unit | Routes based on the department/unit assigned to the user's profile. |
| GL Code | Routes based on specific codes, ranges, or patterns (e.g., matching a code in the second field). |
| Category | Routes based on UNSPSC commodity code mappings. |
| Product/Order Type | Routes based on whether the item is Catalog, Non-Catalog, or a Blanket/Standard order. |
| Supplier Tag | Routes or skips steps if the supplier is "Preferred." |
| On-Behalf-Of (OBO) | Routes to the person for whom the purchase was made for initial to review. |
| Contract (Y/N) | Routes based on whether the transaction is linked to a Unimarket contract. |
3. Approval Process Step Configurations
All Must Approve
This setting determines if a transaction must pass through every person in a chain or jump straight to the person with the final authority.
OFF: The transaction bypasses lower-level approvers and goes directly to the person who has the dollar limit to clear the total amount.
ON: The transaction starts at the lowest level and moves sequentially up the chain (e.g., Level 1 → Level 2 → Level 3).
Example: An Approval Chain is set up as follows:
Jim @ level 1 ($2000), Jane @ Level 2 ($10,000) and Tom at level 3 ($25,000)
Mary, a buyer, creates a requisition for $15,000 that is routed to the chain above.
If All Must Approve is turned OFF: The requisition will route directly to Tom. Once Tom approves the requisition, the requisition is sent to the next approval requirement or a purchase order is created.
If All Must Approve is turned ON: The requisition will route to Jim (the first approver). Once Jim approves it, the requisition will move to Jane. Once Jane approves, it will move to Tom, and once Tom approves, the requisition is sent to the next approval requirement or a purchase order is created.
Creator as Approver Scenarios
If a buyer creates a transaction, but is also part of the approval chain. Communities can choose one of three behaviors:
Auto Approve: The buyer’s own authority clears the step automatically if it's within their limit.
Exclude: The buyer is skipped in the chain, and the task moves to the next person.
Start Above: The transaction bypasses everyone at or below the buyer's authority and goes directly to the first person above them in the chain.
Validate Account Code
This step integrates with the organization's ERP/Finance system to perform a budget check. When an approver clicks Approve, the system verifies in real-time if funds are available and displays the response in the approval window.