Approve supplier invoices in Odoo.
Certainty before you pay.
Odoo scans and recognises incoming invoices well, but a real approval gate before payment was missing. Our Supplier Invoice Approval module adds amount-based approval templates, a dedicated approver app and a complete audit trail.
What is supplier invoice approval in Odoo?
It is an approval workflow on vendor bills that stops incorrect invoices from being paid. Per company you set approval templates with one, two or three approvers based on the invoice amount. Each vendor gets a default template, approvers can approve, reject or forward without accounting access, and every action is logged for a full audit trail.
Why standard Odoo was not enough
In standard Odoo, incoming invoices enter accounting immediately, great for visibility, but there is no formal approval gate before payment. For teams that need explicit, role-based sign-off, and a record of who approved what, we built this module.
How it works
- 01 Invoice arrives, Odoo auto-recognises supplier and amount
- 02 The vendor-linked approval template (or default) is applied
- 03 One to three approvers are set by amount: first from EUR 0, second from EUR 500, third from EUR 2,500 (thresholds configurable)
- 04 Send for approval; approvers get a notification with a direct link
- 05 Each approver can approve, reject (reason required) or forward to another approver
- 06 Bookkeeper or accountant can reject, change approvers or remind mid-flow
- 07 Status moves through four colour-coded tags: To be Approved, In Approval, Approved for payment, Rejected
- 08 Changing the amount triggers re-approval; every action is logged in the Chatter
Approvers, without accounting permissions
Approvers get their own app on the start screen with a list of the bills they need to approve. They view, approve, reject or forward, with the PDF visible, all without access to the wider accounting module. Cleaner permissions, faster approvals, and a filter for everything they approved before.
Key features
- Amount-based templates with up to three approval levels
- Default approval template per vendor
- Four colour-coded statuses, with approver names shown green (approved) or red (rejected)
- Dedicated "Bills to Approve" app for each approver
- Forward to another approver, reminders, per-user notification toggle
- Re-approval on amount change; full audit trail in the Chatter
- Works on mobile and alongside standard Odoo invoice recognition
SmartApprovals: approvals beyond invoices
We are launching SmartApprovals, an online product that extends this logic well beyond vendor bills: approving purchase orders, sales orders and project cost lines. The unique part is line-level, multi-project approval, so a project manager can sign off their split of a cost spread across several projects. Almost nobody does that natively.
See what SmartApprovals adds →Frequently asked questions
What is supplier invoice approval in Odoo?
It is an approval workflow on vendor bills that prevents incorrect invoices from being paid. Per company you configure approval templates with one, two or three approvers based on the invoice amount, each vendor gets a default template, and every approval, rejection or forward is logged for a full audit trail.
Do approvers need access to Accounting?
No. Approvers get an approval role and a dedicated app showing only the bills they must approve. They can view the PDF, approve, reject or forward without any access to the rest of the accounting module, which keeps permissions clean.
How many approval levels can you set?
Up to three per invoice. Thresholds are configurable: a typical setup needs the first approver from EUR 0, the second from EUR 500 and the third from EUR 2,500. You can also set a vendor to need no approval, or auto-approve.
Is there an audit trail?
Yes. Every action, send for approval, approve, reject with reason, forward, reminder, is logged in the Odoo Chatter on the bill, so you always have a complete, time-stamped record of who approved what.
What happens if an invoice amount changes after approval?
Changing the amount resets the approval: approvers turn grey again and the bill goes back to In Approval, so it must be sent for re-approval. This prevents a changed bill from slipping through on an old sign-off.
How long does it take to set up?
Most installations land in one to two weeks. A short call confirms the scope, your templates, amount thresholds and approval roles, and we configure it on your Odoo.
Need approval gates on your supplier invoices?
A short call confirms scope. Most installations land in 1-2 weeks.