Procurement approval workflow
Editable procurement approval workflow swimlane from “Request purchase” through “Budget and coding valid?” to a documented outcome. Includes named roles, exception paths and evidence.
What the procurement approval workflow process is
The workflow starts at “Request purchase”. The next two steps, “Record value, category and cost centre” and “Check committed budget”, establish the information needed for a defensible decision. The chart assigns each handoff to a role and retains the evidence at closeout.
The main gates are “Budget and coding valid?” and “Authority and policy conditions met?”. The first branch leads to correct cost centre or obtain funding; the second can require escalate high-value, capex or exception case. Define the organization’s authority bands, category controls and independent approvers.
What this flowchart covers
In this template
- Request purchase followed by record value, category and cost centre.
- Budget and coding valid? with a route for correct cost centre or obtain funding.
- Route by delegated authority and review supplier and contract status as separate supplier and internal handoffs.
- Authority and policy conditions met? with escalate high-value, capex or exception case when the decision fails.
- Approve commercial commitment, release approved request and store decision and exception evidence as the controlled closeout.
When to use this template
- Use it to agree who owns “Request purchase” and what information the next role needs.
- Use it when the answer to “Budget and coding valid?” is unclear or decisions are made outside the record.
- Use it to make “Store decision and exception evidence” visible in an audit or operational review.
How it works
Assign decision owners
Replace the Requester, Manager, Finance, Procurement, Approver lanes with your actual functions. Keep the owner of “Budget and coding valid?” separate from the requester where your authority rules require it.
Configure the gates
Define the organization’s authority bands, category controls and independent approvers. Define what evidence is sufficient for “Authority and policy conditions met?” and who may authorize an exception.
Connect downstream records
Link store decision and exception evidence to the relevant purchase order, contract, supplier record or operational case. Set retention and review dates under your document policy.
Frequently asked questions
What does the procurement approval workflow template include?
It covers request purchase, check committed budget, review supplier and contract status, and store decision and exception evidence, with two labelled decisions and rework paths.
Can the decision rules be changed?
Yes. Define the organization’s authority bands, category controls and independent approvers. Edit the gate labels, swimlanes and return paths before using the chart in your organization.
What evidence should be retained?
Keep the input to “Budget and coding valid?”, the evidence behind “Authority and policy conditions met?”, approvals or exception decisions, and the closeout record: “Store decision and exception evidence”.
Where this process fits
In most operations this process follows Purchase requisition process flowchart and hands off to Purchase order process flowchart.
Comes before
- Purchase requisition process flowchart — Purchase requisition process flowchart: specification and GL coding, budget check, manager and threshold approval, procurement review and an urgent fast track.
Comes after
- Purchase order process flowchart — Purchase order process flowchart: requisition, budget check, approval thresholds, supplier quotes, PO issue, goods receipt, three-way match and payment.