Workflow approval requests for purchases

Purpose

1. Automate workflow approval requests for purchases in Alliance churches to ensure transparent, efficient, and compliant expenditure management.

2. Automatically collect, route, request, and archive purchase approval data across all stakeholders — e.g., board members, pastors, finance team.

3. Enforce multi-stage approvals, conditional authorization limits, and digital audit trails for church financial integrity.

4. Integrate notifications, document handling, authentication, and reporting across multiple platforms.

Trigger Conditions

1. Submission of a purchase request form (manual or digital).

2. Email or chat message containing purchase intent keywords.

3. Upload of a purchase order document to a predefined folder.

4. Manager creation of a purchase card transaction exceeding a set threshold.

5. Regular (e.g., monthly or quarterly) budget review cycles.

6. API call from church management system.

7. Update of purchase request status in an external system.

8. Modification of a shared spreadsheet row or cell relating to expenses.

Platform Variants

1. Microsoft Power Automate

• Feature/Setting: Approval workflow; use "Start and wait for an approval" action, connect to SharePoint or Forms.
  

2. Zapier

• Feature/Setting: "Approval Workflow" using multi-step Zaps; Google Forms + Gmail steps; filter/formatter for budgets.
  

3. Make (Integromat)

• Feature/Setting: Approval pathways with routers; Forms, Sheets, and Gmail modules for notifications.
  

4. Google Workspace Apps Script

• Feature/Setting: Trigger on Google Form submit; send Email/Chat for layered approvals; Sheets update logic.
  

5. Slack

• Feature/Setting: Workflow builder; "Workflow Step" with "Request Approval" block; message action triggers.
  

6. Microsoft Teams

• Feature/Setting: Power Automate app connector; adaptive cards to collect approvals; post to channels.
  

7. DocuSign

• Feature/Setting: Envelope creation via API; assign approvers, set role-based signature logic.
  

8. Salesforce

• Feature/Setting: Approval Process automation; set up Process Builder or Flow to trigger on opportunity or custom object.
  

9. Smartsheet

• Feature/Setting: Automated Approval Request workflow; trigger on row changes, approval request column.
  

10. Trello

• Feature/Setting: Butler automation; "when card moved," "send approval email," "add comment for approval status."
  

11. Asana

• Feature/Setting: Rules; “Task moved to ‘For Approval’ section,” “Send for approval,” notify via email/API.
  

12. Monday.com

• Feature/Setting: Automation recipes; “Status changes to ‘Pending approval’,” “Notify approver,” update status.
  

13. AirTable

• Feature/Setting: Automations; form submission triggers, find record, send approval email, update field.
  

14. Jira

• Feature/Setting: Workflow approval status; “Approval required” transitions, post-action conditions.
  

15. ServiceNow

• Feature/Setting: Flow Designer; “New purchase request,” route for approval, log and notify.
  

16. Okta

• Feature/Setting: “Access request” workflows for elevated credentials; webhook for purchase approval apps.
  

17. Oracle NetSuite

• Feature/Setting: SuiteFlow; transaction approval workflow for purchase orders, define role-based steps.
  

18. SAP SuccessFactors

• Feature/Setting: Workflow integration for procurement; set conditions on amount/department, trigger notification.
  

19. BambooHR

• Feature/Setting: Custom workflows; request purchases as off-cycle approvals, route to finance/manager.
  

20. QuickBooks Online

• Feature/Setting: App integrations for approval extensions; use API to update purchase order with approval state.
  

21. Box

• Feature/Setting: Relay workflows; upload purchase document triggers approval flow, send tasks to stakeholders.
  

22. Adobe Sign

• Feature/Setting: Automated Sign approvals for purchase docs; sequential signers’ logic set via web API.
  

Benefits

1. Ensures purchase compliance with Alliance church policies and denominational standards.

2. Reduces approval turnaround times and manual follow-ups.

3. Tracks and documents approval actions for audit and transparency.

4. Minimizes unauthorized spending and related errors.

5. Frees church staff for higher-impact ministry work by reducing repetitive administrative tasks.

6. Supports multi-level, conditional, and role-based decision-making.

7. Integrates with financial and operational tools already in use.

8. Enables reporting and analytics on purchasing trends and bottlenecks.