Guide for Approvers
As an Approver in Mod AI, your job is to review invoices routed to you and either approve or reject them. You are a critical part of the AP workflow — invoices cannot move forward to ERP sync until they are approved. This guide covers everything you need to handle approvals efficiently.
What You Can Do with Mod AI
Mod AI makes approving invoices fast and straightforward. Everything you need to make a decision is in one place — the original document, extracted data, GL coding, and any flagged issues. Here is what you can do:
- Review and approve from anywhere — Mod AI works in any modern browser, including on your phone
- See everything in one view — the original document, extracted data, and GL coding side by side
- Approve or reject with a single click — and add a reason when rejecting so the AP team knows what to fix
- Delegate when you are away — set up a delegate so invoices keep moving when you are on vacation or traveling
- Reroute misassigned invoices — if an invoice lands in your queue by mistake, reroute it to the right person
Your Responsibilities
As an Approver, your primary responsibilities are:
- Reviewing invoices in your approval queue to verify they are accurate and properly coded
- Approving invoices that are correct and ready to move forward
- Rejecting invoices with a clear reason when something is wrong, so clerks can fix and resubmit
- Delegating approvals to a colleague when you will be unavailable (vacation, travel, etc.)
Your Role in Mod AI
Approvers have the Approver entity role. Here is what you can and cannot do:
| Permission | Access |
|---|---|
| View invoices, POs, receipts | Yes |
| Approve or reject invoices | Yes |
| Edit or upload invoices | No |
| Manage vendors, rules, or policies | No |
| Manage users or settings | No |
For a full breakdown of all roles and permissions, see Understanding User Roles.
Key Features You'll Use
- Approving & Rejecting — Review, approve, or reject invoices from your queue
- How Approvals Work — Understand how invoices are routed to you and what approval chains look like
- Delegating Approvals — Assign a delegate so invoices are not stuck when you are away
- Invoice Reviewing — View the invoice detail page to check extracted data against the original document
- Rerouting — Reroute an invoice to a different approver if it was sent to you by mistake
Daily Workflow
Here is what a typical day looks like for an Approver:
- Check your pending approval count — Look at the sidebar badge showing how many invoices are waiting for your approval.
- Open the approval queue — Navigate to Approvals to see all invoices assigned to you.
- Review each invoice — Open the invoice detail to see the original document, extracted data, GL coding, and any notices.
- Approve or reject — If everything looks correct, approve. If something is wrong, reject with a clear reason explaining what needs to be fixed.
- Check for delegated items — If a colleague delegated approvals to you, those will appear in your queue as well.
Common Tasks
1. Review and Approve an Invoice
Open the invoice from your approval queue. Review the vendor, amounts, line items, and GL coding. Compare against the original document if needed. If everything is correct, click Approve. See Approving & Rejecting.
2. Reject an Invoice with a Reason
If an invoice has issues (wrong amount, incorrect coding, missing information), click Reject and enter a reason. The reason is visible to the AP team so they know what to fix before resubmitting. See Approving & Rejecting.
3. Delegate Approvals for Vacation
Before you leave, go to Delegating Approvals and assign a delegate. All invoices routed to you will go to your delegate instead. You can set a start and end date for the delegation.
4. View Your Approval History
You can see a log of all invoices you have approved or rejected. This helps you track your past decisions and find specific invoices if questions come up later.
Tips & Best Practices
- Review promptly. Invoices waiting for approval block the entire AP process. Quick turnaround keeps the workflow moving.
- Write clear rejection reasons. When you reject, explain specifically what is wrong so the clerk can fix it on the first try without needing to ask questions.
- Set up delegation before you leave. Do not wait until the last minute. Set up delegation a day before your absence so nothing falls through the cracks.
- Check the original document. The reviewing view shows the AI-extracted data alongside the original document. When in doubt, compare the two.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know when I have pending approvals?
The sidebar shows a badge with your pending approval count. You will also receive email notifications when new invoices are routed to you for approval, depending on your notification settings.
Can I approve from my phone?
Mod AI is a web application that works in any modern browser, including mobile browsers. You can review and approve invoices from your phone, though the full desktop experience is recommended for detailed reviews.
What happens after I reject an invoice?
The invoice goes back to the AP team for correction. Your rejection reason is displayed on the invoice so the clerk knows what to fix. Once corrected, the invoice will be resubmitted for approval and may be routed to you again.
Can I reroute an invoice to someone else?
Yes. If an invoice was routed to you by mistake, you can reroute it to another approver. This is useful when an invoice falls outside your area of responsibility.