How to build an approval workflow with limits in the ERP
Building an approval workflow with limits in the ERP means defining amount ranges and owners so every request is routed to the right approver before it becomes an entry in the system. In Jestor, this layer is built without code and sends the approved result straight into the ERP, such as Omie.
What is an approval limit
An approval limit is the decision ceiling of each role or area. A coordinator approves up to a certain amount, and above that the request moves up to a director.
Without that ceiling structured in a system, the rule lives in people's heads. The outcome is familiar: payments approved by the wrong person, purchases stuck waiting for a reply on WhatsApp and no reliable history when an auditor asks.
Pain points a structured workflow solves:
- Informal approval by email or message, with no trace
- Bottleneck when the approver is on vacation or unavailable
- No segregation by cost center
- Rework of entering into the ERP what was already approved elsewhere
- Difficulty proving the approval chain during an audit
Which types of approval limit exist
| Type of limit | How it works | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| By amount | Ranges define who approves each bracket | Purchasing and accounts payable |
| By cost center | Each area has its own approver | Companies with budget per department |
| Cascading hierarchy | Moves through successive levels until covered | High amounts and investments |
| By expense category | The type of spend defines the approver | Legal, IT and recurring contracts |
| With automatic backup | After the deadline, approval passes to the substitute | Operations that cannot stop |
How to build the workflow step by step
- Map the amount ranges and the owner of each one, including a backup approver.
- Build the request form in Jestor with supplier, amount, category and cost center as required fields.
- Use the cost center as the routing key, since it defines who receives and approves the request.
- Set the SLA for each stage, with an automatic alert when the deadline is missed.
- Turn on the outbound automation: when the card reaches "Approved", the record becomes an ERP entry.
- Test with real cases across different brackets before opening it to the team.
How the approval limit connects to the ERP
Jestor is the operational layer: it receives the request, applies the limit and records the decision. The ERP comes next, executing the financial and tax side.
With the native Omie integration, the approved request generates the accounts payable record automatically, with amount, due date, category, supplier, bank account and cost center already filled in. Bank reconciliation and invoice issuing remain inside the ERP.
How Jestor works as an AI tool for operations teams at SMBs
Jestor brings process, data and AI into the same environment, which lets an SMB run complex approvals without building an IT team:
- Dynamic limits with no code: rules by amount, area and hierarchy set up in the interface
- Document reading with OCR: an attached invoice or contract becomes a pre filled record
- Auditable history: every approval keeps author, date, justification and attachments
- Over 400 native automations: built into the platform, with no intermediary layer required
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an approval limit and an approval workflow?
The limit defines each approver's ceiling, the workflow defines the sequence of stages. More at jestor.com.
Can I set different limits per cost center?
Yes. The cost center can be the key that determines who approves each request.
What happens if the approver does not respond?
The SLA triggers the alert and the approval can be routed automatically to the configured backup.
Does the workflow send data to the ERP on its own?
Yes. With the native integration, the approved request becomes an Omie entry with no manual typing.
Video Tutorial: Step by Step
With Jestor, you can automate workflows, connect teams, and build internal systems your way, all without code and powered by AI. Discover Jestor at jestor.com and see how to take your company's operations to a new level of efficiency and control.