Why does everything I add need approval?
Who has to send things for approval, when they don't, and why it's set up that way.
In Plainstamp, nothing reaches the books without someone signing off. That's what keeps everyone from paying the same bill twice and gives your accountant a clean record. Whether you need approval depends on your role.
| Your role | What happens when you add something |
|---|---|
| Owner or Admin | It goes straight onto the board. Tick Needs approval at the bottom of the form if you'd like another admin to check it. |
| Employee | Everything (tasks, bills, transactions, vendors, mileage) goes for approval. The button says Submit for approval. |
| Worker | You can only add tasks, and they go for approval. |
| Accountant / View only | You can't add entries. |
The exception: spending limits#
On the Small plan and up, an admin can give an employee a monthly spending limit in Settings › Approval rules › Spending limits. Then:
Bills and transactions up to what's left of the limit go straight onto the board. The form says "Within your spending allowance ($X left this month)" and the button says Add to Transactions or Add to Bills.
Paying a bill works the same way: the Pay form's button says Submit payment, with the note "Recorded right away if it fits your spending allowance; otherwise it goes to the approver you picked".
Money coming in (a Money in transaction) doesn't use up the allowance, so it goes for approval.
Once the month's limit is used up, everything goes for approval again.
Money you paid yourself and want back (reimbursements and mileage) always needs approval.
Every entry still shows who added it.
Changes need approval too#
When an employee changes a money entry, the button says Send change for approval and the change only happens once an admin approves it.
Can I approve my own?#
No. Nobody can approve their own request, even an owner. If you're the only admin and tick Needs approval, nobody else can approve it, so leave the box unticked.
See also Why did my request go to someone else? and Approval rules.