Supplier approvals let you have a new supplier reviewed before it becomes active, without separate emails or manual follow-ups. This guide is for users who add suppliers and for the approvers who review them.
Before you start
Send a new supplier for approval
Open the Add Supplier panel
Go to Supplier Management > Suppliers and click Add New Supplier above the table. The Add Supplier panel opens on the right. Complete the supplier's details as usual. See Add a New Supplier.
Turn on approval
Near the bottom of the form, turn on Does this supplier need to be approved?. If you leave it off, the supplier is created as active straight away.
Choose the approver
Select a user in Approver (required). The list shows active users whose role can approve supplier records.
Submit the supplier
Click Submit. The supplier is saved as Unapproved and the approver is notified.
Approve a supplier
Open the supplier record
Click the link in the approval email or in-app notification, or find the supplier in Supplier Management > Suppliers. Suppliers awaiting approval are shown in the list by default.
Click Approve Supplier
On the left-hand summary card, click Approve Supplier. The button is shown to the assigned approver and to Administrators.
Confirm the approval
Click Yes in the confirmation. The supplier becomes Active and the approval is recorded on the Approval Log tab.
Reject a supplier
Click Reject Supplier
On the supplier's summary card, click Reject Supplier, next to Approve Supplier.
Give your reason
In Please Provide Justification, enter the reason in Justification (required) and click Save. Explain what needs to change so the creator can fix it before resubmitting.
The supplier becomes Rejected and the rejection and reason are recorded on the Approval Log tab.
Resubmit a rejected supplier
Find the rejected supplier
Rejected suppliers are hidden from the Suppliers list by default. In the Supplier State filter, select Rejected, then open the supplier.
Make your changes
Update the record to address the reason given in the rejection.
Click Send for approval
On the left-hand summary card, click Send for approval. Only the user who created the supplier sees this button.
What happens next
The approver is notified: when a supplier is submitted or resubmitted, the approver gets an email with a link to the record and an in-app notification. A resubmitted supplier goes back to the same approver.
The creator is notified: the user who created the supplier gets an email and an in-app notification when it's approved, and when it's rejected (with the reason).
The record shows its status: an unapproved supplier shows This record is currently unapproved. Please wait for the approver to review and approve it. A rejected one shows This record is rejected by the approver. Click Send for approval button to apply for re-approval.
The Supplier State changes: Unapproved while waiting, Active once approved, and Rejected if rejected. Resubmitting sets it back to Unapproved.
Everything is logged: each approval, rejection and reason is kept on the Approval Log tab.
Troubleshooting
I can't see the Approve Supplier button
Only the assigned approver and Administrators see Approve Supplier and Reject Supplier, and only while the supplier is Unapproved. Check the Approval Log tab to see who the approver is.
I can't find a rejected supplier
The Suppliers list shows Active and Unapproved suppliers by default. Select Rejected in the Supplier State filter.
The person I want isn't in the Approver list
The list only shows active users whose role can approve supplier records, and it never includes you. Ask your administrator to update that user's role. See User Roles & Access Rights (RBAC).
I can't see Send for approval
Only the user who created the supplier can resubmit it, and only while it's Rejected.
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If you need further assistance, please contact your internal platform administrator for support. Otherwise please reach out to oboloo's support team. If you are unable to view the above area in the oboloo platform, please check your user permissions and access rights.