# Invoice approval SOP template ## How to use this template - Fields written as `[fill in: ...]` are blanks — replace each one with the value for your process. - Lines starting with `>` are guidance, not part of the SOP — delete them once you've filled in the real content. - Recording this process in Ledgerium generates a filled-in version of this SOP automatically. ## Document control - Process owner: [fill in: process owner] - Version: [fill in: version] - Effective date: [fill in: effective date] - Last reviewed: [fill in: last reviewed date] - Approved by: [fill in: approver name or title] ## Applies to / Use when > Who uses it: Accounts payable clerks, approvers, and the controller who owns payment controls. Auditors reference it when testing approvals. > When to use it: Use it when onboarding AP staff, standardizing approvals across the team, or preparing evidence of a payment-control process for an audit. - Applies to: [fill in: who this applies to in your organization] - Use when: [fill in: when your team should follow this procedure] ## Purpose > Why the procedure exists and the control it enforces over payments. [fill in: purpose details] ## Scope > Which invoices and entities the procedure covers, and what is out of scope. [fill in: scope details] ## Roles > Who submits, who approves at each threshold, and who posts for payment. [fill in: roles details] ## Procedure > The ordered steps from receipt to posting, including the PO match and threshold check. [fill in: procedure details] ## Exceptions > How to handle rejections, missing POs, and out-of-threshold amounts. [fill in: exceptions details] ## Records > What evidence is kept and where, for audit and reference. [fill in: records details] ## Worked example — steps from a real recording > Example steps from a real recording — replace with your own. 1. **Receive and log the invoice** — Enter or import the invoice into the accounting system. 2. **Match to the purchase order** — Confirm the invoice matches an approved PO and receipt. 3. **Check coding and limit** — Verify cost coding and that the amount is within the approver’s limit. 4. **Route for approval** — Send to the correct approver by amount, department, or vendor. 5. **Approve and post** — The approver signs off and the invoice is posted for payment. 6. [fill in: step] 7. [fill in: step] ## Review checklist — common mistakes to avoid - [ ] Leaving approval thresholds out, so routing is ambiguous - [ ] Documenting only approval and omitting the rejection loop - [ ] Letting the SOP describe an ideal flow that no longer matches the system ## Limitations of this template A template is a starting structure. To reflect your real thresholds and routing, you still fill it in or, better, generate it from a recording of a real approval. --- Template: https://ledgerium.ai/sop-templates/invoice-approval-sop-template · Generated automatically from a real recording, or fill in by hand. Template last updated: June 2026 From Ledgerium recordings: A generic template documents the happy path. A Ledgerium-generated invoice approval SOP includes the real exception and rework loop captured from the recording, which is where most approval delay actually lives. See the full recorded workflow: https://ledgerium.ai/workflow-library/invoice-approval-workflow