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22.16. Authorisation
Sometimes it is important that goods are not distributed to customers or received into stock until such an action has been authorised.
mSupply has invoice authorisation functionality to make this possible and allows, for example, a manager to control the processing of invoices.
Authorisation can be set according to local needs for:
- Customer Invoices
- Supplier Invoices
- Request Requisitions
- Response Requisitions
- Purchase Orders
Authorisation can either occur within mSupply or externally using the mSupply web authorisation system (see Remote authorisation).
Invoices can be edited after authorisation but goods receipt lines cannot be unauthorised to fix mistakes! Any authorised errors can only be fixed using stock adjustments.
When invoices have to be authorised, they cannot be confirmed until they are authorised. Until then:
- Unauthorised invoices are held at suggested (sg) status
- The official invoice cannot be printed
- Goods are not removed from or received into stock
Configuring mSupply for authorisation
Turning on authorisation
Authorisation must be set up for each store independently. For each store, you can decide which transaction types require authorisation.
1. Click the Special tab, then click Stores.
2. Double click the store to edit.
3. Click the Preferences tab.
4. Check the boxes to set compulsory authorisation for specific transaction types at that store.
5. Click OK.
From now on, the transaction types you set the preferences for must be authorised before being confirmed.
Setting up authorisers
To use the authorisation module, certain users must be designated as Authorisers for each store and transaction type requiring authorisation.
Give the user permission to be an authoriser:
1. Click the Admin tab, then click Edit Users. Double click on the user to edit.
2. Go to the Permissions tab and the Permissions (2) tab and check the boxes that give the user permission to authorise specific transaction types.
3. Click OK until you return to the navigator home page.
Allocate authorisers to tasks:
4. Click on Special > Show Authorisers.
5. Click the Plus button in the Store column.
6. Choose the store to allocate authorisers to and click OK.
7. Select the store from the list, then click the Plus button in the Record Type column.
8. Choose the type of transaction to allocate authorisers. Select from Customer Invoices, Supplier Invoices, Request Requisitions or Response Requisitions and click OK.
9. Select the record type from the list, then click Default to allow authorisation for all sub types. Alternatively, click the Plus button in the Sub Type column to create further specifications (e.g. if certain users can authorise customer invoices for some facilities only).
10. In the Authorisers section, click the Plus button to add authorisers for that specific transaction type (and sub type) in that specific store. You will only be able to allocate users that have permission to be authorisers (steps 1 - 3).
Supplier invoice authorisation
When the Supplier invoices must be authorised store preference is set, new supplier invoices will contain an Authorised checkbox.
An authoriser must check the Authorised box before the supplier invoice can be confirmed.
- The Authorised box will be disabled for users without permission to authorise.
- If the OK button is clicked while the Authorised box is unchecked, a warning message will appear stating that unauthorised invoices cannot be confirmed and nothing will happen.
If you have permission to authorise a supplier invoice, you can also unauthorise it.
- If the invoice has a new (nw) status then it has not been entered into stock. If you unauthorise it, users can edit it and and you will still control the process of authorisation before the goods are entered into stock.
- However, if the invoice is confirmed (cn), the goods have already been entered into stock. If you unauthorise it, any changes users make will affect stock levels immediately, even though the invoice is not authorised.
- Therefore, only unauthorise a confirmed invoice to make immediate changes yourself, then immediately reauthorise it.
- Alternatively, if goods have not been issued, you can delete the lines off the invoice (and optionally delete the whole invoice) and require users to enter a new invoice to receive the stock. The normal authorisation process will then apply to the new invoice.
Customer invoice authorisation
When the Customer invoices must be authorised is set, new customer invoices will contain an Authorised checkbox.
An authoriser must check the Authorised box before the customer invoice can be confirmed.
- The Authorised box will be disabled for users without permission to authorise.
- If the OK button is clicked while the Authorised box is unchecked, a warning message will appear stating that unauthorised invoices cannot be confirmed and nothing will happen.
Printing invoices which must be authorised
When an invoice is not authorised, printing it will produce an invoice with an Unauthorised watermark:
Purchase order authorisation
Purchase Orders can also be authorised - refer to Authorising Purchase Orders.
View authorisation logs
mSupply records the authorisation and unauthorisation of invoices and creates a log record every time the authorisation status of an invoice changes. To view the log records click on the log tab of an invoice, as shown in the screenshot below.
You can also view all logs from Special > View log…. See here for details.
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