How to set up approval workflows for payroll

You can automate payroll approvals in Remote by setting up workflows that ensure the right people review payroll runs before payment processing. You define who approves, in what order, and under what conditions (e.g., by country or total amount).

When to use multi-level payroll approval

Use this feature when your organization needs structured oversight or compliance verification, for example:

• Payroll runs above a defined amount
• Specific countries requiring extra review
• Multi-person sign-off before payment authorization

Step 1: Open to the Approvals tab

1. Sign in to Remote
2. In the left menu, go to Workflows → Approvals.
3. Select Add new approval → Payroll approval.

If you already have approval workflows, the Add new approval button is at the top-right corner.

Step 2: Set your approval rules

Define the conditions that will trigger the approval flow.

1. Under Field, select one or both:
   • Amount: triggers when payroll total exceeds a threshold.
   • Country: triggers for specific payroll countries.
2. Under Value, enter your criteria.
   • Example: Amount is greater than 150,000 USD
   • Example: Country is Canada
3. (Optional) Add multiple conditions to refine your workflow.

Step 3: Assign approvers

Add the people or admin roles who will review payroll runs.

• You can assign individual users or roles (e.g. Payroll Manager, Finance Owner).
• Approvers are notified in Remote and by email when action is required.
• Each approver must complete their review before the next approver is notified.

There are two types of approval actions:

• Manual: A person must approve or request changes.
• Automatic: The system approves or rejects automatically when your conditions are met.

💡 Tip: We recommend assigning more than one approver to prevent delays if someone is unavailable.

Step 4: Activate your workflow

Click Save and activate. The workflow is now live.

When a payroll meets your rule:

1. The payroll run will show Awaiting approval.
2. Approvers will get an email and in-app notification.
3. Approvers can Approve or Request changes (with a comment).
4. Once all approvals are complete, the payroll run automatically moves to Finalized status.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Can I edit, deactivate, or delete approval workflows?

Yes. You can change, pause, or remove any workflow at any time:

• Edit: Open the workflow, adjust the rules, then click Update in the top-right corner.
• Deactivate: Use the three-dot menu → Deactivate. This pauses the workflow without deleting it.
• Delete: Use the three-dot menu → Delete approval. This permanently removes the workflow.

Why is my payroll run stuck in “Awaiting approval”?

This usually happens when:

• An assigned approver is inactive, out of office, or no longer has Payroll access.
• Multiple workflows have overlapping or conflicting rules (e.g., two workflows trigger for the same run).

How to solve this:

1. Verify all approvers are active users with correct permissions.
2. Review your workflows to ensure no duplicate or contradictory rules apply.

I haven’t received any notification, what should I do?

• Check your Remote dashboard for pending approval tasks.
• If you didn’t get an email, confirm your notification preferences and whitelist Remote’s email addresses.
• If the issue persists, check your personal details for any email typos and ask your admin to verify that you're properly listed as an approver in the workflow.