How does auto-approval of matched scheduled invoices work?

This article explains how auto-approval of matched scheduled invoices works for Contractor of Record (COR) invoices, who can turn it on, and what to expect once it is enabled. It is written for company admins who approve contractor invoices, with a short note on what contractors will experience.

What is auto-approval of matched scheduled invoices?

Auto-approval is an optional company setting that automatically approves a COR contractor invoice when the submitted amount exactly matches the scheduled amount. When it is on, matching invoices skip the Awaiting approval queue and move straight to the payment stage, so you no longer need to review and approve predictable invoices by hand.

The setting is off by default for every company and can be turned on or off at any time. It is set per legal entity, so you can enable it for some entities and not others.

For example, a company with 1,000 COR contractors who each invoice the same amount every month can turn on auto-approval and let those matched invoices flow through automatically, while still reviewing any invoice that changes.

How does an invoice qualify for auto-approval?

A COR invoice is auto-approved only when all of the following are true:

• Auto-approval is enabled for the contractor's legal entity.
• The submitted amount exactly matches the scheduled amount. This check is exact, with no tolerance range.
• No value added tax (VAT) has been added by the contractor.
• The currency matches the scheduled currency.

If any of these conditions is not met, the invoice stays in the Awaiting approval queue for manual review, exactly as it does today.

How do you enable auto-approval?

Any admin who can approve invoices can turn on auto-approval.

1. Go to Company settings.
2. Under Contractor invoices card, click Scheduled invoice settings.
3. Click Auto-approve scheduled invoices. A settings page opens, listing all legal entities for your company.
4. Toggle on the entity or entities you want to enable.
   • For a single-entity company, you will see one toggle alongside the contractor count.
   • For a multi-entity company, an Enable for all entities toggle appears at the top, plus a toggle for each entity.
     
5. In the confirmation window, review the number of matched invoices that will be approved, then click Confirm.
   

How do you review and spot auto-approved invoices?

Once auto-approval is on, matched COR invoices no longer appear in Awaiting approval. The summary banner there updates to show how many invoices were auto-approved and how many still need your review.

To find auto-approved invoices at any time:

1. Go to Invoices under Contractor payments, then Needs review or All invoices.
2. Open filter 
3. Select Match auto-approved under Schedule match filter.
4. Click any invoice to open it. A banner reads: "This invoice was automatically approved because it matched the scheduled amount of [amount]." The Approved by field shows Auto-approved (schedule match) instead of a person's name.
   

What notifications will you receive?

• Weekly digest email: a summary of how many invoices were auto-approved that week and how many still need review. Sent to all admins with invoice-approval permissions.
• Manual review email: when a batch of invoices cannot be auto-approved, you receive one combined email listing all of the affected invoices.
• Audit log entry: the system records an entry each time auto-approval is turned on or off.

How do you disable auto-approval?

1. Go to Company settings, then Contractor invoices, then Auto-approve scheduled invoices.
2. Toggle off the relevant entity, or use the Enable for all entities toggle to turn it off everywhere.
3. Click Confirm.

Invoices that were already approved are not reversed. Future invoices return to the manual approval queue.

What do contractors experience?

There is no change to how contractors submit invoices. A contractor submits their invoice as usual. If it is auto-approved, they receive the standard "Your invoice was approved" notification. If it is not auto-approved, the invoice waits in your review queue and the contractor's experience is unchanged.

Frequently asked questions

Do contractors need to do anything differently?

No. Contractors submit invoices the same way. If auto-approval is enabled for the company, matching invoices are approved automatically and the contractor receives the standard approval notification.

What happens to invoices that were already awaiting approval when we turn on the setting?

Only invoices submitted after the setting is enabled are auto-approved. There is no retroactive approval of invoices already in the queue.

Can we reverse an auto-approved invoice?

Yes. Use the same reversal or rejection flow as for manually approved invoices. Auto-approval does not change the process after approval.

What if an invoice matches the amount but uses a different currency?

It will not be auto-approved. A currency mismatch is treated as a financial deviation, so the invoice goes to manual review.

Will we know which invoices were auto-approved?

Yes. Each auto-approved invoice is labeled Auto-approved (schedule match) in the invoice detail view, and the Schedule match filter has a Matched and auto-approved option for spot-checking. Admins also receive a weekly digest email.

Is this available for Contractor Management (CM) or CM+?

No. This feature is COR only. CM and CM+ invoices always follow their existing manual approval flow.