Context: This guide demonstrates how to configure contribution authorisers within Employer Online, and walks through the approval process for a contribution.
What is the purpose of Contribution Authorisation?
The contribution authorisation flow allows an organisation to require that a contribution is reviewed and approved by one or more users who hold the contribution authorisation role, prior to submission of the contribution payment.
Enabling Contribution Authorisation
The Contribution Authorisation feature will be turned off by default. To access and change this setting, click the Settings, then click on Contribution Settings button.
Click the Add button.
Switch Contribution Authorisation to the On state. After doing so, you will be presented with the authorisation rules, the option to edit the number of required authorisers, and the ability to assign the authoriser role to users.
To set the number of authorisers you want, simply click the Edit button and select your preferred number.
Add the number of authorisers and click the Update button.
After selecting the required number of authorisers, click the Go to Users button to assign them.
After being redirected to the Users page, you will have the option to assign the Contribution Authoriser role to an existing user, or invite a new user and assign the role to them.
To assign the role to an existing user, click the Three Dots button to the right of their name, then click the Edit User button.
Tick the Contribution Authoriser role, and then click the Save button.
To invite a new user and assign them as the Contribution Authoriser, click the Invite User button.
Then fill in the necessary details, assign the contribution authoriser role, and click the Send Invite button.
You fill then use the user details on your screen.
The user will also recieve an email.
Process of Contributions with the Contribution Authorisation flow
Processing contributions is a little different with the contribution authorisation flow switched on. After uploading the contribution file or uploading manually, you will then be presented with this summary page.
Rather than being able to submit the contribution immediately, you will need to request authorisation from the Contribution Authoriser before proceeding. Click 'Request authorisation' on the summary page to proceed.
After requesting authorisation, the contribution will appear in the contributions tab, and will have the status of "awaiting authorisation".
The Contribution Authoriser will receive an email prompting them to review and authorise the contribution.
The Contribution Authoriser must click 'Go to Contribution', navigate to the contribution, review the details, and then choose to approve or reject it.
After clicking 'Approve', you may see a popup (if you use Direct Debit) notifying you that, as the final approver, you will also be submitting the contribution. Click 'Approve and Submit' to complete the contribution process with the Contribution Authorisation flow switched on.
Congratulations! You’ve successfully completed a contribution using the Contribution Authorisation flow. The contribution status will update accordingly, and confirmation emails will be sent to all relevant users, notifying them that the contribution has been authorised and submitted.