HOW-TO

How to route supplier invoice records by amount, supplier or WBS element in S/4HANA

Short answer

In S/4HANA, set approval workflow rules by amount, supplier or WBS element. Put specific rules first, then a default for everything else and test with a real supplier invoice.

Last checked

Routing bills means sending each bill to a different approver depending on its amount, supplier or job. What is approval matrix?

Before you start

  • Same set up as bill approval

The S/4HANA way

Where to find it: Manage Workflows for Supplier Invoices (F2873) > Start Conditions and Step Sequence

  1. Create a workflow for the blocked invoice or parked as complete scenario.
  2. Set start conditions: company code, account assignment category (cost centre, WBS element), blocking reason, and invoice amount. The SAP example starts a workflow when the invoice amount is 10,000 or more.
  3. Give each step its own precondition and recipients, such as the persons responsible for the cost centres or WBS elements used.
  4. Put the workflows in order and activate them.

Limits in S/4HANA

  • Only one workflow starts per invoice, the first whose conditions match.
  • A role such as persons responsible for cost centres needs a matching precondition (Account assignment category Cost Center is used).
  • Routing by supplier needs custom conditions through a BAdI in Custom Logic.

Words S/4HANA uses

  • Cost centre. A unit that costs are collected against, such as a team or site.
  • WBS element. A task or job code in a project structure.
  • Company code. A legal entity with its own books.

The Pulsify way

  1. Open Approvals in Pulsify and add a step.
  2. Add rows to the step. Each row can match a supplier, an amount range, an account or a tracking category.
  3. Choose who approves each row: a person, a role or a team.
  4. Add a second step for large amounts, or a review step for coding checks.
  5. Set an auto-approve rule for trusted, small bills.
  6. Use Try an invoice to see where a real bill would go.

Pulsify connects to S/4HANA. We set up the connection for you.

What Pulsify does not do here

  • Pulsify does not reassign approvals and does not send reminders.

Common mistakes

  • Expecting a supplier condition in the standard start conditions, when it needs a BAdI in Custom Logic.
  • Forgetting to put the workflows in order, so the first one that matches starts instead of the one you meant.

More help

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-19. Confidence: confirmed.

Common questions

Can SAP route a supplier invoice by amount?

Yes, through the start conditions of the workflow. SAP's example starts a workflow when the invoice amount is 10,000 or more.

Can I route by cost centre or WBS element?

Set start conditions on the account assignment category and give each step recipients such as the persons responsible for the cost centres or WBS elements used. That role needs a matching precondition.

Can I route by supplier?

Not with the standard conditions. Routing by supplier needs custom conditions through a BAdI in Custom Logic.

Pulsify setup guides

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