Why it matters for builders
- Approvers are on site. Approval has to work from a phone, and it needs a named backup when the project manager is on leave.
- The right approver depends on the project. A site supervisor can confirm work is done, but the project manager or director usually signs the dollar value.
For builders in Dynamics 365 Finance
- Workflow review can apply to the invoice header, the invoice line or both. The workflow controls follow the focus when you select them. Instead of Post, the user selects Submit.
- Stop bad invoices reaching the approver. Feature management options can block submission when the invoice total and registered total differ or when unallocated charges remain. They can also block it when the invoice number is a repeat.
- Invoices imported from a scanning or email service can be submitted to workflow automatically. Set it on the Vendor invoice automation tab of Accounts payable parameters. The background task runs hourly or daily, and invoices keyed by hand must be submitted by hand.
- Microsoft has stopped supporting the Finance and Operations mobile app and removed it from app stores. Plan for site managers to approve in the web client.
What Dynamics 365 Finance does on its own
Workflows for invoices, lines, journals, vendors and vendor bank accounts.
Workflow can apply to the invoice header, the line or both.
What you need and the setup steps: Invoice approvals for Dynamics 365 Finance.
Example
Example Electrical Pty Ltd sends a progress claim of $41,800 ex GST for project 188. The project manager is on leave and the claim arrived 6 business days ago. In NSW the builder has 10 business days to give a payment schedule.
| Line | Amount | What the check finds |
|---|---|---|
| Progress claim 4, level 3 fit-out | $38,000.00 | Supervisor confirmed 80% of work complete on site |
| Approved variation VO-12 | $3,800.00 | Variation signed by client, needs project manager sign-off |
| GST | $4,180.00 | 10% of $41,800 |
Only 4 business days are left. Someone else with sign-off authority for the job, set up before the leave started, approves the claim in time.
Common mistakes
- Sending every claim to one project manager with no backup, so claims sit during leave.
- Letting a supervisor approve the dollar value when they can only confirm the work.
Step-by-step guides for Dynamics 365 Finance
- How to set up vendor invoice approval in Dynamics 365 Finance
- How to route vendor invoice records by amount, vendor or project in Dynamics 365 Finance
What Pulsify adds
Pulsify adds approval steps by vendor, amount, account or project, with approve, reject or send back from a phone. Pulsify connects to Dynamics 365 Finance. We set up the connection for you. More about invoice approvals in Pulsify or Pulsify for builders.
More help
- Invoice approvals in IFS Cloud for builders
- Invoice approvals in MYOB Acumatica for builders
- Invoice approvals in Sage 300 CRE for builders
- Line item coding in Dynamics 365 Finance for builders
- Invoice fraud checks in Dynamics 365 Finance for builders
- Duplicate invoice checks in Dynamics 365 Finance for builders
- PO matching in Dynamics 365 Finance for builders
- All Dynamics 365 Finance how-to guides
Sources
Last checked 2026-10-19.
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/finance/accounts-payable/vendor-invoices-overview
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/finance/accounts-payable/submit-invoice-workflow-automatically
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/fin-ops-core/fin-ops/mobile-apps/invoice-approval-mobile-workspace
- www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/security-of-payment/responding-to-a-payment-claim
- www.qld.gov.au/securityofpayment
Common questions
Can Finance send a subcontractor invoice to different approvers by line?
Workflow review can be set for the invoice line as well as the header. You build the approval steps in Accounts payable > Setup > Accounts payable workflows. Which approver gets which line depends on how you design the workflow.
Why do approval deadlines matter for subcontractor claims?
Security of payment laws set time limits to respond to a claim. In NSW the limit is at most 10 business days. A missed deadline can mean you must pay the full claimed amount. Track the date each claim arrived.
Can Finance route invoices by amount?
Yes. Add a conditional decision to the workflow and set the condition on a field such as invoice amount. Send each branch to a different approver or group.
Pulsify setup guides
Want this done for you?
Book a call to see how Pulsify handles invoice approvals in Dynamics 365 Finance for builders.