# Invoice approvals in IFS Cloud for builders IFS Cloud has invoice approvals built in. Payment claims under security of payment laws run on short clocks. In NSW a respondent has at most 10 business days to give a payment schedule, so a claim stuck in a site manager's inbox can become a debt you owe in full. ## 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 IFS Cloud - Route invoice authorisation by cost. Authorization Combination Rules link code part combinations and amounts to each invoice authorizer, so a project manager can authorise their job and a director takes the big amounts. - Expect manual steps on subcontracts. Automatic authorisation of a posting proposal works for purchase order matching only. A fully matched subcontract invoice still needs an authorizer, which IFS has logged as an enhancement request. - Watch the valuation steps before invoicing: Application Received, Certification In Progress and Certified. Only a certified valuation can be matched to an invoice. ## Rules that matter for builders in IFS Cloud - In NSW a builder has at most 10 business days to give a payment schedule after a claim. Record the date each valuation arrived, because IFS Cloud shows the certification status and not the legal clock. - Supplier ABN goes in Supplier > Address > Document Tax Information tab. The Australia country solution builds the TPAR file by supplier group, so put subcontractors in a supplier group set for contractors. - The Australia country solution lists withholding tax as not supported. Handle the 47% withholding for a supplier with no ABN as a manual step. ## What IFS Cloud does on its own Posting proposal authorisation with assigning and routing rules. Automatic authorization is built for PO matching only. - Setup heavy An authorizer limit is checked against code part combinations and amounts. What you need and the setup steps: https://www.pulsify.tech/invoice-approvals-for-ifs-cloud/ ## Example Example Civil Contractors submits valuation 6 for $52,000 ex GST on a subcontract. Valuation 5 for $12,000 is still being certified. An authorizer rule by project code part and amount sends the posting proposal to the project manager. - Valuation 5, status Certification In Progress: $12,000.00 (Cannot be matched to an invoice yet) - Valuation 6, status Certified: $52,000.00 (Can be matched. Invoice posts final costs from the certificate lines) - Posting proposal for valuation 6: $52,000.00 (Needs an authorizer, because a subcontract invoice is not authorised automatically) The project manager authorises valuation 6 from the list of posting proposals awaiting authorisation. Valuation 5 waits until it is certified. ## Common mistakes - Expecting a certified subcontract invoice to authorise itself. It still needs an authorizer. - Setting up authorizers without an Authorization Combination Rule, so no one is linked to the project codes. - Looking for a bulk approve screen. The IFS documents describe none. ## Step-by-step guides for IFS Cloud - How to set up supplier invoice approval in IFS Cloud: https://www.pulsify.tech/how-to/set-up-bill-approval-in-ifs-cloud/ - How to route supplier invoice records by amount, supplier or project in IFS Cloud: https://www.pulsify.tech/how-to/route-bills-by-amount-supplier-or-job-in-ifs-cloud/ ## What Pulsify adds Pulsify adds approval steps by supplier, amount, account or project, with approve, reject or send back from a phone. Pulsify connects to IFS Cloud. We set up the connection for you. More: https://www.pulsify.tech/approval-workflows/ ## Common questions ### How do I stop a subcontract invoice being paid before the work is certified in IFS Cloud? Match it to a payment certificate. A valuation can only be matched once it is Certified, and the invoice posts final costs from the certificate lines. Add an invoice authorizer rule by project code part and amount so a person still approves the posting proposal. ### How should a builder set approval limits? Split by role. Supervisors confirm work done on site, project managers approve the claim value up to a limit and directors approve above it. Add a backup approver for each project manager so leave does not stall payment. ### Does IFS Cloud have invoice approval? Yes. Posting proposals are authorised by authorizers whose limits are set with Authorization Combination Rules. ## Sources - https://docs.ifs.com/ifsclouddocs/26r1/lang/en/SupplierInvoicing/ActivityEnterCombRulesperAuthGrp.htm - https://docs.ifs.com/ifsclouddocs/25r2/SupplierInvoicing/ActivityAutomaticAuthorization.htm - https://docs.ifs.com/ifsclouddocs/25r2/Procurement/AboutPurchaseAuthorization.htm - https://docs.ifs.com/ifsclouddocs/25r2/SubConValuation/AboutSubContractValuation.htm - https://community.ifs.com/finance-financials-42/subcontract-automatic-invoice-approval-if-100-matched-62890 - https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/security-of-payment/responding-to-a-payment-claim - https://www.qld.gov.au/securityofpayment ### Also confirmed by - IFS employee community reply, 2025: https://community.ifs.com/finance-financials-42/subcontract-automatic-invoice-approval-if-100-matched-62890 Source: https://www.pulsify.tech/invoice-approvals-in-ifs-cloud-for-builders/ (last checked 2026-10-19)