Pay Run Approvals let you set up a sign-off step so the right people can review a pay run before it is posted. Approvers get a link to a page showing the pay run's totals and reports, and can either approve it or send it back with a note asking for changes.

What this guide covers:

This feature is currently only available for organisations using Tanda Payroll (AU).

Important: Approvers can see wages on payslips through the approval page, but they need the view payroll reports permission to see the pay run reports. Managers don't have this permission by default, so if a manager is going to approve pay runs, make sure you add it to their permission level first. See Customise Permission Levels for how to do this.

How it Works

Approvals are set up per company file. Once enabled, a panel appears on draft pay runs to send the pay run to approvers before being posted.

How it works:

The person running payroll sends the pay run for approval.
The approvers are emailed and notified in Tanda, with a link to the approval page.
An approver reviews the pay run and either approves it or requests changes, and can leave a note.
If changes are requested, the person who sent it is notified and can see the note on the pay run.
Once approved, this shows on the pay run page and the pay run can be posted as normal.

Note: Pending approval doesn't prevent posting. Pay run approvals are a way for pay runs to be signed off and for changes to be tracked within Tanda. Pay runs can still be posted if they are not approved.

Setting Up Pay Run Approvals

Pay Run Approvals are set up separately for each company file.

Navigate to Payroll > Settings > Company Setup.
Select the company file you want to set up approvals for if you have multiple.
Open the Pay run approval tab.
Choose who needs to approve pay runs. You can pick positions, teams or individual people.
Click Save.

Click View approvers next to a step after saving to see the list of people it covers.

Using more than one approval step

If you need more than one level of approval, you can add additional steps by clicking + Add Stage. The pay run is approved once every step has been signed off. When a step has several approvers, any one of them can approve for that step.

Turning approvals off

To turn approvals off, remove all approvers and save.

Sending a Pay Run for Approval

Once approvers are set up, a panel will appear on draft pay runs. Anyone that can view the pay run can send it for approval.

Once the pay run is ready, click the Send for Approval button at the top of the page:

The pay run will now show as Pending approval.

Each approver receives an email and a notification in Tanda with a link to the approval page.

Note: Approvals aren't available for test mode pay runs, or if there are blocking warnings present.

Reviewing and Approving a Pay Run

Approvers can open the link from their email or Tanda notification to get to the approval page, or go directly from the pay run page. It shows the pay run's totals and reports, as well as any notes left on the pay run, so they can check everything before signing off.

From the pay run page, click Review Pay Run:

From there, the approver can:

Approve the pay run.
Request changes and add a note explaining what needs fixing.

Whoever sent the pay run for approval can't approve it themselves, even if they're listed as an approver.

Any comment an approver adds when approving or requesting changes is saved against the pay run as a note. When changes are requested, the person who sent the pay run is notified and can read the note on the pay run:

You can view notes at any time from the top of the pay run:

Once the pay run is approved, whoever sent it for approval will receive a notification that their pay run is ready to be posted.

Withdrawn Approvals

An approval only applies to the pay run as it was when it was reviewed. An existing approval, or a pending request, is withdrawn if:

The pay run or any of its payslips are changed, including when you recalculate the pay run. You'll see a warning before recalculating:
The approver settings for the company file are changed.
The pay run is posted while it's still pending.

When an approval is withdrawn, you'll need to send the pay run for approval again. Notes from earlier approvals and requests are kept.

FAQs

Do I have to get approval before I can post a pay run?

No. Approval doesn't block posting and you can still post without it.

Can an approver see the pay run if they don't normally have access to payroll?

Yes, they can open the pay run through the approval page and see wages on the payslips. To see the reports, they'll also need the view payroll reports permission.

Why can't I see the approval panel on my pay run?

The panel only appears on draft pay runs once approvers have been set up for that company file. It also won't show on test mode pay runs, or for organisations that aren't using Tanda Payroll (AU).

If you see the panel, but not the Send for Approval button, ensure there are no blocking warnings present in the pay run.

I changed something after the pay run was approved. Is it still approved?

No. Any change to the pay run or its payslips withdraws the approval, and you'll need to send it for approval again.

Where can I see the history of an approval?

The pay run's audit trail records when approval was requested, approved, declined or withdrawn.

Is this the same as disbursement approvals?

No. Pay Run Approvals are about signing off the pay run before it's posted. Approving payments that go out through PayTo is a separate feature.