AutoCount Payment Approval Plugin

AutoCount Payment Approval Plugin — Payment Voucher Approval Control for AutoCount

AutoCount Payment Approval Plugin is an AutoCount Accounting add-on that ensures all company payment vouchers and official receipts are reviewed and approved by authorised users before they are processed. Staff create and hold the payment for approval — supervisors or managers review the transaction details and either approve or reject it from a centralised approval screen. This plugin adds a critical layer of financial control to AutoCount for Malaysian businesses that need to prevent unauthorised payments and enforce proper payment authorisation procedures.

Why AutoCount Payment Approval Plugin?

In standard AutoCount Accounting, any user with payment entry access can create and post a payment voucher immediately — there is no built-in approval step. This means a single staff member can initiate and complete a payment without a second pair of eyes reviewing it. For businesses where payment amounts are significant or where multiple staff handle accounts payable, this is a financial control gap. The Payment Approval Plugin closes this gap by inserting a mandatory approval step between payment creation and payment posting. No payment goes out without authorised sign-off.

AutoCount Payment Approval Plugin Key Features

Hold Payment for Approval

When a user creates a payment voucher or official receipt, a "Hold Payment" button is available instead of direct posting. Clicking Hold Payment saves the transaction in a pending approval queue — the payment is recorded but not posted to the ledger. The transaction sits in the approval queue until a supervisor reviews and approves it. This prevents payments from being processed without authorisation.

Centralised Payment Approval Screen

Supervisors and managers access the Payment Approval System screen to view all held payments awaiting approval. Review payment details — amount, payee, payment method, cheque number, description, and supporting information — from a single list. Approve, edit, or reject transactions directly from this screen. No need to search through individual payment entries.

Approval with Edit Capability

Approvers can edit the payment transaction before approving — adjust amounts, correct payment details, add descriptions, or modify account codes. This allows supervisors to correct errors at the approval stage rather than rejecting the payment and asking the staff to re-enter it from scratch.

Approval Threshold Rules

Configure rules for automated or manual approval based on payment amount. Payments below a certain threshold can be automatically approved, while payments exceeding a specified amount require manual review by an authorised approver. This balances operational speed for small payments with proper controls for large disbursements.

Escalation for Delayed Approvals

When payments are held in the queue and not acted on promptly, the plugin can escalate the request to higher-level approvers or send notifications. This prevents payment delays caused by approval bottlenecks — suppliers get paid on time while maintaining proper authorisation controls.

Document Attachment and Comments

Users can attach supporting documents — supplier invoices, purchase orders, delivery orders, contracts — to the payment request. Approvers can also add comments to the approval record. This creates a documented trail of why a payment was requested and why it was approved, providing context for audit review.

Access Right Control

The plugin integrates with AutoCount's General Maintenance > User Maintenance > Access Right system. Administrators define which users can create and hold payments, which users can approve payments, and which users have access to the approval screen. Proper segregation of duties — the person who creates the payment is not the same person who approves it.

Who Should Buy AutoCount Payment Approval Plugin?

Businesses with Multiple Staff Handling Payments

Any Malaysian SME where more than one person processes supplier payments, creditor disbursements, or expense reimbursements. The plugin ensures no single staff member can create and process a payment without a supervisor reviewing it first.

Companies with High Payment Volumes

Businesses processing dozens or hundreds of payment vouchers monthly — wholesale, distribution, manufacturing, construction — where the risk and impact of an unauthorised or erroneous payment is significant. The centralised approval screen gives management visibility over all pending payments in one place.

Businesses Required to Demonstrate Internal Controls

Companies undergoing external audit, applying for bank facilities, or subject to regulatory oversight that requires demonstrable payment authorisation procedures. The plugin provides a documented approval trail — who requested, who approved, when, and with what supporting documents — that auditors can review.

Owner-Managed SMEs Delegating Payment Entry

Business owners who have hired accounts staff to key in payments but want to retain final approval authority over all disbursements. Staff enter and hold payments during the day — the owner reviews and approves the batch at the end of the day or at a set time.

Businesses Implementing Segregation of Duties

Organisations that need to separate payment initiation from payment approval as an internal control measure. The plugin enforces this separation at the system level — it cannot be bypassed by the payment creator.

AutoCount Payment Approval Plugin vs Sales & Purchase Approval Control Plugin

These are two different plugins for two different document types. Payment Approval controls payment vouchers and official receipts (cash going out or coming in). Sales & Purchase Approval Control handles quotations, sales orders, purchase orders, and request for quotations (commercial documents before payment). If you need approval on payments, use Payment Approval. If you need approval on sales and purchase documents, use Sales & Purchase Approval Control. Many businesses need both.

What's Included

✅ Hold Payment for Approval Workflow
✅ Centralised Payment Approval Screen
✅ Approve, Edit, or Reject Pending Payments
✅ Approval Threshold Rules
✅ Escalation for Delayed Approvals
✅ Document Attachment & Comments
✅ Access Right Control (Segregation of Duties)
✅ Requires AutoCount Accounting Basic Edition and above
✅ Compatible with AutoCount Accounting 2.2