Automate Approval Workflows
To automate approval workflows, you first have to write down the rules people currently keep in their heads. We map who approves what and at which limits, then build the flows in Odoo or your existing tools, with reminders, escalation and a full audit trail.
What you can expect to move
- Cycle time
- Approval turnaround
- Report preparation time
- Operating cost
Why “automate approval workflows” rarely happens with one channel
Manual approvals slow everything downstream. Purchase requests sit in an inbox, expense claims wait for a signature from someone travelling, and discount approvals happen on WhatsApp with no record. When rules are unclear, staff route requests to whoever answers fastest, which creates audit problems later. Automation projects fail when they copy this mess into software instead of fixing the rules first.
Our first move is documenting each approval type: who raises it, which thresholds trigger which approver, what happens when someone is on leave, and what records finance or auditors need. Then we configure the workflows in Odoo or build them in your existing ERP, CRM or workflow tool, with email and mobile notifications, automatic escalation after a set time, and dashboards of pending items. Teams get faster decisions; finance gets a clean trail of who approved what and when.
We find the constraint first, then put the right specialist services under one plan and one owner, so every change is measured against the same outcome.
How it all comes together
Diagnose
Baseline the metric, find the constraint and size the opportunity.
Design
Choose the service mix and sequence that removes the constraint fastest.
Deploy
Specialists execute in parallel under one plan and one owner.
Optimise
Weekly iteration against the outcome, not vanity metrics.
Services that deliver this solution
Each one is a specialist discipline. Together they remove the constraint.
Workflow Automation Services
App-to-app workflows in Zapier, Make, n8n or Power Automate, with error alerts, documentation and clear ownership.
ExploreBusiness Process Automation Services
Automated approvals, order processing, reporting and team handoffs, built on your existing apps with clear owners and alerts.
ExploreOdoo Implementation Services
Odoo setup for sales, inventory, manufacturing, accounting and GST, with clean data migration and role-based training.
ExploreCustom Software Development Services
Software built around your process, delivered in phases with testing, documentation and full code ownership.
ExploreWhat we measure
Cycle time
Baselined in week one and reported monthly.
Approval turnaround
Baselined in week one and reported monthly.
Report preparation time
Baselined in week one and reported monthly.
Operating cost
Baselined in week one and reported monthly.
Your first three months
Diagnose & quick wins
Audit, tracking fixes, baseline and the first quick wins live.
Build & launch
Core changes shipped across the service bundle; testing begins.
Optimise & scale
Double down on what works, cut what does not, plan the next quarter.
You may also be interested in
Case studies & resources
Real-world results and practical reading to help you plan your next step.
Client stories
How similar work has played out for other businesses.
Helpful resources
Guides, tools and articles our team recommends on this topic.
Questions we often hear
Straight answers to the things clients ask us most. If yours isn’t here, just ask.
Which approval workflows should we automate first?
Can approvals be automated without a full ERP?
How quickly can you help us automate approval workflows?
Do we need all the services in the bundle?
Can you work with our in-house team?
Talk it through with someone who has done it before.
A free 30-minute session with a senior Nians strategist. You leave with a prioritised plan, whether or not you work with us.