{"id":867,"date":"2016-03-21T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-03-21T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/time-waster-8-tracking-down-invoice-approvals\/"},"modified":"2026-02-16T05:37:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T10:37:00","slug":"time-waster-8-tracking-down-invoice-approvals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/time-waster-8-tracking-down-invoice-approvals\/","title":{"rendered":"Time waster #8: Tracking down invoice approvals"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/category\/money-matters\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Money Matters<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tTime waster #8: Tracking down invoice approvals\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2016-03-21T00:00:00-04:00\">March 21, 2016<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"Time waster #8: Tracking down invoice approvals\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/time-waster-8-tracking-down-invoice-approvals\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/author\/debcarpenterbeck\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/04\/CRE-Deb-Carpenter-Beck.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"CRE Deb Carpenter-Beck\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Deb Carpenter-Beck<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/accounting-software\/accounts-payable\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Accounts payable<\/a> clerks have their work cut out for them when it comes to keeping track of invoices sent out for approval. Paper invoices are easily misplaced in the hustle and bustle of the job site. Even if a bill was sent through email, it can get buried among the whirlwind of submittals, drawings, RFIs, meeting minutes, and other job correspondence project managers deal with every day. Finding out who has just one invoice can take numerous phone calls and emails. Multiply that by the number of invoices your construction firm deals with each year, and you can almost see the hands on the not-productive clock quickly ticking away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-time-efficient-invoice-approval\">Time efficient invoice approval<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Many contractors are taking another approach to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/accounting-software\/invoicing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">streamline the invoice approval process<\/a>: They are integrating document management software with their accounting and project management systems. This allows them to set up customized routing rules to make the invoice approval process as efficient as possible. As a result, AP clerks can track invoices electronically while they route from person to person to see exactly who\u2019s sitting on them. It also makes it easier for project managers to see each day the list of invoices they need to approve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-more-than-just-invoices\">More than just invoices<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The construction process is traditionally paper intensive. But it doesn\u2019t have to be. In addition to invoices, you can also electronically store, retrieve, and route lien waivers, AIA payment applications, and other construction documents. For added time savings, look for document management software that will:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Automatically notify reviewers, via email, that a document has been sent to them for approval or other action.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Let you \u201cdigitally staple\u201d related emails, delivery tickets, POs, subcontracts, change orders, and other documents to invoices<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create and deploy electronic forms such as daily reports, punch lists, purchase requisitions, and expense reports.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Easily find documents associated with an invoice, vendor, job, or other criteria.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maintain a history of any revisions made to documents or action taken such as approvals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the Construction Hiring and Business Outlook, document management applications are among the top five software technologies contractors plan to invest in this year. Not surprising. Many contractors are simply fed up with the paper chase and taking steps to do something about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>This post is part of a blog series focused on the top ten time waster often found in construction firms. To learn more about the other nine time wasters, download out new <\/em><a href=\"http:\/\/img06.en25.com\/Web\/SageGlobalInstance\/{200ec67c-715c-4c28-a73f-69232c4337df}_CRE_StaffSmarter_Top-10-time-wasters.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>e-book<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to our Sage Advice Newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get our latest business advice delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-ab515c6e-7e90-4c2f-a67e-113872516e8b\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"Working from home with tea in hand\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Accounts payable clerks have their work cut out for them when it comes to keeping track of invoices sent out for approval. Paper invoices are easily misplaced in the hustle and bustle of the job site. Even if a bill was sent through email, it can get buried among the whirlwind of submittals, drawings, RFIs, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":78,"featured_media":1291,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[192,187,179,184],"business_type":[],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[50],"persona":[],"imagine_tag":[246],"coauthors":[522],"class_list":["post-867","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-money-matters","tag-construction","tag-construction-collaboration","tag-construction-reporting","tag-construction-it","industry-construction-and-real-estate"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-us","author_name":"Deb Carpenter-Beck","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/05\/skender-2026_cc-1.jpg","imagine_tags":{"246":"Construction"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice US","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/867","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/78"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=867"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/867\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35567,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/867\/revisions\/35567"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/1291"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=867"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=867"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=867"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=867"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=867"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=867"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=867"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=867"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=867"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=867"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}