Selecting a Payment Authorisation option when setting up ExpensePlus
This article explains how to set up your payment authorisations in ExpensePlus, including single and dual signatures, and bank accounts with different authorisation settings. It also covers changing your authorisation settings.
In this article:
Setting your payment method as single or dual signature
When you first set up ExpensePlus, before you can use the Payments module, you will need to select a Payment Authorisation option. To do this:
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In the Payments Settings screen, click the 'Edit Payments settings' button (pencil icon) to the right of the screen:
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In the 'Edit Payments Settings' pop-up that opens, select the number of people required to authorise payments for your organisation (this should mirror the signing rules you have in place with your banking provider - see below):
When your organisation makes payments via your usual payment method (which for most organisations is an online bank transfer):
- does one person set up payments with a second person needed to authorise payments - often known as 'dual signature' (a 'two signature' requirement)? OR
- does it only require one person to make payments (a 'single signature' requirement)?
The reason we ask this question is to ensure the Payments screen in ExpensePlus mirrors the process you have within your online banking (or with cheques, if you write cheques as your usual payment method).
One signature (Single Signature)
If you select 'Single Signature', your payment screen will be set up as shown below. When you mark a payment as complete (click the 'tick'), it will move the payment to the bank matching screen and give you the option to send a remittance email - find out more about remittance emails here.
Two signatures (dual signature)
If you select 'Two Signatures', your payment screen will be set up as shown below:
- the top table will display payments that need to be made - to be viewed by the person setting up payments;
- the bottom table will display payments that need to be authorised - to be viewed by the person authorising payments.
Ticking a payment for the first time (in the top table) will move the payment to the lower 'Payments to Authorise' table, and give you an option to set up a remittance email.
Ticking a payment for the second time (in the lower table) will mark the payment as complete, move it to the bank matching screen, and send the remittance email.
Two signatures - payment authorisers
In the Payments Settings screen, you can specify a list of 'authorisers' who will be emailed on a daily basis when there are payments to authorise. This mimics the approvals notification process. To do this:
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in the Payments Settings screen, click the 'Edit Payments settings' button (pencil icon) to the right of the screen
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In the 'Edit Payments Settings' pop-up that opens, select the people who can authorise payments for your organisation
If your bank sends authorisation emails to the payment authorisers (e.g. CAF Bank), then leave the 'payment authorisers' field blank. This will avoid those individuals being emailed both by the bank and by ExpensePlus.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What if I have two different bank providers, one of which requires two signatures and the other just one signature?
You should select the option based on the bank account from which you make the majority of payments.
If you are still unsure, you should select the 'two signature' option.
What if I need to change my Payment Authorisation type?
Within Payments Settings, you can change the Payment Authorisation option you have chosen. If you need any help, please do get in touch using the yellow 'send us a message' button at the top of this page.
To help you better understand the Payments module as a whole, please visit the module overview page here.