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Invoice Approvals

This page explains when invoice approval is required, how approvers complete approvals from email, and where to find training resources and help. Training resources referenced on this page are available here.

When is an invoice approval required?

Invoice approval is required for:

  • All project-related (C&G funds) invoices
  • All sub-award invoices
  • All non-project invoices over $10,000

Invoice Approvers receive an automated email from Oracle when an invoice requires approval. While this notification is copied to the analyst, the approver must use the original email sent directly from Oracle—not a forwarded version—to complete the approval process.  The approval email includes notes, line-item details, project summary, accounting lines, and taxes.

PI approval requirements

PI approval is required for all project-related (C&G funds) and sub-award invoices.

For sponsored projects, the Project/Award Prime PI (Principal Investigator) is often the only individual authorized to approve these invoices. Departments are encouraged to share the Academic Invoices & Requisition Approval Processes (MLV) video with their PIs.

How email approval works

Step 1 – Review the invoice

You can review the invoice in two ways:

  • Open the invoice attachment included with the approval email, or
  • Use the link at the bottom of the email to open the invoice image

Step 2 – Approve, reject, or request information

  • Use the email buttons to Approve, Reject/Deny, or Request Info
  • Click the Approve button (green box) to approve the invoice
  • Only the original approver’s email contains active action buttons — forwarded copies will not work

Additional tools included in the email

The approval email also provides links to:

  • Workspace Application – opens your Oracle worklist where you can view approval tasks and additional details
  • Invoice Image PDF – opens a PDF of the supplier invoice as submitted

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do Invoice Approvers need EACS access to approve invoices?
A: No. Approvers can complete the approval process directly from the Oracle email without separate EACS access.

Q: How can I confirm that an invoice has been approved?
A. After you approve the invoice, use the Workspace Application link in the email. In the top right corner of the workspace, select the Approval button to view the approval history.

Q: Which invoices need approval?
A. Approval is required for project or grant-related PO invoices over $10,000 and all sub-award invoices.

Q: Who usually approves project invoices?
A: For projects, the Project/Award Prime PI is often the only person who can approve these invoices.