docs-piam/pr-after-approval-guide.md

What Happens After Purchase Requisition Approval

Document Information

• Document Type: Process Guide
• Audience: All Procurement Users
• Last Updated: 2025-10-30
• Version: 1.0

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Overview

Understanding what happens after a Purchase Requisition (PR) is approved is essential for planning your procurement activities. This document explains the approval consequences, status transitions, and document immutability rules.

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Table of Contents

1. Immediate Effects of Approval
2. Status Transitions After Approval
3. Document Immutability Explained
4. Budget Impact
5. Next Steps in Procurement
6. Audit Trail
7. Frequently Asked Questions

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Immediate Effects of Approval

When an approver clicks "Approve" on a Purchase Requisition, several things happen instantly:

1. Status Change

Pending Approval → Approved

2. Document Lock

• ❌ All editing is disabled
• ❌ Cannot modify any field
• ❌ Cannot add or remove line items
• ❌ Cannot change quantities or prices
• ❌ Cannot update budget information

3. Approval Information Recorded

The system captures:

• Approved By: Name of the approver
• Approved At: Date and time of approval (UTC)
• Approval Remarks: Any comments from approver
• User Information: IP address and system details

4. Budget Commitment

• Budget is marked as committed
• Amount is reserved against budget code
• Available budget is reduced
• Budget tracking is updated

5. Notifications Sent

• Requester receives approval notification
• Procurement team is notified
• Finance team may receive notification
• Next step assignees are alerted

6. Audit Log Entry

• Approval action is logged
• Full audit trail is maintained
• Timestamps are recorded
• User actions are tracked

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Status Transitions After Approval

Once approved, a PR can move through these statuses:

Approved → Converted to RFQ

When: PR is converted to Request for Quotation

Process:

1. Procurement team reviews approved PR
2. Decision made to obtain quotations
3. RFQ is created from PR
4. PR status updates to "Converted to RFQ"

Impact:

• PR remains permanently locked
• RFQ process begins
• Suppliers will be invited to quote
• Original PR serves as audit reference

Approved → Converted to Purchase Order

When: PR is directly converted to PO (without RFQ)

Process:

1. Supplier is already known
2. Pricing is pre-agreed
3. PO is created directly from PR
4. PR status updates to "Converted to PO"

Common Scenarios:

• Single source supplier
• Framework agreement purchases
• Emergency procurements
• Low-value purchases

Impact:

• PR remains permanently locked
• PO is issued to supplier
• Delivery process begins
• Original PR serves as audit reference

Any Status → Closed

When: PR is closed for various reasons

Reasons for Closing:

• ✅ Completed: Full procurement cycle finished
• ❌ Cancelled: No longer needed
• ⏸️ On Hold: Temporarily suspended
• 🔄 Superseded: Replaced by new PR

Impact:

• PR is permanently archived
• No further actions possible
• Audit trail is preserved
• Cannot be reopened

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Document Immutability Explained

What Is Immutability?

Immutability means a document cannot be changed or modified after a certain point. For Purchase Requisitions, this happens at approval.

Why Is It Important?

1. Financial Control

• Before Approval: Amount can change
• After Approval: Amount is fixed
• Reason: Budget commitment must be accurate

Example:

PR #12345
Draft: $5,000 → Changed to $6,000 ✅ (allowed)
Approved: $6,000 → Cannot change to $7,000 ❌ (blocked)

2. Audit Compliance

• What was approved must match what was procured
• Audit trail must show original approved amounts
• No retroactive changes allowed
• Complete accountability maintained

3. Process Integrity

• Prevents bypassing approval workflow
• Stops unauthorized changes
• Maintains approval authority
• Ensures proper governance

4. Legal Protection

• Approved document is legal commitment
• Serves as contract basis
• Protects organization from disputes
• Ensures compliance with regulations

Which Statuses Are Immutable?

Status	Immutable?	Can View?	Can Edit?	Can Approve?
Draft	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No
Pending Approval	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	✅ Yes
Approved	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
Rejected	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No
Converted to RFQ	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
Converted to PO	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
Closed	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No

Visual Indicators of Immutability

When you view an immutable PR, you'll see:

1. Lock Icon 🔒

Purchase Requisition #PR-2025-001234 🔒

• Appears in page header
• Clearly indicates locked status
• Tooltip explains why locked

2. Document Locked Banner

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ⚠️ This document is locked and cannot be edited │
│ Purchase requisitions cannot be modified after   │
│ approval. Contact your administrator if changes │
│ are needed.                                      │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

3. View Only Badge

[View Only]

• Appears near action buttons
• Replaces edit/save buttons
• Clear visual cue

4. Grayed Out Fields

• All input fields are disabled
• Text is grayed out
• No cursor in fields
• Clear visual difference from editable form

5. No Action Buttons

• No "Save Draft" button
• No "Submit for Approval" button
• Only "Close" or "Back" available
• Print/Export may be available

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Budget Impact

At Approval Time

Budget Commitment

When PR is approved, the budget is committed:

Budget Code: OPEX-2025-IT-001
Available Budget Before: $50,000
PR Amount: $10,000
Available Budget After: $40,000
Committed Budget: $10,000

Budget Tracking

• Amount is tracked against budget code
• Remaining budget is calculated
• Future PRs check available budget
• Budget reports show commitments

Budget Period

• Commitment is for current fiscal period
• Crossing fiscal years may require special approval
• Budget may roll over or expire based on policy

What If Budget Changes?

Scenario: Budget Increased After Approval

• Approved PR amount doesn't change
• Additional budget available for new PRs
• Original PR remains as approved

Scenario: Budget Cut After Approval

• Approved PRs are honored
• May affect future PRs
• Finance may review commitments
• Special approval may be needed

Scenario: Budget Reallocated

• Finance handles budget transfers
• Approved PRs follow original budget
• New PRs use new budget allocation

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Next Steps in Procurement

Immediately After Approval

1. Procurement Review (Day 1-2)

• Procurement team reviews approved PR
• Verifies item specifications
• Confirms supplier availability
• Plans procurement method

2. Sourcing Decision (Day 2-3)

Procurement decides:

• Option A: Create RFQ (multiple suppliers)
• Option B: Create PO directly (single supplier)
• Option C: Use framework agreement

3. Document Creation (Day 3-5)

• RFQ or PO is created from PR
• PR status updates to "Converted"
• Procurement process continues
• PR serves as reference

Timeline Expectations

Small Purchases (<$10,000)

Approval → PO Creation: 1-3 business days
PO Creation → Delivery: 5-10 business days
Total Time: 6-13 business days

Medium Purchases ($10,000-$50,000)

Approval → RFQ Creation: 2-3 business days
RFQ Process: 7-14 business days
PO Creation → Delivery: 10-20 business days
Total Time: 19-37 business days

Large Purchases (>$50,000)

Approval → RFQ Creation: 3-5 business days
RFQ Process: 14-30 business days
Evaluation & Award: 5-10 business days
PO Creation → Delivery: 20-45 business days
Total Time: 42-90 business days

Note: Timelines vary by organization and procurement policy

Tracking Your PR

Status Monitoring

1. Navigate to Procurement → Purchase Requisitions
2. Find your PR by number
3. Check current status
4. View status history

Related Documents

Once converted, you can see:

• Link to RFQ (if created)
• Link to PO (if created)
• Related contracts
• Delivery documents

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Audit Trail

What Is Recorded?

Every action on a PR is tracked:

1. Creation

• Created by (user name)
• Created at (date/time)
• Initial values

2. Modifications (Draft Stage)

• Changed by (user name)
• Changed at (date/time)
• What was changed (before/after values)

3. Submission

• Submitted by
• Submitted at
• Status transition: Draft → Pending Approval

4. Approval/Rejection

• Approved/Rejected by
• Approved/Rejected at
• Approval remarks
• User's IP address
• System information

5. Modification Attempts (After Approval)

• Attempted by (user name)
• Attempted at (date/time)
• What user tried to change
• Why it was blocked
• IP address
• User agent

6. Conversions

• Converted by
• Converted at
• Converted to (RFQ/PO)
• Reference numbers

Viewing Audit Logs

For Regular Users:

• View approval history on PR detail page
• See who approved and when
• View approval remarks

For Administrators:

• Access full audit logs
• View all modification attempts
• See detailed change history
• Export audit reports

Audit Log Retention

• Standard Retention: 7 years
• Legal Requirements: Per local regulations
• Access Controls: Restricted to authorized personnel
• Backup: Included in system backups

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Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Q: Can I edit my PR after approval? A: No. Once approved, PRs are permanently locked to maintain audit integrity and financial control.

Q: What if I made a mistake in the PR? A: Contact your supervisor or procurement manager. Depending on the stage:

• Not yet converted: May need to create new PR
• Already converted: Changes must be in RFQ/PO

Q: How long does approval take? A: Varies by organization. Typically 1-3 business days for standard PRs. Urgent PRs may be expedited.

Q: Can I cancel an approved PR? A: Not directly. Contact procurement team. They can close it if not yet converted.

Budget Questions

Q: Does approval mean budget is spent? A: No. Budget is "committed" (reserved) but not spent until goods/services are received.

Q: What happens if budget is unavailable? A: PR shouldn't be approved without budget. If approved incorrectly, finance will review.

Q: Can I use the same budget for multiple PRs? A: Yes, as long as total doesn't exceed available budget. Each PR commits its portion.

Process Questions

Q: When will I receive my items? A: After approval:

1. PR converts to RFQ/PO (1-5 days)
2. Supplier processes order (varies)
3. Delivery (depends on items) Total: 2-12 weeks typically

Q: Can I track delivery? A: Yes, once converted to PO. PO will have tracking information.

Q: What if supplier delays delivery? A: Contact procurement team. They manage supplier relationships and delivery schedules.

Technical Questions

Q: Why can't I click Save button? A: If PR is approved, there's no Save button. Document is locked. You can only view.

Q: System shows "Document Locked" error A: This is normal for approved PRs. It's a security feature to prevent unauthorized changes.

Q: Can admin override the lock? A: Generally no. Even administrators must follow audit and compliance rules. Special amendment procedures may exist.

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Important Reminders

Before Submitting for Approval

✅ Double-check everything - You won't be able to edit after approval

✅ Verify quantities - Make sure amounts are correct

✅ Confirm budget code - Ensure correct budget is charged

✅ Review pricing - Verify prices are reasonable

✅ Check delivery date - Ensure timeline is realistic

After Approval

📌 Save your PR number - Keep for tracking and reference

📌 Monitor status - Check periodically for updates

📌 Coordinate with procurement - They'll handle next steps

📌 Plan for delivery - Prepare for goods arrival

📌 Keep documentation - Save approval emails and documents

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Need Help?

Quick Reference

• View PR Status: Procurement → Purchase Requisitions → Find PR
• Check Budget: Budget Reports or Finance Department
• Track Delivery: PO tracking once converted
• Approval Issues: Contact your supervisor
• Technical Issues: Contact IT Support

Contact Information

• Procurement Team: [Your org contact]
• Finance Department: [Your org contact]
• IT Support: [Your org contact]
• Supervisor: [Department specific]

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Related Documentation

• User Guide: Complete guide to creating and approving PRs
• FAQ Document: Answers to common questions
• System Administrator Guide: Technical implementation details
• Training Materials: Available from IT Department

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Document End

This document explains the post-approval process. For complete PR lifecycle information, see the User Guide.