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How to Set Up Approval Workflows for High-Value Perk Requests in 4Geeks Perks

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Managing employee benefits efficiently requires a balance between empowering your team and maintaining budget control. 4Geeks Perks allows organizations to offer a personalized wallet and card system for employee benefits. However, for significant expenditures—such as premium workstation upgrades or large point redemptions—automated oversight is essential.

By configuring approval workflows, you can ensure that high-value requests are reviewed by the appropriate managers or administrators before funds are released or items are dispatched. This article guides you through setting up these safety nets to maintain financial compliance without slowing down your employee engagement efforts.

Prerequisites

Before configuring approval workflows, ensure the following requirements are met:

  • Admin Access: You must have Administrator or Finance Manager permissions on the 4Geeks Console.
  • Active Perks Subscription: Your organization must have an active subscription to 4Geeks Perks.
  • Defined Hierarchy: Your team structure (managers and direct reports) should be correctly configured in the user management section to route approvals dynamically.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps to create a rule-based approval system for specific spending thresholds or categories.

Step 1: Access the Perks Management Dashboard

  1. Log in to the 4Geeks Console using your admin credentials.
  2. Navigate to the Perks module from the main application menu.
  3. Click on the Settings gear icon located in the sidebar and select Policies & Workflows.

Step 2: Create a New Approval Rule

You will now define what constitutes a “high-value” request that triggers the workflow.

  1. Click the + New Workflow button.
  2. Name the Policy: Give it a clear name, such as “High-Value Redemption Approval > $500.”
  3. Set the Trigger Condition:
    • By Amount: Select “Transaction Value” and set the operator to “Greater than.” Enter your threshold amount (e.g., 500 Points or $500 USD).
    • By Category: Alternatively, you can trigger approvals for specific categories, such as “Workstation Delivery” or “Corporate Transportation.”

Step 3: Assign Approvers

Decide who needs to sign off on these requests. 4Geeks Perks allows for flexible routing.

  1. In the Routing section, select the approver type:
    • Line Manager: Routes the request to the employee’s direct supervisor defined in their profile.
    • Specific User: Routes all requests to a dedicated Finance Officer or HR Administrator.
    • Team Lead: Routes to the leader associated with the specific department.
  2. Multi-Level Approval (Optional): Click Add Approval Step if you require a secondary sign-off (e.g., first the Line Manager, then the Finance Director) for extremely high-value items.

Step 4: Configure Notifications and Timeout Actions

Ensure stakeholders are notified instantly to prevent bottlenecks.

  1. Notifications: Enable email and in-app notifications for both the Requester (to know their request is pending) and the Approver (to know action is required).
  2. Auto-Rejection/Approval: Define what happens if a request is ignored for a set period (e.g., 72 hours). It is best practice to set this to Auto-Reject for high-value items to protect the budget.
  3. Click Publish Workflow to make the rule active immediately.

Common Use Cases

Scenario 1: Controlling Hardware Expenses

Situation: An employee requests a new standing desk and ergonomic chair via the “Workstation delivery” service in the 4Geeks Perks catalog. The total cost is 1,200 points.

Application: You have set up a workflow that triggers for any “Office Supplies” or “Hardware” request over 500 points.

Result: The request does not process immediately. Instead, the “Pending Approval” status appears in the employee’s wallet. The Office Manager receives an email, reviews the budget availability, and clicks “Approve.” The order is only processed and deducted from the company balance after this click.

Scenario 2: Premium Training Courses

Situation: A developer wants to use their education allowance to purchase an expensive certification course listed in the Premium Catalog.

Application: A policy is in place requiring approval for any transaction categorized as “Training” that exceeds the standard monthly stipend.

Result: The request is routed to the CTO. The CTO verifies that the certification aligns with the employee’s growth path before approving the expenditure, ensuring strategic alignment of 4Geeks Perks funds.

Troubleshooting

Issue 1: Approvers are not receiving email notifications

  • Cause: Emails may be caught in spam filters or the user’s email address is incorrect in the system.
  • Solution: Verify the email address in the User Management section of the 4Geeks Console. Advise approvers to whitelist the no-reply@4geeks.io domain.

Issue 2: The workflow is not triggering for high-value items

  • Cause: Policy priority conflicts. If you have multiple workflows, a broader “Auto-Approve” rule might be taking precedence over your specific “High-Value” rule.
  • Solution: In the Policies & Workflows list, drag your “High-Value” workflow to the top of the list to ensure it is evaluated first by the system logic.

Issue 3: Managers cannot see the “Approve” button

  • Cause: Insufficient permissions. The manager might be listed as a standard user rather than an administrator or approver.
  • Solution: Go to Roles & Permissions and ensure the user has the “Perks Manager” role assigned to their profile.

Conclusion

Setting up approval workflows in 4Geeks Perks acts as a critical safeguard for your company’s resources. It allows you to offer generous benefits and premium items—like electric car charging or high-end office equipment—without losing control over your expenditure. By following these steps, you create a transparent, compliant, and efficient benefits environment.

For further assistance with configuring complex multi-tier workflows, please reach out to our support team or explore more guides in the 4Geeks Help Center.

Additional Resources