⚡ Payments Workflow Setup in Trovata TMS
🏗️ Understanding the Payment Workflow Architecture
A payment workflow defines who can create, review, and approve payments — and under what conditions. Trovata TMS uses a rule-based, tiered approval engine.
📋 Step-by-Step Workflow Setup
---
Step 1: Define Workflow Roles
First, establish who participates in the payment process:
Role | Responsibility |
Payment Initiator | Creates/enters the payment |
Payment Reviewer | First-level review (optional) |
Payment Approver | Authorizes the payment |
Super Approver | High-value payment authority |
System Admin | Configures workflow rules |
Trovata TMS Menu → Administration → User Management → Roles → Assign Payment Roles
---
Step 2: Configure Approval Rules
Navigate to the workflow engine:
Trovata TMS Menu → Cash Management → Payment Configuration → Workflow Rules
Define rules based on these trigger criteria:
Criteria | Examples |
Amount Threshold | < $50K, $50K–$500K, > $500K |
Payment Type | Wire, ACH, Check, Internal |
Currency | USD, EUR, GBP |
Bank Account | Specific accounts needing extra controls |
Counterparty | New/unverified beneficiaries |
Geography | Domestic vs. International |
Entity | Business unit or legal entity |
---
Step 3: Build Approval Tiers
Set up multi-level approval chains:
Tier 1 (Straight-Through Processing) ├── Amount: < $10,000 ├── Payment Type: Internal Transfer ├── Approvers Required: 0 (auto-approve) └── Action: Route directly to bank
Tier 2 (Single Approval) ├── Amount: $10,000 – $250,000 ├── Payment Type: ACH / Wire ├── Approvers Required: 1 └── Approver Pool: Treasury Analysts
Tier 3 (Dual Approval) ├── Amount: $250,000 – $1,000,000 ├── Payment Type: Any ├── Approvers Required: 2 └── Approver Pool: Treasury Managers
Tier 4 (Executive Approval) ├── Amount: > $1,000,000 ├── Payment Type: Any ├── Approvers Required: 2 + CFO Sign-off └── Approver Pool: Senior Leadership
---
Step 4: Set Up Approval Groups
Trovata TMS Menu → Administration → Approval Groups → New Group
Field | Description |
Group Name | e.g., "Treasury Approvers - Tier 2" |
Members | Add authorized approvers |
Approval Type | Any-one (OR) vs. All-members (AND) |
Escalation Time | Auto-escalate after X hours |
Delegate | Backup approver when primary is unavailable |
Notification | Email/SMS alert on pending approval |
---
Step 5: Configure Segregation of Duties (SOD)
Critical internal control — the person who creates cannot approve:
SOD Rules → New Rule: ├── Rule: Initiator ≠ Approver ├── Scope: All payments ├── Override: CFO only (with audit log) └── Enforcement: Hard block (not just warning)
Control | Setting |
4-Eyes Principle | Minimum 2 people touch every payment |
Dual Control | Separate create and approve functions |
Self-Approval Block | Users cannot approve their own payments |
Role Conflict Check | System prevents conflicting role assignments |
---
Step 6: Set Up Payment Validation Rules
Before routing for approval, Trovata TMS validates:
Validation Engine → Configure Rules:
Validation | Description |
Beneficiary Whitelist | Only approved payees allowed |
Amount Limits | Per-payment and daily limits |
Cut-off Time Check | Reject if past bank cut-off |
Duplicate Detection | Flag similar payments within 24 hrs |
Sanctions Screening | OFAC/SDN list check |
Bank Account Validation | Verify routing/account numbers |
Currency Check | Account supports payment currency |
---
Step 7: Configure Notifications & Alerts
Set up automated notifications at each stage:
Event | Notify |
Payment created | Approver(s) via email/mobile |
Payment approved | Initiator + next approver |
Payment rejected | Initiator with reason |
Payment sent to bank | Initiator + Finance team |
Payment confirmed | All parties |
Approval overdue | Manager escalation |
High-value payment | CFO/Controller alert |
Trovata TMS Menu → Notifications → Payment Alerts → Configure Templates
---
Step 8: Set Up Cut-off Times
Define bank submission deadlines by payment type:
Payment Type | Typical Cut-off | Same Day? |
Fedwire | 5:00 PM ET | Yes |
ACH Same Day | 2:45 PM ET | Yes |
ACH Next Day | 8:00 PM ET | Next Day |
SWIFT Wire | 4:00 PM ET | Yes |
Internal Transfer | 6:00 PM ET | Yes |
> ⚠️ These are examples — configure based on your bank's specific cut-off times
---
Step 9: Test the Workflow
Before going live, run through these scenarios:
Test Case | Expected Result |
Small payment (< $10K) | Auto-approved, sent to bank |
Mid-range payment | Routes to Tier 2 approver |
Large payment (> $1M) | Escalates to executive approval |
Initiator tries to approve own payment | Hard block — SOD violation |
Payment submitted after cut-off | Queued for next business day |
Duplicate payment submitted | Flagged for review |
Sanctioned entity payment | Blocked — compliance alert |
---
Step 10: Go Live Checklist
✅ All approval roles assigned to users
✅ SOD rules tested and enforced
✅ Notification templates configured
✅ Cut-off times set per bank/payment type
✅ Beneficiary whitelist populated
✅ Sanctions screening enabled
✅ Audit trail logging verified
✅ Escalation rules tested
✅ Bank connectivity confirmed
✅ UAT sign-off from Treasury & Compliance
---
🔐 Best Practices
Practice | Why It Matters |
Always enforce SOD | Prevents internal fraud |
Use time-based escalation | Prevents payment delays |
Review workflow quarterly | Staff changes, new risk areas |
Log all overrides | Audit trail for SOX/compliance |
Test disaster recovery | What if primary approver unavailable? |
Monitor approval times | Identify bottlenecks in the process |
---
🆘 Common Workflow Issues
Issue | Solution |
Payment stuck in approval | Check escalation rules, notify approver |
Wrong tier triggered | Review amount thresholds in workflow rules |
SOD blocking valid user | Review role assignments |
Notifications not sending | Check email configuration in ATOM |
Cut-off time mismatch | Verify bank time zone settings |
---