Approval Authority Matrix
Define who can approve what, up to which value, under which conditions — the single most useful artefact for cutting approval cycle time.
Who it's for
Finance directors, project sponsors, HR & ops leadership.
How to use this template
- 1Customise the spend bands to your organisation's risk tolerance.
- 2Publish to all line managers — opacity here is what slows approvals.
- 3Re-review after every annual budget cycle.
Licence
Free to use commercially. Adapt freely for your organisation — attribution to Nightingale Software is appreciated but not required.
Zevolo
Skip the spreadsheet — get the software.
Zevolo
Approvals, spend & project accountability
This template is a great starting point. The Zevolo product turns it into a live system — with reminders, audit trail and the rest of the workflow built in. Free Starter tier, no credit card required.
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