How to Set Up Direct Manager Approvals

What are direct manager approvals?

Direct manager approvals in Rho allow you to automatically route employee expenses up the direct manager approval chain, which can be assigned both in Rho and via your HRIS integration. This feature enables you to create multi-level approval flows that reflect your organization's unique structure.

Defining the manager relationship

Direct Managers can be assigned easily through your User tab:

  • Navigate to the Users tab and click on the Assign Managers button in your Rho dashboard.

  • Assign direct managers to employees. You can do this manually or by importing your organizational structure from an HRIS or similar system.

    Tip: After importing, any errors will be flagged. Correct these errors in the file and re-upload.

  • While managers can also be updated individually via the User Management page, we recommend exporting your organizational structure from an HRIS or similar system.

Upload CSV interface with options to download a template, select a file, or drag and drop. Text notes file requirements.

Configuring your approval policy

First, enable Expense Approvals by going to Settings > Expense Approvals, and click on the Change button.

Screenshot of an expenses approval settings page with options for assigning reviewers and enabling approval routing, toggle switched on.

Next, start adding approvers. Each tier represents a dollar amount threshold for which an approver or approvers will be notified to approve.

  • Direct managers can be assigned solo to a tier or combined with a static user. When multiple approvers are in a tier, any one of them can approve or reject.


Approvals are determined by dollar amount. You can set a threshold, like $100 and below, to auto-approve and assign multiple levels of approval within that threshold.

Approval Routing for Specific Amounts

Approval routing for specific amounts allows organizations to set up tailored approval processes based on the value of expenses. By setting Expense Approvals, organizations can maintain a balance between efficiency and control, ensuring that all expenses are handled according to their financial policies and risk management strategies.

Example for Default Approver and Approval Routing Paths

To require approvals for certain transaction amounts, you can create multiple levels of approval.

In the example below:

  • All spending under $10 will be auto-approved

  • For transactions over $10, a user in the first tier of approvers must approve

  • For transactions over $1,000, both a user in the first tier and the second tier must approve

  • All transactions greater than $10,000 require three tiers of approval

Expense approvals interface showing three approval ranges: $10-$999.99, $1,000-$9,999.99, and $10,000 and higher, each with assigned reviewers.

Contact us for any additional support or questions you have.