Setting up Payables is a one-time job for a team member with the Admin role in Payables. Once it is done, everyone works from the same roles, rules and inbox. We strongly recommend reviewing roles and permissions in Payables Settings before your team starts, so the rules fit how your business works.
Before you start
It helps to have:
An active wamo business account with an account you can pay bills from.
The colleagues who will use Payables, ready to be added as team members.
A sense of your approval rules — for example, who should sign off on larger bills.
Set Payables up in five steps
1. Open Payables. In the wamo web app, select Payables in the left-hand navigation.
2. Review roles and permissions. In Settings, add the people who will work on bills and give each one a role — Admin, AP clerk, Approver, Payer or Viewer — so sensitive payment actions stay controlled. See [Link: Payables roles and permissions: who can do what].
3. Create your approval policies. Still in Settings, add the rules that decide which bills approve automatically and which need review. Until you do, every bill waits for an Admin to approve it. See [Link: How do I build approval policies?].
4. Set up your AP inbox. Copy your AP inbox address and configure email forwarding so invoices flow straight into Payables as drafts. See [Link: How does the AP inbox work? Forwarding invoices by email].
5. Add your vendors. Add them up front, or let the AP Trust Agent create vendor drafts as invoices arrive and complete their details later. See [Link: How do I manage vendors in Payables?].
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a particular plan? No. Payables is included on all wamo plans.
Can I use Payables on my phone? Use the wamo web app on a computer. Payables in the mobile app is in development.
Do my existing team members automatically get the right access? Payables has its own roles, set in Payables Settings, and they are separate from your wamo team member access (Director, Manager & Accountant, Employee). Review them before you start — see [Link: Payables roles and permissions: who can do what].
Do I have to add every vendor before I start? No. Vendors can be created automatically from the first invoice they send you, and you complete their details when you assign them to a bill.