Automated Coupa Approval Backlog Reports
Every weekday morning, WebRun signs in to Coupa, reads every requisition and invoice sitting in an approval step, works out how long each has waited and who it is waiting on, books a short clearing block on your Google Calendar when the queue is above your limit, and queues a Twilio SMS to each slow approver for you to release.
How do I stop purchase approvals from sitting in the queue for days?
WebRun reads the Coupa approval queue every weekday morning, recording how long each requisition and invoice has waited, who holds it, and how much spend is stuck. It books a clearing block on your Google Calendar when the backlog passes your limit and queues a Twilio SMS to slow approvers for you to release.
- The backlog and the spend it holds up are visible every morning
- A clearing block is booked only when the queue is genuinely over the limit
- Approver nudges wait for your release and never reach suppliers
Built for procurement teams · accounts payable · finance managers · operations leaders
What does WebRun do on every run?
The exact actions WebRun takes, in order - in plain language, so you can adjust anything.
-
WebRun signs in and gets to work
Opens
www.coupa.comin a real browser with your saved login - no setup, no API keys. -
1
Coupa - read the approval backlog
coupa.com
WebRun opens Coupa to read the approval backlog. - Sign in to Coupa and open the approvals view for requisitions and invoices
- Capture every document pending approval with its number, supplier, amount, requester, current approver, and the date it entered the step
- Work out days waiting for each and mark anything past your service target
- Note the total value of spend currently held up
- Skip documents already rejected or fully approved
Done when Every pending approval has a waiting time, an owner, and a value.
-
2
Google Calendar - book a clearing block
calendar.google.com
WebRun opens Google Calendar to book a clearing block. - Check today's Google Calendar for a free slot in the afternoon
- When the queue is above the limit you set, create a private 30 minute hold on your own calendar titled for clearing approvals
- Put the count of pending items and the held-up value in the event description, oldest first
- Never invite anyone else to the hold and never move an existing meeting
Done when A clearing block exists on your calendar whenever the backlog is over the limit.
-
3
Twilio - queue a nudge to slow approvers
twilio.com
WebRun opens Twilio to queue a nudge to slow approvers. - Draft a short SMS for each approver holding a document past the service target, naming the document number and the days waited
- Queue every message in Twilio for your approval rather than sending it
- Use only numbers on your saved internal approver list. Suppliers are never texted
- Skip approvers whose queue cleared since yesterday
Done when A nudge is queued and awaiting your release for each slow approver.
How is each run configured?
Secure by default
Connect once, stays signed in
WebRun signs in once and keeps each session in a persistent environment, so every run picks up right where it left off.
Every action is checked against this policy before it runs.
Questions, answered
Can it approve or reject documents in Coupa?
No. WebRun reads the approval queue and reports it. It never approves, rejects, edits, or submits a requisition or invoice, so every spend decision stays with the named approver.
Will suppliers be contacted?
No. Only internal approvers on your saved number list can be texted, and every SMS is queued in Twilio for you to release. Suppliers are never messaged by this workflow.
What if the backlog is small?
Nothing is booked. The calendar hold is only created when pending items sit above the limit you set, so quiet days leave your afternoon alone.
Related templates
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