Frequently asked questions

Why can I not approve my own procurement request?

Bilaro strictly enforces segregation of financial duties: if you attempt to approve a request you created, the server returns the error "You cannot approve your own request". Even if you hold a Manager or Director role, the system prohibits approving requests that you created yourself so that no individual can unilaterally authorise company expenditure. This is an intentional compliance control, not a system bug. Any request you submit is automatically excluded from your personal approval queue, and another authorised Manager or Director must review and approve your submission. (If you are the only user in the organisation who can approve at that tier, Bilaro automatically waives the restriction with a recorded audit note.)

Why does my request require Director approval when my Manager already approved it?

Requests that exceed your organisation's configured approval threshold (default: RM 5,000 including SST) automatically escalate to Director review following Manager approval. Both tiers of approval are required before a purchase order can be generated.

What happens when my request is rejected?

When an approver rejects a request, it returns to Draft status. It is not deleted. You can view the approver's mandatory feedback in the red banner at the top of the request, click Edit & Resubmit under Draft Actions, modify your items or quotation documents, and submit it again.

Can I withdraw a request after submitting it?

Yes. As long as a request is in Submitted, Awaiting Manager Approval, or Awaiting Director Approval status, the requester can open the request and click Withdraw Request. The request returns immediately to Draft status, allowing you to edit details or delete the draft entirely.

Why is the Save receipt button disabled when recording goods?

Most organisations enforce mandatory delivery order scanning. If this setting is enabled, you must attach a delivery order file or photo before Bilaro allows you to click Save receipt. Ensure a file is attached under Delivery order scan.

Can I record multiple deliveries for the same purchase order?

Yes. If a supplier delivers an order in multiple batches, enter the exact quantity delivered in your first receipt note. The purchase order marks as Partially Received. You can then record subsequent receipts against the same order until all items have arrived.

Can I use Bilaro on my phone at a site without internet coverage?

Yes. Bilaro includes offline storage for recording receipts. When working without mobile data or Wi-Fi, you can still fill in receipt details and attach camera photos. Tapping Save receipt stores the record on your mobile device in the Waiting to send queue. Once your device reconnects to a network, the receipts automatically synchronise with the server.

How do I cancel an issued purchase order?

Open the purchase order details page, click the More menu button, and select Request PO cancellation (or Cancel PO if authorised as a solo Director). Enter the mandatory reason in the dialog and submit. Note that purchase orders cannot be cancelled if payments or goods receipts have already been recorded against them.

Who is permitted to issue the final purchase order once a request is approved?

Purchase orders are issued by users with Finance, Admin, or Global Admin roles. Under Bilaro's default four-eyes policy, the person who approved the procurement request is prevented from issuing the purchase order. However, if your organisation prefers, an Admin or Global Admin can turn off A different person must issue the PO in Company Settings, or if no other eligible user exists in the company outside the approvers, Bilaro waives the restriction automatically.

Why does Bilaro say a different person must issue the purchase order?

When issuing a purchase order, Bilaro may return the error: "A different person must issue this PO. Your admin can change this in Company settings." This rule exists to enforce segregation of financial duties so that the person who reviewed and approved a request cannot also issue the binding purchase order to the vendor. This is an intentional governance safeguard, not a bug. To proceed, have another team member with the Finance, Admin, or Global Admin role issue the purchase order. Alternatively, if your organisation wishes to allow the same person to approve and issue orders, an Admin or Global Admin can disable A different person must issue the PO under Financial settings in Company Settings. (If no other user in the company holds an eligible issuing role, Bilaro automatically waives the restriction and notes it in the audit trail.)

Why does Bilaro say a different person must record the payment?

When recording a payment on a purchase order or direct payment request, Bilaro may return the error: "A different person must record this payment. Your admin can change this in Company settings." This rule exists to prevent conflict of interest by ensuring that someone who approved the purchase request or issued its purchase order cannot also disburse company funds against it. This is an intentional compliance safeguard, not a bug. To record the payment, ask another user with the Finance or Admin role to record the transaction. Alternatively, an Admin or Global Admin can turn off A different person must issue the PO under Financial settings in Company Settings. (If no other eligible Finance or Admin user exists in the company, the system automatically permits the action with a sole-actor audit note.)

Why does Bilaro say a different person must reverse the payment?

When attempting to reverse an existing payment, Bilaro may return the error: "A different person must reverse this payment. Your admin can change this in Company settings." This rule exists to protect the integrity of financial accounts by ensuring that an individual who recorded a payment cannot unilaterally cancel or reverse it without independent verification. This is an intentional audit and accounting safeguard, not a bug. To proceed, have another team member holding the Finance or Admin role perform the reversal. Alternatively, an Admin or Global Admin can switch off A different person must issue the PO under Financial settings in Company Settings. (If no other eligible user exists in the company to reverse payments, Bilaro waives the rule automatically and logs a sole-actor note.)

Why is my purchase order marked with an Overdue badge?

A purchase order is flagged as overdue when its expected delivery date has passed and the items have not yet been fully received. To clear the overdue warning, open the PO's Receiving tab, click Edit next to Expected delivery, and set a realistic delivery date from today onward.

How do I switch the application language between English and Bahasa Melayu?

Click the language picker in the top navigation bar. Selecting EN switches the interface to English, while selecting BM switches to Bahasa Melayu. All navigation menus, labels, and system alerts update immediately without reloading the page.

What is the difference between a Goods Receipt Note (GRN) and a Service Receipt Note (SRN)?

A Goods Receipt Note (GRN) is used for tangible items (materials, consumables, hardware) and tracks physical item counts and physical condition (Good, Damaged, Missing). A Service Receipt Note (SRN) is used for intangible contractor services, maintenance, or consultancy, and tracks work condition (Satisfactory, Partial, Unsatisfactory) alongside a Completion percentage slider.

What should I do if a supplier's invoice does not match the purchase order?

When Finance or receiving staff record a supplier invoice against a receipt, Bilaro compares the invoice total with the delivered value. If there is a price or quantity discrepancy, Bilaro assigns a Variance status. Finance or Directors can review the variance breakdown and either record an override reason to accept it, or void the invoice if incorrect.

Why does Bilaro say another user must approve the supplier invoice variance?

When attempting to approve a supplier invoice that has a price or quantity discrepancy, Bilaro may return the error: "Another Finance, Director or Admin user must approve this variance: you recorded the invoice." This rule exists under your organisation's payment controls to enforce segregation of duties between entering invoice amounts and approving variances against delivered receipts. This is an intentional anti-fraud and compliance control, not a bug. To clear the variance, have another colleague with the Finance, Director, or Admin role review and approve the discrepancy. This rule applies only while Require a matched invoice before the final payment is on under Payment controls in Company Settings; turning that setting off removes the whole matched-invoice check, not just this rule. (If the person who entered the invoice is the only eligible approver in the company, Bilaro waives the restriction automatically.)

Can a solo Director approve a request without a Manager review?

Yes. In smaller companies where no Manager role has been assigned, Bilaro's approval router includes a solo-Director fastpath. A Director can review a Submitted request and approve it directly to Approved in a single action.

Why can I not edit the title of an approved request?

Before approval (while a request remains in Draft or Submitted status), both the requester who created it and system administrators can edit the title. Once a request reaches Approved, PO Issued, Payment Pending, or Paid status, title edits are restricted strictly to Admins and Global Admins, and only if Allow title edits after approval is enabled in Company Settings. Requesters cannot amend titles after approval.

Why do I not see Inventory in my sidebar?

Inventory is an optional module in Bilaro. If Inventory does not appear in your sidebar, your company does not have this module switched on. Bilaro support switches optional modules on or off for your organisation upon request.

Is the Coming up card my live bank balance?

No. The Coming up dashboard card and calendar calculate projected cash commitments strictly from payment due dates, approved purchase orders, and recurring bill schedules recorded in Bilaro. They do not connect to live bank accounts, verify real-time bank balances, or execute bank transfers.

Why was my request routed to a Director when its amount is below the Director threshold?

There are two common reasons based on your company's policy settings:

• BQ overrun policy: If a line item is allocated to a Bill of Quantities item and causes total commitments to exceed that item's contract allowance, and your company policy is set to Director approval, Bilaro routes the request to a Director regardless of the total request amount.
• Quotation policy exception: If your request was submitted with fewer competitive quotes than required by company policy, and the policy exception rule is set to Allow with an exception and send the request to a Director, it escalates directly to a Director for review.

Why can I not see payroll or loan requests submitted by other team members?

When an administrator enables Limit who can open payroll and loan requests in Company Settings, purchase requests categorized under Payroll (total) or Loan instalment are restricted. Only Admins, Global Admins, Directors, Finance users, designated approvers, and the original creator can view or open them. For other users, they are hidden from search results, request lists, and calendar views.

What happens to our records if we close the company?

When an administrator closes a company, all user sessions end immediately and company records are locked and hidden in Bilaro. Bilaro automatically prepares a comprehensive export archive containing CSV data files, PDFs of all issued purchase orders and receipts, and uploaded files, emailing a secure download link to the administrator. Records are retained in Bilaro for 30 days after the export link is sent, after which they are permanently deleted from Bilaro's systems. For complete instructions and prerequisite requirements, see How to close a company in the Administrator Guide.