Cloudbyz CTFM Approval Workflows: See Exactly Where Every Budget, Invoice and Payment Stands

Written by Smit Shah | Nov 3, 2026, 10:29:59 AM

Most trial finance approvals still happen by email, so nobody can see at a glance whether an invoice is waiting on finance, the study manager or a budget owner. Cloudbyz CTFM runs approvals as configured workflows, showing the exact status of every budget, invoice, payee change and payment, who it is waiting on, and the full approval history. It suits large pharma, global multinationals, biotechs, CROs and device companies.

How it works today

An invoice is forwarded by email for approval.
It waits in someone's inbox, sometimes for weeks.
The site asks for an update; nobody knows where it is.
Approval is a reply email, filed in a personal mailbox.

Why it matters

Internal controls. Publicly listed companies must maintain internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Clear approval steps and segregation of duties, so the person who requests a payment is not the person who approves it, are basic controls auditors test.
Electronic signatures. Where FDA-required records are kept electronically, 21 CFR Part 11 expects electronic signatures to be linked to their records and attributable.
Site relationships. Site payment terms often run from receipt of a correct invoice (Applied Clinical Trials), so an approval stuck in an inbox is a payment stuck too.

What can go through a workflow

Item	Typical approvers
Site budget and amendments	Budget owner, study manager, finance
Payee changes and bank details	Finance, with segregation of duties
Site invoices and exceptions	Study manager, finance
Payment runs	Finance lead
Change orders	Clinical operations lead, finance

Today versus Cloudbyz CTFM

Question	Today	Cloudbyz CTFM
Where is this invoice?	Ask around	Status shown on the record
Who is it waiting on?	Unknown	Named approver
How long has it waited?	Unknown	Visible and reportable
Who approved it?	Search email	Approval history with electronic signature

What changes by department

Finance: no chasing approvers; overdue approvals are visible.
Clinical operations: approve from the record, with context alongside.
Senior management and audit: approval controls are consistent and documented.
Sites: can see whether an invoice is pending, approved or paid.

How Cloudbyz CTFM does it

Cloudbyz CTFM is built natively on Salesforce, with configurable workflows and approvals for budgets, invoices, payee changes and payments. Every item shows its exact status and approver, notifications prompt the next person, and approvals are recorded in the audit trail. Book a demo or visit cloudbyz.com.

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