A credit release is an approver's one-time permission for one blocked sale of the person who asked. You ask for it from the blocked dialog, an approver decides it on the Credit Desk, and it is used by itself when you save the sale again.
An approver said yes, for an amount and until a date
Used
A sale was saved on it; it names the document
Rejected
An approver said no, with a reason
Expired
Approved, but not used by its end date
Cancelled
Withdrawn by the person who asked, or by an approver, before it was used
Release numbers start with CRL-.
1
Ask for a release
Who
Sales staff (the person saving the sale)
Where
The Credit blocked dialog > Request credit release
What changes
The drawer Request credit release shows the document, its total, On credit (to approve), the balance after and what blocked it. Write Why should this sale go through? (at least 10 characters, for example "payment promised by Friday, cheque in hand, or a one-off order") and press Send to approver.
Needs
The sale must really be blocked, and not already covered by a release of yours.
2
The request is recorded
What changes
A Pending release for the amount left on credit (the total less what is paid now), with the figures as they were at that moment. Credit approvers get a notification "Credit release requested". You see "Release CRL-... requested. A credit approver decides it on the Credit Desk and you are notified. Once approved, save this sale again."
In the books
Nothing. The sale itself is still not saved.
3
Decide
Who
A credit approver who did not ask for it
Where
Credit Desk > Release queue > Decide
What changes
Approve with an Approved amount (it defaults to the amount asked; "The sale is let through only if it fits within this.") and a Valid until date (left blank, the validity in CRM settings applies, 3 days by default; "The sale must be saved by the end of this day."). Or Reject with a reason, which is required. The person who asked is told "Credit release approved" or "Credit release rejected".
Approval
The person who asked can never decide their own request.
4
Save the sale again
Who
The same sales user
Where
The same entry screen > Save
What changes
The check finds the approved release and shows Credit release applies with Save using CRL-.... As the sale is saved, the release becomes Used by the document.
5
Or it lapses
What changes
After its end date an approved release can no longer be used, and shows Expired.
Which release lets a sale through
A saved sale uses an approved release only when all of these hold:
it was asked for by the person saving the sale (a release covers the sale its requester was blocked on, not anyone's next sale);
it is for the same customer, and for the sale's branch or no branch;
its approved amount is at least what this sale leaves on credit;
it is not past its end date;
it is for the same kind of document, or for any sale.
If several fit, the smallest is used. A release is used once. A release never applies to an order that only warns, nor to a quotation.
Cancelling
Cancel on a Pending or Approved release (in Release queue or My requests) withdraws it: "The request is withdrawn from the approvers" or "The approved release can no longer be used for a sale". The person who asked can cancel their own; an approver can cancel any. Used, rejected and expired releases cannot be cancelled.
What changes when ...
When ...
The sale
The release
Who is told
A release is asked for
Not saved
Pending
The approvers
It is approved
Not saved yet
Approved, with an amount and an end date
The person who asked
It is rejected
Not saved
Rejected, with the reason
The person who asked
The person who asked saves again
Saved
Used, with the document number, amount and date
Nobody
The end date passes
Not saved
Expired
Nobody
It is cancelled
Not saved
Cancelled
Nobody
Releases asked for by the system
A recurring invoice that cannot be raised because the customer is blocked is held as a Pending release request in the name of the template's user, naming the template ("Recurring invoice from ... was not generated on ...: ... Approve a release for it and the next run generates the invoice."). Approvers are not notified of these: they wait in the Release queue. Once approved, the next run raises the invoice on it. See Which sales are checked.
Common questions
Can I decide the release I asked for?
No. A credit approver other than the person who asked decides it. A company with only one approver needs a second one.
How long can I use an approved release?
Until its end date: the date the approver chose, or, when none was chosen, the validity set in CRM settings (3 days unless changed).
Can I cancel a release?
Yes, while it is Pending or Approved. The person who asked can cancel their own, and an approver can cancel any. A used, rejected or expired release cannot be cancelled.
