If your account owner has enabled Payment Submission for your Manager role, you can create payments that will be reviewed and approved before being sent. This allows you to help manage outgoing funds while keeping final approval in the hands of authorized approvers.
When does a payment require approval?
Whether a payment requires approval depends on the Approval Threshold set by your account owner or admin when they invited you.
- If the payment amount is equal to or above the threshold → it will require approval
- If the payment amount is below the threshold → it will be sent without approval
For example, if your approval threshold is set to 100 USD:
- A 99 USD payment will be sent immediately
- A 100 USD or higher payment will be submitted for approval
If your threshold is set to 0 USD, all payments you create will require approval.
How do I submit a payment for approval?
You can submit payments for approval using any of Lili's Send Money features, including ACH transfers, domestic wire transfers, international wire transfers, and mailed checks.
To submit a payment:
- Go to Send Money and choose your payment method (ACH, Wire Transfer, or Mail a Check)
- Enter the recipient's information and payment amount
- Review the payment details on the Review and Confirm screen
- If the amount meets or exceeds your approval threshold, the button will say "Submit for Approval" instead of "Confirm and Transfer"
- Click Submit for Approval
You'll see a message confirming that your payment has been submitted.
What happens after I submit a payment?
Once you submit a payment for approval:
- Funds are placed on hold — The payment amount will be set aside from your account balance to ensure funds are available when the payment is approved
- Your approver is notified — The person assigned to approve your payments will receive an email and push notification
- The payment appears as "Awaiting approval" — You'll see the transaction listed as pending in your account activity.
Important: Funds will remain on hold until the payment is approved. If a request is not approved within 5 days, it will be automatically rejected and the funds will be released back to your available balance.
What payment types can I submit for approval?
You can submit the following payment types for approval:
- ACH Transfer — Electronic bank-to-bank transfers within the U.S.
- Domestic Wire Transfer — Fast transfers to U.S. bank accounts
- International Wire Transfer — Payments sent outside the U.S. in USD or foreign currencies
- Mail a Check — Physical checks mailed to U.S. recipients
For international wire transfers, the exchange rate at the time you submit the payment may differ from the rate when the payment is approved. The updated rate will be shown to the approver at the time of approval.
Can I cancel a payment I submitted?
No. If your payment is still pending approval and hasn't been approved or declined yet, you can't cancel it. Your approver must decline the request in order to cancel the request and release the funds.
Who will approve my payments?
The Payment Approver is assigned when your account owner invites you as a Manager. This can be either the account owner or an admin. You can see who your approver is in your Team settings.
How will I know if my payment was approved or declined?
You'll receive a notification once your payment is approved or declined. If approved, the payment will be processed and sent. If declined, the funds on hold will be released back to your available balance.
Lili is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided by Sunrise Banks, N.A., Member FDIC. The Lili Visa® Debit Card is issued by Sunrise Banks, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A., Inc. The Card may be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted.
Wire Transfer services are provided by Column Bank N.A., Member FDIC. All wires are subject to acceptance criteria and risk-based review and may be rejected at the sole discretion of Column Bank N. A. or Lili App Inc.