--- id: video/M0IzeLSn7qU type: video title: "What's new in Expense Agent: Improved Approval Process (2026 release wave 2)" summary: "Expense Agent approval improvements in the 2026 release wave 2: AI-driven approval policies, approval history and audit trail, manual employee compliance checks, and approval features listed for the November 29.1 release (interim approvers, approval limits, alternate and delegated approvers). Includes caveats on AI token use and approval-limit levels." tier: official language: en tags: - expense agent - approval process - audit trail - ai policies - approval limits - delegated approvers system: copilot review: state: reviewed by: opus at: "2026-10-07T22:43:27.853Z" flags: [] generated: at: "2026-10-09T00:29:02.995Z" pipeline: 0.2.0 prompts: extract-video: 1 summarize-video: 2 input_hash: 9976876a0aeaf664f69a05ce01140b513466500d61a3faaeb80e4b48bc9ef559 evidence: - kind: video url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=468s title: "Better approval messaging: announced" date: "2026-10-01T13:03:39.000Z" commit: null t: 468 quote: some other approvals again uh coming from uh November 29.1. Better messaging during approval process. - kind: video url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=502s title: "Approval limits: announced" date: "2026-10-01T13:03:39.000Z" commit: null t: 502 quote: from uh November uh minor, you will be able to set up approver with a uh with a maximum approval amount, for example, $2,000 - kind: video url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=53s title: "What's new in Expense Agent: Improved Approval Process (2026 release wave 2)" date: "2026-10-01T13:03:39.000Z" commit: null t: 53 quote: Admin can enable AI-driven approval policies in setup. So, this is only if you enable because it can make some additional spending of your - kind: video url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=89s title: "What's new in Expense Agent: Improved Approval Process (2026 release wave 2)" date: "2026-10-01T13:03:39.000Z" commit: null t: 89 quote: if you have expense report with I don't know, for example, 12 lines, AI will you will be used only for these lines where - kind: video url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=156s title: "What's new in Expense Agent: Improved Approval Process (2026 release wave 2)" date: "2026-10-01T13:03:39.000Z" commit: null t: 156 quote: It will not block approvers. So, you can even uh approve even if this uh expense is flagged, but this is something what will - kind: video url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=241s title: "What's new in Expense Agent: Improved Approval Process (2026 release wave 2)" date: "2026-10-01T13:03:39.000Z" commit: null t: 241 quote: And then it was rejected 5 days after that because approver, in this case, I am the same a person who rejected, but this - kind: video url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=529s title: "What's new in Expense Agent: Improved Approval Process (2026 release wave 2)" date: "2026-10-01T13:03:39.000Z" commit: null t: 529 quote: you cannot have multiple levels, so you cannot have one uh for 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, so you will have one uh with a specific - kind: video url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=570s title: "What's new in Expense Agent: Improved Approval Process (2026 release wave 2)" date: "2026-10-01T13:03:39.000Z" commit: null t: 570 quote: I can delegate and I can use alternate approvers only if they are set up as approvers, so if they are not approvers, they - kind: video url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=600s title: "What's new in Expense Agent: Improved Approval Process (2026 release wave 2)" date: "2026-10-01T13:03:39.000Z" commit: null t: 600 quote: I can make plan alternate approver from for example, from October 1st until the end of October, I will choose who will approve instead links: learn: [] objects: [] features: - feature/573255 topics: [] localizations: [] videos: [] posts: [] guidelines: [] video_id: M0IzeLSn7qU channel: yt-microsoft source_name: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (YouTube) url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU published_at: "2026-10-01T13:03:39.000Z" duration_s: 647 captions: full audience: - functional consultant - administrator - decision maker chapters: - t: 0 title: Overview of new approval features - t: 53 title: AI-driven approval policies - t: 167 title: Employee use of AI compliance checks - t: 204 title: Approval history and audit trail in web app - t: 329 title: Approval history in Business Central - t: 405 title: Interim approvers (November release) - t: 468 title: Better messaging and approval limits - t: 543 title: Alternate and delegated approvers - t: 622 title: Travel request approval and closing features: - name: AI-driven approval policies status: preview t: 53 verified: false status_source: roadmap roadmap_ids: - "573255" - name: Enhanced approval history and audit trail status: unclear t: 204 verified: false status_source: video - name: Employee manual compliance checks status: unclear t: 167 verified: false status_source: video - name: Interim approvers status: unclear t: 405 verified: false status_source: video - name: Better approval messaging status: announced t: 468 verified: true status_source: video - name: Approval limits status: announced t: 492 verified: true status_source: video - name: Ad hoc alternate approvers status: unclear t: 543 verified: false status_source: video - name: Planned alternate approvers status: unclear t: 586 verified: false status_source: video - name: Travel request approval status: unclear t: 622 verified: false status_source: video objects_mentioned: [] quotes: - t: 53 text: Admin can enable AI-driven approval policies in setup. So, this is only if you enable because it can make some additional spending of your check: exact - t: 89 text: if you have expense report with I don't know, for example, 12 lines, AI will you will be used only for these lines where check: exact - t: 156 text: It will not block approvers. So, you can even uh approve even if this uh expense is flagged, but this is something what will check: exact - t: 241 text: And then it was rejected 5 days after that because approver, in this case, I am the same a person who rejected, but this check: exact - t: 529 text: you cannot have multiple levels, so you cannot have one uh for 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, so you will have one uh with a specific check: exact - t: 570 text: I can delegate and I can use alternate approvers only if they are set up as approvers, so if they are not approvers, they check: exact - t: 600 text: I can make plan alternate approver from for example, from October 1st until the end of October, I will choose who will approve instead check: exact --- # What's new in Expense Agent: Improved Approval Process (2026 release wave 2) > Expense Agent approval improvements in the 2026 release wave 2: AI-driven approval policies, approval history and audit trail, manual employee compliance checks, and approval features listed for the November 29.1 release (interim approvers, approval limits, alternate and delegated approvers). Includes caveats on AI token use and approval-limit levels. [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU) · Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (YouTube) · 2026-10-01 · 10:47 · tier official · reviewed (checked by Opus) ## Overview The session walks through changes to the approval process in Expense Agent. An admin can turn on AI-driven approval policies in setup, configured per expense category, so AI runs only on lines that need it, such as flight tickets and hotel stays. Approvers see the flags but can still approve flagged items. Employees can also run the AI compliance check manually before submitting. Approval history and an audit trail are shown in the web app and in Business Central. The second half covers features described as coming in the November release (29.1): interim approvers, better approval messaging, approval limits, and ad hoc and planned alternate approvers. Travel request approval is mentioned briefly, with a separate session referred to for details. ## Key points - AI-driven approval policies are enabled by an admin in setup and use additional AI tokens. They need expense policies configured per category, and itemizing expenses is recommended for best results. - AI flags do not block approvers: a flagged expense can still be approved. - Employees can run the AI compliance check manually on their own expense report before submitting. It does not run automatically. - Approval history records creation, submission, rejection, resubmission and posting, with timestamps, user names, justifications and amount changes. In the web app it is visible to all users regardless of BC user status. In Business Central it needs a BC user or accountant with rights to view it. - Approval limits (announced for the November release) support only two levels: one specific maximum amount (for example $2,000) and one unlimited level. Several thresholds such as 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000 are not possible. - Interim approvers (November 29.1) must approve before the final approver can act. Better approval messaging with different icons and colors is also listed for 29.1. - Ad hoc delegation moves already-sent reports awaiting approval to a colleague. Planned alternate approvers redirect reports for a set date range. In both cases the delegate must already be set up as an approver. ## Chapters - [0:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=0s) Overview of new approval features - [0:53](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=53s) AI-driven approval policies - [2:47](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=167s) Employee use of AI compliance checks - [3:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=204s) Approval history and audit trail in web app - [5:29](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=329s) Approval history in Business Central - [6:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=405s) Interim approvers (November release) - [7:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=468s) Better messaging and approval limits - [9:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=543s) Alternate and delegated approvers - [10:22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=622s) Travel request approval and closing ## Features | Feature | Status | At | Evidence | |---|---|---|---| | AI-driven approval policies | preview (roadmap [AI-Driven Approvals](../features/573255.md)), demoed | [0:53](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=53s) | | | Enhanced approval history and audit trail | status not stated, demoed | [3:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=204s) | | | Employee manual compliance checks | status not stated | [2:47](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=167s) | | | Interim approvers | status not stated | [6:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=405s) | | | Better approval messaging | announced | [7:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=468s) | "some other approvals again uh coming from uh November 29.1. Better messaging during approval process." ([7:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=468s)) | | Approval limits | announced | [8:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=492s) | "from uh November uh minor, you will be able to set up approver with a uh with a maximum approval amount, for example, $2,000" ([8:22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=502s)) | | Ad hoc alternate approvers | status not stated | [9:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=543s) | | | Planned alternate approvers | status not stated | [9:46](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=586s) | | | Travel request approval | status not stated | [10:22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=622s) | | A status with a roadmap link comes from the Microsoft 365 roadmap feature this part of the video covers (matched by Haiku; links Opus dropped are not used); other statuses need a status word in the video itself. ## Quotes - [0:53](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=53s) "Admin can enable AI-driven approval policies in setup. So, this is only if you enable because it can make some additional spending of your" - [1:29](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=89s) "if you have expense report with I don't know, for example, 12 lines, AI will you will be used only for these lines where" - [2:36](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=156s) "It will not block approvers. So, you can even uh approve even if this uh expense is flagged, but this is something what will" - [4:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=241s) "And then it was rejected 5 days after that because approver, in this case, I am the same a person who rejected, but this" - [8:49](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=529s) "you cannot have multiple levels, so you cannot have one uh for 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, so you will have one uh with a specific" - [9:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=570s) "I can delegate and I can use alternate approvers only if they are set up as approvers, so if they are not approvers, they" - [10:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=600s) "I can make plan alternate approver from for example, from October 1st until the end of October, I will choose who will approve instead" ## Disclaimers in the video - [0:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=27s) other: we will have separate session about this process completely so you can go deep dive there - [6:55](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=415s) coming-later: from next minor from November in some situations, you need more approvers - [7:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=468s) coming-later: coming from uh November 29.1. Better messaging during approval process - [8:22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=502s) coming-later: from uh November uh minor, you will be able to set up approver with a uh with a maximum approval amount - [9:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=543s) coming-later: this is again based on feedback, and we will have two options - [10:22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0IzeLSn7qU&t=622s) coming-later: We have separate session about travel request, so you can go there and see what is about Presenters (as heard): Alexander.