This article walks you through the general steps involved in creating a Spending Request, moving that Spending Request from a "Received" status through the approval process, placing the order, and then through reconciliation!



Step 1. Create and submit a Spending Request in ecConnect

Provider or Early Childhood Council Navigator logs into ecConnect and creates a Spending Request.  Each provider can only have one spending request in “draft” status in ecConnect, per requisition, at any given time.  


Step 2. Spending Request is Received in Sugar and needs Navigator Approval then Preapproval by Grant Lead

Once a Spending Request has been submitted through ecConnect the Request creates a Spending Record in Sugar which is assigned to the QI Navigator/Grant Lead.  The Navigator/Grant Lead receives notice through an email notification to review the Spending Record.  The Navigator, followed by the Grant Lead, will review the Request to make sure all items are age appropriate and the order meets all grant requirements.  In some Councils it is one person who fills these roles, so they will be reviewing the same request several times.  

  • Depending on if you are Navigator or Grant Lead you will have different options to select from when moving a request through the preapproval process.  Read the Spending Record Approval Process article for more details!


Step 3. Ordering Process

Once "Preapprove & Send PO Email to Vendor" is selected there are two ways this Process can go:


a) Automatic: Once preapproved by the Grant Lead, in cases where a PO (Purchase Order) is established with the Vendor, the order is automatically sent to the Vendor for processing and fulfillment.  


b) Manual: If no PO is established, the order is automatically sent to the QI Navigator/Council Staff to place order with the Vendor manually.  Check out the Manual Order with Credit Card Instructions Article for more details!




Step 4. Complete Financial Documentation, Review, and Reconciliation!


Once the order is placed, you should receive an invoice from the vendor. Once you have that invoice, follow the process below:

  1. Attach Invoice and send to finance for approval - For a list of steps to complete attaching an invoice and what Actions to select to send to finance you can read Spending-Attaching Documentation and Final Finance Steps.
  2. Grant Lead/Finance approves and marks as reconciled - For steps on reviewing spending records before you reconcile read through the Spending Review Steps! 
  3. Bill to the funder -  When you are ready to reconcile your records and prepare an invoice to send to the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, please follow the instructions in the Step by Step Monthly Reconciliation Guide (TSQI Targeted/ESQI Expanded)!