This is part of an ongoing series about the procurement process for acquiring code enforcement software. To start at the beginning, read the first post in the series, Buying Code Enforcement Software: Research and Planning Considerations.

You’ve done the upfront work. Your team has identified priorities, explored budget realities, and thought through timing. But even the most well-planned software purchase can grind to a halt if your agency’s approvals process isn’t clearly understood from the start.

For many code enforcement teams, the approval phase is where momentum is lost – not because the solution is wrong, but because the right people weren’t asked the right questions or brought in at the right time.

In our code enforcement software buyer’s guide, we recommend treating approvals as a research step of its own. Here’s a preview of what that looks like in practice.

a man in a white button up shirt presents a report to a man in a suit

Identify Stakeholders Early (Yes, All of Them)

A “stakeholder” is anyone who will use, manage, influence, or approve the software purchase. Some are obvious; others are easy to overlook until they become a roadblock.

Common stakeholders in a code enforcement software purchase often include department leadership, frontline officers and inspectors, IT, finance, city or county management, and sometimes elected officials.

You may not need approval from all these groups – but if you don’t know that for sure, it’s best to ask upfront, before you need the approval.

Don’t Forget “Downward” Approvals

Approval isn’t just about moving up the org chart. Gathering feedback from staff who will work in the system daily can surface practical concerns that leadership may not see.

These conversations can help validate priorities, reveal workflow gaps, and strengthen your case when it’s time to seek formal sign-off. A solution that works in theory but frustrates inspectors in the field is unlikely to deliver long-term value.

Research the Approval Process Before You Need It

Every agency has its own approval requirements, and they aren’t always clearly documented. That’s why it’s essential to ask questions early, before you’ve mentally committed to a specific solution.

Do you need department head approval? City manager sign-off? City council approval? If elected officials are involved, how far in advance do items need to be submitted to make the meeting agenda?

It’s better to ask permission than forgiveness. Presenting the person you need sign-off from with a deal that is one step from signed, sealed, and delivered puts them in a tight spot that they might not appreciate. Communicate in advance with those you need approval from so that when the deal finally hits their desk, they’re not taken by surprise.

Understanding these steps ahead of time helps you avoid unpleasant surprises, rushed justifications, or missed deadlines that can delay your purchase by months.

A few situations we’ve run across during our time in the industry:

All software purchases in a city come from the IT department, so IT must be involved in all the decision-making processes.
Budget for software comes from individual departments, but IT requires final sign-off on all software purchases.
IT doesn’t care about your individual software BUT requires that the software integrates with a citywide system, which will influence the end cost of the code enforcement department’s purchase.
Purchases below a certain level allow a department to buy directly and need no approval.
Purchases above a certain threshold require council approval.
Purchases above a certain threshold require a multi-bid situation in which the department must present three pricings from three different vendors.

Unsure if your agency has any of these requirements? Now is the time to find out!

Fewer Surprises = Faster Progress

When teams proactively identify stakeholders and clarify approval requirements, the process becomes far less frustrating. Instead of scrambling to justify a decision after the fact, you’re able to build alignment, communicate clearly, and move forward with confidence.

Approvals don’t have to be a barrier – but they do require planning.

In the full Code Enforcement Software Buyer’s Guide, we go in deeper on this and other parts of the procurement process, so you can be sure nothing falls through the cracks during your buying journey. To learn how to navigate approvals and move confidently into vendor evaluation, download the full ebook.

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