A valid authorization includes a FULL SIGNATURE; initials or "Okay to Pay" without a signature do not represent a proper authorization.
Signatures should be legible or include the printed name below the signature.
Proper approval for any payment request should be provided using a
Payment Services Form.
If an alternate form such as a note, letter, or memo is attached to a
payment request, it must include:
Name of Person/Vendor to be Paid
Account number to be charged
Amount of payment being approved
Purpose of payment being approved
Signature authorization
Some departments that process a higher volume of regular vendor invoices make use of an approval stamp instead of attaching a Payment Order Form for each invoice. This is a rubber stamp that is stamped directly onto the invoice and filled in by the payment approver. Use of a stamp such as the example below will ensure that all elements of a proper approval are present.
| INVOICE PAYMENT APPROVAL | ||
| Acct # | PO # | Amount |
| Identify items and/or purpose | ||
| Authorized Signature | Date | |
A Post-it note stuck onto an invoice with "okay to pay", a signature, account number, and date can inadvertently become attached to the wrong document and does not provide adequate proof for audit purposes that proper authorization for payment was received. This also applies to any note or slip of paper that is clipped or stapled to an invoice that does NOT contain all the elements of a valid approval of an expense.