How do I attach receipts?

Attach scanned or photographed itemized receipts to each line item. Ensure merchant name, date, and total are legible; cropped or low-resolution images often trigger requests for re-submission.

What if I lack a receipt?

If a receipt is lost, follow company policy for missing documentation: provide an affidavit or manager attestation where permitted. Some employers deny or limit reimbursement without acceptable proof.

Are electronic signatures valid?

Yes. Electronic signatures used with intent and retained reliably are legally effective under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and applicable UETA provisions adopted by most states.

Who must sign the ER document?

The submitter and the designated approver (manager) should sign. Finance may require an additional verifier for high-value claims or policy exceptions.

How long must I keep records?

Keep expense substantiation for at least three years to meet IRS documentation needs (IRC §6501(a)); longer retention may be required by state or industry rules.

How can I correct a submitted claim?

Submit a corrected ER form per company policy, mark it as corrected, and attach prior and updated receipts. Timely corrections reduce audit exposure and reconciliation errors.

Business ER Document

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

Business ER Document — General Business Agreement

This General Business Agreement (the Agreement) is entered into as of by and between (Client) with principal place of business at and (Contractor) with principal place of business at .

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Client is engaged in the business of providing products or services and requires specialized services as described in this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, Contractor represents that it has the experience, personnel and capability to provide such services in accordance with the terms set forth herein; and

WHEREAS, the parties desire to set forth the terms, conditions and obligations of their relationship in writing.

SCOPE OF WORK

Contractor shall perform the services and deliver the deliverables described in the Scope of Work. Contractor agrees to perform all services in a professional and workmanlike manner consistent with industry standards. The Scope of Work shall include, at a minimum, the tasks, milestones and acceptance criteria set forth below:

Detailed Scope of Work

PAYMENT TERMS

As consideration for the services rendered, Client shall pay Contractor the amounts and according to the schedule set forth below. All amounts are payable in United States dollars unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Total Contract Amount Payment Schedule

Late payments shall accrue interest at the lesser of 1.5% per month or the maximum rate permitted by applicable law, calculated from the date payment was due until paid in full. Client will also be responsible for reasonable collection costs, including attorney fees, if payment is not made when due.

Late Fee

TERM AND TERMINATION

This Agreement shall commence on the Start Date and shall continue until the End Date or until earlier terminated in accordance with this section.

Start Date End Date Termination Notice Period Termination Obligations

CONFIDENTIALITY

Each party (the Receiving Party) agrees to hold in confidence all non-public, proprietary, or confidential information disclosed by the other party (the Disclosing Party) in connection with this Agreement, whether disclosed orally or in writing (Confidential Information). Confidential Information shall not include information that is (a) publicly available without breach of this Agreement, (b) rightfully received from a third party without restriction, or (c) independently developed by the Receiving Party without use of the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information.

The Receiving Party shall use Confidential Information solely to perform its obligations under this Agreement and shall not disclose Confidential Information to any third party except to employees, contractors or affiliates who have a need to know and who are bound by confidentiality obligations at least as protective as those contained herein.

Return or Destruction of Materials

Client may require return or certified destruction of Confidential Information upon termination.

GOVERNING LAW

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of , without regard to its conflict of laws principles. Any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be resolved in the courts of that state, unless the parties agree in writing to arbitration.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This Agreement, including any exhibits or attachments expressly incorporated herein, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to its subject matter and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, proposals and communications, whether oral or written. No modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement shall be effective unless made in writing and signed by authorized representatives of both parties.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Relationship of Parties: The parties are independent contractors and nothing in this Agreement creates an employment, agency or joint venture relationship. Contractor shall be solely responsible for all taxes, withholdings and other statutory obligations.

Indemnification: Each party shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the other party from and against claims, liabilities, losses and expenses arising from the indemnifying party’s breach of this Agreement or its negligent or willful acts or omissions.

Limitation of Liability (if any)

Severability: If any provision of this Agreement is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

Client (Party A) - Printed Name:

By:

Date:

Contractor (Party B) - Printed Name:

By:

Date:

What the Business ER Document Is and when it's used

The Business ER Document is an expense reimbursement (ER) form used by businesses to capture employee or contractor claims for business-related spending. It collects expense dates, merchant details, categories, amounts, and supporting receipts, and provides approvals and accounting codes for accounts payable. Properly completed ER documents enable accurate bookkeeping, tax substantiation, and timely reimbursements. When executed electronically and retained in a reproducible format, these records can meet U.S. e-signature rules and audit requirements for internal controls and tax documentation.

Why a well-constructed Business ER Document matters

A clear Business ER Document reduces errors, speeds reimbursements, and supports tax substantiation. It creates an auditable record that helps employers enforce expense policy, allocate costs correctly, and document business purpose for IRS review. When signed electronically under the ESIGN framework, the same document can meet legal enforceability requirements for commercial records.

Who prepares, approves, and processes Business ER Documents

Typical contributors include employees who incur expenses, managers who approve, and finance teams who process reimbursements.

Employees and contractors who submit itemized expense claims to recover business costs within company policy and deadlines.
Managers or supervisors who confirm business purpose and validate receipts before routing to accounts payable for final processing.
Accounts payable, payroll, and finance staff who post expenses, apply accounting codes, and reconcile reimbursements with company ledgers.

Clear role separation speeds review, reduces disputes, and supports audit trails for internal control and tax compliance.

Representative people involved

Finance Manager

Oversees reimbursement policy enforcement and ledger posting, ensuring receipts match GL codes and approving exceptions. Responsible for audit-ready records and reconciling monthly expense batches with bank or payroll transactions.

Field Employee

Submits itemized expenses after travel or purchases, attaches receipts, and provides business justification. Timely, accurate entries reduce processing delays and prevent personal liability for noncompliant charges.

Essential parts of a professional Business ER Document

A complete ER form groups identifying data, expense lines, verification, approvals, and accounting tags so finance teams can process claims consistently and auditors can verify business purpose.

Header

Captures submitter name, employee ID, department, and contact information so the claim is attributable and searchable in accounting systems.

Line Items

Lists each expense with date, merchant, expense type, currency, quantity and per-line amounts to permit granular coding and VAT or sales tax calculations.

Receipts

Attachment fields or upload placeholders for receipts and invoices that substantiate expenses and support IRS documentation requirements when audited.

Business Purpose

A concise justification field describing the business reason for each expense to meet IRS ordinary and necessary documentation standards.

Approval Flow

Designated approver fields, order of signers, and timestamps to show manager review, quality control, and final sign-off for payment authorization.

Accounting Codes

GL or cost-center fields that direct how expenses post in the general ledger and aid budgeting, reporting, and reconciliation processes.

Quick steps to complete and submit the Business ER Document

Follow these four steps to prepare a claim that moves quickly through approval and payment.

01

Collect Proof: Gather itemized receipts and invoices for each expense.
02

Complete Form: Enter required fields and attach receipts as instructed.
03

Route for Approval: Send to manager or approver via the configured workflow.
04

Accounts Payable: Finance verifies coding and issues reimbursement through payroll or AP.

Where to file and how submissions are routed

ER documents typically follow a defined path from submitter to approver and then to accounts payable for payment and ledger posting.

Submitter Upload: Employee uploads form and receipts to the company expense portal or document system.
Manager Review: Assigned manager reviews and approves or requests clarification.
Finance Review: Accounts payable validates coding, taxes, and policy compliance.
Payment Issued: Reimbursement is paid via payroll, ACH, or check per company policy.

Common distribution and platform requirements

Choose platforms that support secure uploads, signer authentication, and integration with accounting systems.

Email and Links: Use secure links for review and approvals.
Cloud Integrations: Connect to Google Drive, Box, or NetSuite for storage and posting.
Authentication: Support email, SMS code, or SSO for signer verification.

Verify platform compatibility with internal IT and audit requirements and ensure exports produce reproducible records for tax and internal audits.

Typical deadlines and processing expectations for ER claims

Organizations set internal timelines for submission, approvals, and payroll inclusion; follow those to avoid missed payroll cycles or delayed reimbursements.

Submission Window:

Common policy: submit within 30–60 days of expense occurrence to ensure timely processing.

Manager Approval Time:

Managers typically approve within 3–7 business days after submission.

AP Processing:

Accounts payable often processes claims in 1–2 pay cycles depending on workload.

Payroll Cutoff:

Submit by payroll cutoff to include reimbursement in the next paycheck when applicable.

Tax Record Retention:

Retain expense substantiation for at least 3 years per IRS rules (see IRC §6501(a)).

Common mistakes that slow reimbursement

Failing to attach itemized receipts or attaching incomplete images makes verification impossible and delays approvals.
Using vague expense descriptions or incorrect business purpose leads to rejection or additional information requests from approvers.
Applying wrong GL or project codes causes misposting and requires rework by finance teams.
Submitting after company deadlines or payroll cutoffs forces manual processing and may delay payment by weeks.

Penalties and compliance risks to be aware of

Tax Treatment: Nonaccountable reimbursements become taxable wages.

Deduction Risk: Lack of substantiation may disallow business deductions.

Payroll Errors: Incorrect coding can affect payroll withholding.

Audit Exposure: Insufficient documentation increases IRS audit risk.

Fraud Risk: Duplicate or fabricated receipts may trigger investigations.

Late Reimbursement: Delayed payments can cause employee relations issues.

How common eSignature vendors compare for ER processing

Vendor pricing and feature availability affect operating cost and compliance. The table below lists common plan entry prices and key capability flags.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Free trial available	Free trial available
Bulk Send	Yes (Business Premium)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Examples of ER form usage in real organizations

Two real-world examples show how digitized ER forms fit different business sizes and operational needs.

Optica Ventures LLC — COO

A small investment firm standardized expense reporting across remote teams to reduce reconciliation time.

The interface is simple and easy-to-use for our team; more importantly, it is just as easy for our customers.
Resulting consistency improved month-end close and reduced missing-receipt inquiries for the finance team.

Martin Properties — Founder

A property manager moves onsite expense capture into a mobile-enabled form.

I can process and execute all of these documents online with 100% compliance and built-in security.
Faster approvals and mobile receipt uploads led to quicker reimbursement and clearer project accounting.

Security and compliance facts for electronically stored ER documents

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit; AES-256 at rest

Certifications: SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certified

HIPAA: HIPAA-compliant with BAA available

ESIGN / UETA: Compliant with ESIGN and UETA rules

21 CFR Part 11: Support for FDA-regulated workflows

Accessibility: WCAG 2.0 Level AA compliant

Frequently asked questions about the Business ER Document

Answers address common issues with completing, signing, and retaining expense reimbursement records to help avoid processing delays.

Need help? Contact support

How do I attach receipts?
Attach scanned or photographed itemized receipts to each line item. Ensure merchant name, date, and total are legible; cropped or low-resolution images often trigger requests for re-submission.
What if I lack a receipt?
If a receipt is lost, follow company policy for missing documentation: provide an affidavit or manager attestation where permitted. Some employers deny or limit reimbursement without acceptable proof.
Are electronic signatures valid?
Yes. Electronic signatures used with intent and retained reliably are legally effective under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and applicable UETA provisions adopted by most states.
Who must sign the ER document?
The submitter and the designated approver (manager) should sign. Finance may require an additional verifier for high-value claims or policy exceptions.
How long must I keep records?
Keep expense substantiation for at least three years to meet IRS documentation needs (IRC §6501(a)); longer retention may be required by state or industry rules.
How can I correct a submitted claim?
Submit a corrected ER form per company policy, mark it as corrected, and attach prior and updated receipts. Timely corrections reduce audit exposure and reconciliation errors.

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