Can this form be signed electronically?

Yes. Under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted, electronic signatures are valid if intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are demonstrable. Exceptions (wills, certain court filings) still require wet signatures.

What fields cause most rejections?

Missing budget codes, absent vendor quotes, or incorrect approver selection commonly trigger rejections. Ensure all required attachments and accurate cost center information are included before routing.

When is a notary or witness required?

Most internal approval requests do not require notarization. If the underlying contract being approved requires notarization or witnesses under state law, follow those requirements separately.

How long should the signed record be retained?

Retention varies: keep financial and contract approvals at least three years for IRS purposes (IRC §6501(a)), seven years is common for post-termination audit readiness, and HIPAA-related approvals require six years (45 CFR §164.530(j)).

What authentication level is recommended?

Use email or SMS for low-risk approvals. For higher-value or regulated requests, require stronger signer authentication such as multi-factor or platform-provided identity verification.

How do I update or cancel a submitted request?

If the workflow supports editing, retract the request and submit a corrected version. If already approved, issue an amendment or cancellation notice and retain both records for audit purposes.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Business Request for Approval

Business Request for Approval

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

Business Request for Approval

Request Number Date of Request

Parties

Requesting Party: Contact:

Approving Party: Contact:

Recitals

WHEREAS, Requesting Party seeks formal authorization from Approving Party to proceed with the proposed business activities and associated expenditures described in this Request for Approval;

WHEREAS, Approving Party is vested with the authority to grant, conditionally grant, or deny approval in accordance with its internal governance, fiscal controls, and applicable policies; and

WHEREAS, the Parties intend to document the scope, financial terms, and conditions under which approval is granted so as to create enforceable obligations and clear administrative controls.

Scope of Work

Describe proposed activities, deliverables, and milestones

Payment Terms

Total Amount Requested: $

Payment Schedule and Conditions

Late Payment Fee: Payment Method:

Term and Termination

Proposed Start Date: Proposed End Date:

Either Party may terminate the approval or any resultant agreement for material breach after providing written notice and an opportunity to cure. Notice Period (days):

Confidentiality

All non-public information disclosed by either Party in connection with this Request and any resulting approval shall be treated as Confidential Information. The receiving Party shall not use or disclose Confidential Information except as reasonably required to fulfill obligations under the approved scope. The confidentiality obligations survive termination for a period of three (3) years, unless a longer statutory period applies.

Approvals and Conditions

Approver may (a) approve; (b) approve with conditions; or (c) deny. If approval is conditional, those conditions will be set forth in the Approver Decision field below and become binding when accepted in writing by Requesting Party.

Approver Decision (check one)

Approve Approve with Conditions Deny

Approver Decision Details

Governing Law

This Request for Approval and any approval arising herefrom will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction specified by Approving Party unless otherwise agreed in writing. Any dispute arising from this Request will be resolved in the courts of the agreed jurisdiction.

Entire Agreement

This Request, together with any written approvals, schedules, and attachments executed by the Parties, constitutes the entire understanding between the Parties regarding the subject matter and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings. No amendment is effective unless in writing and signed by authorized representatives of both Parties.

Representations and Certifications

Each Party represents and warrants that it has the full corporate power and authority to enter into this Request and that the person signing below is authorized to execute and deliver this Request on behalf of the Party.

Requesting Party:

By:

Date:

Approving Party:

By:

Date:

What a Business Request for Approval Is and When to Use It

A Business Request for Approval is a standardized internal form used to ask an authorized reviewer to approve a proposed action, expenditure, contract, hire, or project milestone. It captures the requester, scope, justification, cost or budget impact, timing, and required attachments so approvers can evaluate the request consistently. The document creates an auditable record of the request and decision, including dates, approver identity, and any conditions. It can be completed on paper or electronically; when delivered and signed electronically it must meet ESIGN and UETA requirements for enforceability.

Why a Formal Approval Request Matters

A formal request centralizes decision details, documents accountability, and reduces ad hoc approvals that cause budget overruns or compliance gaps. It also creates a searchable, retained record to support audits and dispute resolution.

Who Prepares and Who Reviews This Request

Assign roles in the form to speed routing and to make clear who must sign at each stage of review.

Requesters: Employees, project leads, or department heads initiating the proposal for approval.
Approvers: Managers, budget holders, procurement officers, or executives with delegated signing authority.
Supporting reviewers: Legal, finance, IT, or compliance teams who verify policy and regulatory requirements.

Step-by-step: Completing a Business Request for Approval

Follow a clear sequence to ensure the request is complete and approvable before routing to signers.

01

Prepare: Gather scope, cost estimates, vendor quotes, and budget codes.
02

Complete: Fill required fields and attach supporting documents in PDF or DOCX format.
03

Route: Select approvers in order and include escalation contacts for delays.
04

Record: Capture decision, signatures, and store the signed record in the retention system.

Configuring the online approval workflow

Set fields and routing rules before using the online form to ensure consistent approvals and reduce manual handoffs.

Field	Configuration
Approval sequence	Linear or parallel routing configurable per amount thresholds.
Threshold rules	Auto-escalate requests above preset dollar values to senior approvers.
Conditional fields	Show vendor or contract fields only when amount or category requires them.
Notification settings	Email and optional SMS reminders for pending approvals.

How eSigning and eSubmission work for approval requests

Choose a platform that preserves the signed record, retains audit logs, and supports your required authentication level and integrations.

File formats: PDF, DOCX, and HTML are supported.
Authentication: Email, SMS code, or stronger methods available.
Audit data: Records include IP, timestamp, and signer metadata.

Common eSignature vendor comparison for approval workflows

Below is a concise feature-and-price comparison focused on core plan starting prices, trial availability, sending and compliance capabilities relevant to approval workflows.

	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	Varies by plan	Varies by plan
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies	Varies	Varies

Typical timelines and internal deadlines

Define internal submission and review deadlines to keep approvals predictable and aligned with budget and procurement cycles.

Submission window:

Submit requests at least 10 business days before needed start date.

Manager review:

Manager must respond within 3 business days of receipt.

Finance review:

Finance completes budget checks within 5 business days.

Procurement/legal review:

Allow 7–14 business days for contract or procurement review.

Final approval:

Approver issues decision within 2 business days after final reviewer sign-off.

Key processing milestones from request to record

Sequential milestones help teams track progress and identify stalled requests during multi-stage reviews.

01

Request Submitted

Requester completes form and attaches supporting materials.

02

Initial Manager Review

Manager verifies scope, budget alignment, and business case.

03

Specialist Review

Legal, procurement or finance reviews terms and compliance.

04

Decision & Archive

Authorized approver signs and the signed record is stored.

Common mistakes that delay approvals

Incomplete justification or missing quotes — forces back-and-forth with approvers and extends cycle time.
Using incorrect budget codes — causes finance rejection and requires resubmission with corrected accounting entries.
Insufficient attachments — lacking contracts, SOWs, or vendor proposals slows specialist review and approval.
Routing to wrong approver — unclear delegation leads to escalations and missed deadlines.

Risks and consequences of improper requests

Delayed Decisions: Project or purchase timelines slip.

Noncompliant Signing: May require wet signature per ESIGN exceptions.

Budget Errors: Misposted costs or reconciliation issues.

Contract Exposure: Unreviewed terms increase legal risk.

Data Exposure: Insufficient controls risk confidentiality.

Audit Findings: Incomplete records lead to compliance notes.

Essential data to capture on every request

Requestor: Full legal name and contact

Approver: Named approver and title

Amount: Total requested in USD

Purpose: Clear business justification

Budget Code: Department cost center code

Attachments: Vendor quote, contract, SOW

Frequently asked questions about Business Request for Approval

Answers to common questions about completing, routing, and signing approval requests, including electronic signature considerations.

Need help? Contact support

Can this form be signed electronically?
Yes. Under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted, electronic signatures are valid if intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are demonstrable. Exceptions (wills, certain court filings) still require wet signatures.
What fields cause most rejections?
Missing budget codes, absent vendor quotes, or incorrect approver selection commonly trigger rejections. Ensure all required attachments and accurate cost center information are included before routing.
When is a notary or witness required?
Most internal approval requests do not require notarization. If the underlying contract being approved requires notarization or witnesses under state law, follow those requirements separately.
How long should the signed record be retained?
Retention varies: keep financial and contract approvals at least three years for IRS purposes (IRC §6501(a)), seven years is common for post-termination audit readiness, and HIPAA-related approvals require six years (45 CFR §164.530(j)).
What authentication level is recommended?
Use email or SMS for low-risk approvals. For higher-value or regulated requests, require stronger signer authentication such as multi-factor or platform-provided identity verification.
How do I update or cancel a submitted request?
If the workflow supports editing, retract the request and submit a corrected version. If already approved, issue an amendment or cancellation notice and retain both records for audit purposes.

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