Do per diem requests need notarization?

Generally no. Internal per diem requests are administrative records and do not require notarization unless they include an affidavit or other legal attestation.

What if the employee name differs from payroll records?

Names must match payroll records; discrepancies typically trigger manual verification and delay reimbursement until resolved.

Can an e-signature validate approvals?

Yes. An electronic approval that shows signer attribution, timestamp, and an audit trail meets ESIGN and UETA requirements for most internal approvals.

How long should requests be retained?

Retain per diem requests at least three years per IRS guidance; retain longer when tied to tax or industry-specific obligations.

What supporting documents are required?

Common attachments include trip itinerary, meeting invite, and manager approval; specific policies may require receipts for lodging or incidental claims.

How to correct a submitted request?

Submit a revised request with a clear note of the amendment; require manager re-approval if the correction affects amounts or dates.

Electronic Signature
Templates
HR
Employee Per Diem Request

Employee Per Diem Request

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

EMPLOYEE PER DIEM REQUEST

Personal Information

Full Name Employee ID Home Address

Phone

Email

Position Information

Job Title Department

Reporting Manager:

Start Date:

Current Salary (optional)

Request Details (Per Diem)

Destination:

Travel Start Date:

Travel End Date:

Purpose of Travel

Per Diem Calculation

Per Diem Rate (per day):

Number of Days Eligible:

Subtotal (Rate × Days):

Meal Deductions (per company policy):

Lodging Receipts Attached: Yes

Total Amount Requested:

Accounting / Cost Information

Manager Review (Administrative)

Manager Name:

Manager Approval: Approved Denied

Manager Comments

Employment History

Employer 1

Employer 2

Education

References

Reference 1

Reference 2

Reference 3

Legal Disclosures & Certifications

At-Will Employment: Nothing in this per diem request or its approval modifies the at-will employment relationship between the employee and the employer. Either party may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or notice, except as otherwise required by law.

Equal Opportunity: The employer provides equal employment opportunities without regard to protected characteristics as defined by applicable law. Approval or denial of reimbursement requests will be applied consistently and without unlawful discrimination.

Expense Certification: By submitting this form, I certify that the expenses and dates listed are true, accurate, and were incurred in the performance of company business. I acknowledge that per diem payments may be subject to tax reporting in accordance with company policy and applicable law, and that improper claims may be recovered by the employer.

Consent (select as applicable):

I consent to verification of travel status and compliance records as required by company policy.

I authorize the employer to contact prior employers for verification of employment history where necessary to validate this request.

Authorization to Recover Overpayments: I authorize the company to recover any overpayment of per diem or other reimbursements by deduction from future pay or other lawful means where permitted.

Applicant Certification

I certify under penalty of perjury that the information provided on this form is true, complete and in accordance with company travel and expense policies. I understand that submission of false or fraudulent claims may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment, and may give rise to civil or criminal liability.

Additional Notes (employee)

Party Label:

By:

Date:

What an Employee Per Diem Request Is and when it’s used

An Employee Per Diem Request is an internal finance form employees submit to request a daily allowance for travel-related expenses such as meals, incidentals, and lodging where a per diem policy applies. The form documents trip dates, destination, purpose, estimated per diem rate, and any employer-specific approvals required before payment. Organizations use the request to control spending, confirm policy compliance, and create an auditable trail for payroll and accounting. Properly completed requests speed reimbursement and reduce tax and audit risk by tying allowances to documented business travel.

Why a clear per diem request matters to payroll and compliance

A structured Employee Per Diem Request aligns reimbursements with company policy, ensures consistent tax treatment, and provides required documentation for audits and expense reporting. Clear requests reduce errors, speed approvals, and preserve records needed for federal tax and recordkeeping obligations.

Who typically completes or approves a per diem request

Different organizations adapt routing and approval thresholds by role and dollar amount to match internal controls.

Employees submitting travel for business who seek daily allowances and pre-trip approval.
Direct managers or supervisors who verify business purpose and authorize the requested per diem.
Payroll or accounts payable teams that validate amounts and issue reimbursements or stipends.

Step-by-step: completing and routing the per diem request

Follow these steps in order to prepare, submit, and close a per diem request in a compliant workflow.

01

Prepare details: Enter travel dates, location, purpose, and rate.
02

Attach documentation: Add itinerary or client invitation when required.
03

Submit to manager: Route for approval before or upon return.
04

Finance review: Accounts payable validates and issues payment.

How to set up an online per diem workflow

Configure fields, approvals, and notifications so requests follow a predictable approval path and integrate with payroll.

Field	Configuration
Required Fields	Employee Name \| ID \| Trip Dates \| Destination \| Rate
Approval Steps	Manager Approval \| Finance Final Approval
Notifications	Email on submit \| Email on approval/denial
Accounting Export	CSV export or integration with ERP

Typical routing and submission flow for a per diem request

An efficient route reduces manual handoffs and ensures a clear audit trail from request to payment.

Employee completes form: Submits required fields and attachments.
Manager approves: Confirms business purpose and dates.
Finance verifies: Checks rates and policy compliance.
Payment issued: Accounts payable disburses per diem.

Digital signing and eSubmission requirements for per diem workflows

Ensure the chosen solution meets your security and compliance requirements and supports export to payroll systems.

File formats: PDF or DOCX forms that preserve field data.
Signer authentication: Email, SMS code, or stronger methods for higher-risk approvals.
Integrations: Connectors for ERP, HRIS, and cloud storage.

Timing and internal deadlines to set for per diem requests

Establish clear submission and approval deadlines so per diem calculations align with payroll cycles and tax reporting.

Pre-trip submission:

Submit requests before travel when policy requires advance approval.

Post-trip deadline:

File expense confirmation within 30 days of return to avoid delays.

Payroll cutoff:

Submit approved requests by payroll cutoff to be included in next pay cycle.

Audit retention:

Retain documentation per company retention schedule and legal requirements.

Policy exceptions:

Clarify deadlines for retroactive or emergency travel approvals.

Key processing milestones from request to payment

Track milestone stages to measure cycle time and remove common bottlenecks.

01

Request Submitted

Employee completes and routes the form for approval.

02

Manager Approval

Supervisor verifies business purpose and signs off.

03

Finance Validation

Accounts payable confirms rates and budget coding.

04

Payment Disbursed

Per diem paid via payroll or AP disbursement.

Common preparation errors to avoid

Missing or mismatched employee identification that prevents ledger reconciliation.
Incorrect date ranges causing overpayment or ineligible days.
Using wrong per diem rate or failing to reference the applicable rate schedule.
No manager approval before payment, which can create audit exceptions.

Risks and consequences of incorrect per diem requests

Tax Misclassification: May require payroll adjustments or create taxable income for employee.

Reimbursement Denial: Missing approvals can result in nonpayment.

Audit Findings: Insufficient documentation can trigger internal or external audit issues.

Policy Violations: Repeated errors may lead to disciplinary review.

Fraud Exposure: Poor controls increase risk of improper claims.

Recordkeeping Gaps: Retention failures can violate IRS or other rules.

Required information elements for an auditable per diem request

Employee ID: Payroll identifier

Travel Dates: Start and end dates

Destination: City and state

Per Diem Amount: Daily dollar value

Manager Sign-off: Approval signature or e-approval

Supporting Docs: Itinerary or client invite

Comparing signNow and common eSignature vendors for per diem workflows

Vendor selection affects cost, compliance, and integration ability; this table summarizes core pricing and capability differences.

	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	Free trial available	Free trial available	Free trial available	Free trial available
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Essential parts of a professional per diem request form

Design the form to capture approvals, calculation details, and accounting data so it’s usable for payroll and audit.

Identification

Employee name, payroll ID, department and contact details for reconciliation and payroll mapping.

Travel Details

Start and end dates, destination city/state, and business purpose to justify per diem eligibility.

Rate and Calculation

Daily rate, number of days, and total amount with a clear reference to which per diem schedule was used.

Attachments

Itinerary, invitation, or travel order supporting business purpose and date verification.

Approvals

Manager and finance sign-off fields with dates and electronic audit entries.

Accounting Codes

Project, cost center, or GL account to automate accounting entries on payment.

Real-world examples of digitizing travel allowances

Two representative customer experiences show practical outcomes when per diem workflows are digitized.

Optica Ventures

Their finance team replaced paper requests with a fillable digital form that enforced required fields and approvals

The change reduced missing data events by half
After implementation they achieved faster approvals and clearer audit trails, easing month-end reconciliations across regional teams.

Xerox (NetSuite Ops)

Xerox integrated digital request forms with NetSuite to auto-populate employee and project data

Automation eliminated duplicate entry
The integration streamlined coding to GL accounts and shortened payment cycles for travel allowances.

Frequently asked questions about Employee Per Diem Requests

Answers to common questions about format, approvals, records, and eSignature handling when processing per diem requests.

Need help? Contact support

Do per diem requests need notarization?
Generally no. Internal per diem requests are administrative records and do not require notarization unless they include an affidavit or other legal attestation.
What if the employee name differs from payroll records?
Names must match payroll records; discrepancies typically trigger manual verification and delay reimbursement until resolved.
Can an e-signature validate approvals?
Yes. An electronic approval that shows signer attribution, timestamp, and an audit trail meets ESIGN and UETA requirements for most internal approvals.
How long should requests be retained?
Retain per diem requests at least three years per IRS guidance; retain longer when tied to tax or industry-specific obligations.
What supporting documents are required?
Common attachments include trip itinerary, meeting invite, and manager approval; specific policies may require receipts for lodging or incidental claims.
How to correct a submitted request?
Submit a revised request with a clear note of the amendment; require manager re-approval if the correction affects amounts or dates.

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