Can a PAR be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures that demonstrate signer intent, consent to electronic records, attribution, and reproducible retention meet ESIGN (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA standards for validity.

Is notarization required for a PAR?

Generally no. Most PARs do not require notarization, but specific state rules or internal policy may require notarized approvals for high-value or real-estate-related transactions.

How do I correct a submitted PAR?

If changes are needed, update the form and route for re-approval rather than altering an executed copy; retain both versions for audit purposes.

Who can revoke or cancel a PAR?

The original requester or authorized approver can cancel before PO issuance; revocation after a PO may require supplier agreement and formal change documentation.

How long should signed PARs be kept?

Follow federal minima (IRS three years) and industry rules such as HIPAA six-year retention for health records; consider seven years for significant contracts.

What causes delays in PAR approval?

Common causes include missing attachments, incorrect budget codes, lack of delegated authority, or manual routing; automation and complete submissions reduce delays.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Finance
Purchase Authorization Request

Purchase Authorization Request

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

PURCHASE AUTHORIZATION REQUEST

Request Summary

Requestor Name: Title:

Department: Phone:

Request Date

Purchase/Project Identifiers

Requisition / Purchase Request No.

Cost Center / Account Code

Project Code (if applicable)

Vendor / Supplier

Vendor Name Vendor Address

Contact Name

Phone

Email

Items / Services

Provide a complete, itemized description of goods or services to be procured. Attach quotes, specifications, or scopes of work as required by procurement policy.

Description	Quantity	Unit Price	Amount

Subtotal Tax Shipping / Handling Total Estimated Cost

Justification & Business Purpose

Justification

Budget Impact / Funding

Available Budget (account balance) If funds are not available, indicate proposed fund source or corrective action

Compliance & Procurement Requirements

Procurement Type: Operational Expense Capital Equipment Professional Services

Competitive Bid Obtained: Yes No If no, state justification for sole source or emergency procurement:

Conflict of Interest: None declared Potential conflict disclosed

If disclosed, provide details

Approvals (routing information)

Department Manager Name: Approved: Yes No Date:

Procurement Reviewer: Compliance Check Complete: Yes No Date:

Finance Reviewer: Funds Available: Yes No Date:

Terms, Conditions & Certification

By submitting this Purchase Authorization Request, the Requestor certifies that the information provided is true and complete to the best of their knowledge; that the procurement complies with applicable procurement policies, budgetary constraints and any applicable laws; and that any conflict of interest has been disclosed. The Requestor acknowledges that approval is required prior to commitment of funds or placement of any order, and that unauthorized purchases may be subject to administrative action and personal liability.

Special Terms / Conditions (warranty, delivery, installation, milestones) Additional Notes / Attachments

Requestor Printed Name:

By:

Date:

What a Purchase Authorization Request Is and when it’s used

A Purchase Authorization Request (PAR) is an internal procurement document that formalizes approval to incur expense, commit funds, or place an order on behalf of an organization. It captures requester identity, vendor details, cost breakdown, budget code, justification, and required approvals so purchasing, finance, and approvers can validate need and available funds before a purchase order is issued. The PAR reduces ad-hoc buying, documents approval history, and creates an auditable trail that finance teams use for payment, budget control, and record retention.

Why a clear Purchase Authorization Request matters

Using a standardized PAR reduces procurement risk, enforces budget controls, and creates an auditable approval record that supports compliance and faster invoice processing.

Typical people and teams who complete or approve a PAR

Role clarity helps route the PAR efficiently and reduces rework from missing information or improper approvals.

Department managers and project leads: initiate requests and justify expenditures based on budgets and project needs.
Procurement or purchasing teams: validate vendor terms, confirm sourcing rules, and convert approvals into purchase orders.
Accounts payable and finance: verify budget codes, confirm approvals, and schedule vendor payments.

Representative signers and approvers

Procurement Manager

Oversees supplier selection and enforces procurement policy. Reviews PARs for sourcing compliance and signs when purchases meet policy thresholds; documents nonstandard approvals for audit.

Chief Financial Officer

Provides executive-level authorization for expenses above delegated limits. Ensures PARs align with cash forecasts and financial controls, and retains signed records for audit and tax purposes.

Essential components of a professional Purchase Authorization Request

A complete PAR includes requester data, vendor and item details, cost breakdowns, approvals, and references to supporting documents so approvers can assess compliance and need.

Requester Details

Full name, department, contact, and organization code to identify who is requesting and where expense should be charged.

Vendor Information

Legal vendor name, remit address, contact person, and TIN or W-9 status so payables can onboard or validate tax information.

Itemized Costs

Line-item descriptions, quantities, unit prices, shipping, taxes, and total estimated cost for accurate budget reconciliation.

Budget and GL Codes

Chart of accounts or internal budget codes that route costs to the correct cost center and expedite accounting.

Approvals

Signature blocks or eSign fields for required approvers, with delegated authority thresholds clearly stated.

Supporting Attachments

Quotes, contracts, vendor W-9, and technical specs attached to provide context and evidence for the requested purchase.

Step-by-step: completing and routing a PAR

Follow these sequential steps to prepare, approve, and route a Purchase Authorization Request for procurement.

01

1. Prepare: Gather vendor quote, W-9, and justification before starting the PAR.
02

2. Fill details: Complete requester, vendor, item, and budget fields accurately.
03

3. Route for approval: Send to required approvers in the documented order for signatures.
04

4. Submit to purchasing: Procurement converts approved PAR into a purchase order and places the order.

How a digital Purchase Authorization Request flows through your organization

A typical electronic PAR workflow captures inputs, routes approvals, and archives a signed record for procurement and finance teams.

Initiation: Requester creates PAR and attaches quotes or W-9.
Approval routing: System routes to manager and procurement for sequential approval.
Order issuance: Procurement issues PO and shares with vendor.
Record retention: Signed PAR and PO stored for audit and payment.

Recommended digital workflow settings for PAR processing

Configure workflow fields to enforce approvals, capture audit data, and integrate with finance systems to automate downstream steps.

Field	Configuration
Approval workflow	Sequential approvals by role with escalation rules
Notifications	Email and in-app reminders for pending approvals
Budget check	Automated budget validation against GL balances
Attachment rules	Require quote and W-9 for new vendors

Technical considerations for electronic PAR submission

Ensure the selected service provides encryption in transit and at rest, and offers access controls that align with procurement policy.

File formats: PDF, DOCX, XLSX accepted
Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Microsoft 365
Authentication: Email, SMS OTP, or advanced methods

Typical timing and processing expectations for a PAR

Processing time varies by organization size and approval chains; define internal SLAs to set expectations and reduce delays.

Internal SLA for approvals:

3–7 business days typical pending approver availability

Urgent purchases:

Expedited routing can reduce approvals to same day

Vendor setup time:

New vendor onboarding may add 5–10 business days

PO issuance:

Procurement issues PO after final approval, often within 1–2 business days

Invoice payment:

Payment timing follows agreed vendor terms after invoice receipt

Key milestones from request to purchase

Track these sequential milestones to measure cycle time and identify bottlenecks in PAR processing.

01

Request submitted

Requester files PAR with required attachments.

02

Manager review

Department manager approves or requests changes.

03

Procurement review

Procurement validates vendor and sourcing rules.

04

PO issued

Purchase order is created and sent to vendor.

Common mistakes that slow or invalidate a Purchase Authorization Request

Missing or incomplete vendor tax documents (W-9) that delay vendor setup and payment processing, requiring follow-up requests and rework.
Incorrect budget or GL code entries that route charges to the wrong department and cause accounting reconciliation issues at month end.
Vague item descriptions or missing quantity/price details that force approvers to request clarifications, extending approval cycles.
Using informal approvals (email confirmations without signature evidence) that leave insufficient audit trail for internal controls and external audits.

Risks and potential penalties from incorrect or incomplete PARs

Tax filing penalties: 1099 reporting errors — IRC §6721 penalties apply

I-9 compliance fines: I-9 paperwork errors carry fines (8 CFR §274a.2)

Backup withholding: Missing TIN triggers 24% backup withholding

Contract disputes: Unauthorized commitments create liability for organization

Procurement delays: Late approvals can cause operational downtime and expedited shipping costs

Fraud risk: Weak controls increase exposure to vendor or employee fraud

How a Purchase Authorization Request compares to related procurement documents

Compare core differences so users choose the correct document for each stage of procurement.

Comparison of common procurement documents	Criteria	Purchase Authorization Request	Purchase Requisition	Purchase Order
Typical purpose	authorize spending	request internal approval	commit to order	finalize contractual terms
When used	pre-order approval	pre-procurement planning	post-approval ordering	for long-term supplier terms
Approver set	department + finance	department only	procurement + finance	legal + executive
Legal weight	internal authorization	internal planning	binding on vendor	legally binding contract

How eSignature vendors compare for processing Purchase Authorization Requests

Below is a concise vendor comparison for common eSignature features relevant to PAR workflows; signNow appears first per platform comparison guidance.

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

Real-world examples of PAR workflows in practice

These anonymized examples show how organizations streamline approvals and create auditable trails using standardized PARs.

Optica Ventures (finance workflow)

Optica standardized PARs across portfolios to centralize approvals and reduce errors in vendor setup.

The PAR captured quotes and W-9s automatically.
As a result, procurement converted approvals to purchase orders faster and accounts payable processed invoices with fewer exceptions, improving month-end close efficiency.

Martin Properties (real estate purchases)

Martin Properties used PAR templates for maintenance and remodeling buys to ensure budget sign-off.

Template included cost codes and vendor insurance proof.
This reduced unauthorized spending, improved contractor onboarding speed, and produced a consistent audit trail for property expense reviews.

Best practices to ensure accurate and efficient PAR processing

Adopt these practices to reduce review cycles, ensure compliance, and accelerate procurement.

Verify vendor tax documentation

Require a completed W-9 for U.S. vendors before approval to prevent backup withholding and to ensure accurate 1099 reporting to the IRS.

Enforce budget code accuracy

Validate GL or cost-center codes against live budget balances to avoid mischarges and unexpected overspending that complicates reconciliation.

Use role-based approvals

Implement delegated approval limits so low-value requests flow quickly while higher-value purchases require additional sign-offs and documentation.

Attach supporting evidence

Mandate quotes, statements of work, and insurance certificates where applicable so approvers have the information needed to decide without follow-up.

Common questions and answers about Purchase Authorization Requests

Answers to frequent questions about validity, signing, revisions, and storage for Purchase Authorization Requests.

Need help? Contact support

Can a PAR be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures that demonstrate signer intent, consent to electronic records, attribution, and reproducible retention meet ESIGN (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA standards for validity.
Is notarization required for a PAR?
Generally no. Most PARs do not require notarization, but specific state rules or internal policy may require notarized approvals for high-value or real-estate-related transactions.
How do I correct a submitted PAR?
If changes are needed, update the form and route for re-approval rather than altering an executed copy; retain both versions for audit purposes.
Who can revoke or cancel a PAR?
The original requester or authorized approver can cancel before PO issuance; revocation after a PO may require supplier agreement and formal change documentation.
How long should signed PARs be kept?
Follow federal minima (IRS three years) and industry rules such as HIPAA six-year retention for health records; consider seven years for significant contracts.
What causes delays in PAR approval?
Common causes include missing attachments, incorrect budget codes, lack of delegated authority, or manual routing; automation and complete submissions reduce delays.

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