Can a Purchase Requisition be signed electronically?

Yes. Under the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and most state UETA laws, electronic signatures are legally valid when intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements are met.

What signature methods are acceptable?

Typed names, drawn signatures, and click-to-sign are acceptable if the system captures attribution and an audit trail; industries may require stronger authentication for certain transactions.

Is notarization required for internal requisitions?

No. Purchase requisitions are internal authorization records and rarely require notarization; exceptions are rare and typically limited to contract documents that must be notarized.

Who must sign a requisition?

At minimum the requester and the designated approver(s) named by policy. Large-value requests often require additional finance or executive approvals before PO issuance.

How long should signed requisitions be retained?

Follow retention policy: at least 3 years for IRS purposes (IRC §6501(a)), 6 years for HIPAA-related items when applicable (45 CFR §164.530(j)), and longer if required by state or contract.

What attachments should accompany the form?

Include vendor quotes, specifications, vendor certificates, and any required approvals. Missing attachments are a common reason for rejection during procurement review.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Purchase Requisition Form

Purchase Requisition Form

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

PURCHASE REQUISITION FORM

Requisition Number: Date: Priority:

Requesting Party

Requester Name Department / Cost Center

Phone

Email

Purpose / Justification

Justification for Purchase

Budget & Funding

Budget Code / GL Account Funding Source / Project

Funds Certified: Budget Holder Name:

Items Requested (Line Items)

No.

Description

Qty

Unit Price

Line Total

Estimated Total: $

Vendor / Supplier Information

Vendor Name Vendor Address

Vendor Contact

Vendor Phone / Email

Delivery & Payment

Required Delivery Date:

Shipping Address Payment Terms

Approvals & Certifications

I certify that the goods or services requested are necessary for official business and that funds are available or will be made available for this purchase. I further certify that procurement procedures have been followed and the vendor selection complies with internal policy.

Procurement Compliance: Sole Source / Waiver Requested:

If sole source or waiver, provide justification

By signing below, the Requester represents that the information contained in this requisition is true and complete, that the purchase complies with applicable internal policies, and that the vendor selection does not create a conflict of interest. The organization reserves the right to reject or cancel this requisition if documentation is incomplete or budgeted funds are not available. The requester and vendor shall indemnify and hold harmless the organization from liabilities arising from negligent performance, to the extent permitted by law.

Administrative Use Only

PO Issued (if applicable)

Received By

Received Date

Requester

Printed Name:

By:

Date:

Approver

Printed Name:

By:

Date:

What a Purchase Requisition Form Is and When It’s Used

A Purchase Requisition Form is an internal procurement request used to document the need for goods or services, capture cost estimates and approval routing, and authorize purchasing or accounts payable to issue a purchase order. It standardizes information (requester, vendor, item details, budget codes) so purchasing teams can compare quotes, enforce budget controls, and create legally compliant purchase orders. Organizations use requisitions to create an audit trail linking approvals, funding sources, vendor selection, and delivery schedules for financial control and recordkeeping.

Why a Standardized Requisition Improves Purchasing Controls

A consistent Purchase Requisition Form reduces approval delays, improves budget visibility, and creates a repeatable audit trail for internal control and external review.

Who Typically Prepares and Reviews Requisitions

Departments and roles vary, but requisitions are typically created by operational staff and routed through managers and procurement for approval.

Requesting Employee — Prepares the requisition with item details, justification, and estimated cost; initiates electronic routing to approvers.
Department Manager — Verifies budget availability, confirms need and priority, and provides first-level approval for purchasing.
Procurement / Purchasing — Validates vendor selection, obtains quotes or competitive bids, issues the purchase order after approvals.

Clear role assignments in the form reduce rework and speed approvals by ensuring the right fields are completed before routing.

Essential Sections to Include on a Professional Form

Design the form so each section supports approval decisions and downstream PO creation without follow-up questions.

Requester Details

Name, department, contact info and cost center so approvers can verify authority and route questions correctly during procurement.

Item Description

Clear, specific description of goods or services, model/SKU numbers, unit of measure, and required delivery date for accurate vendor quotes.

Vendor Information

Vendor legal name, address, contact, and preferred payment terms to speed validation and PO issuance.

Quantity & Price

Unit price, quantity, and extended cost with currency to enable budget check and total cost reconciliation.

Budget & Account Code

Chart of accounts code, project number, or budget line to ensure charges post to the correct ledger account.

Approvals

Named approvers, dates, and signature fields (electronic or physical) to document authorization before purchase orders are created.

Required Fields at a Glance

Requester Name: Full legal name

Department: Internal department code

Date: MM/DD/YYYY

Item Summary: Short product/service text

Estimated Cost: Numeric value, two decimals

Approval Status: Pending/Approved/Rejected

Step-by-Step: From Request to Purchase Order

Follow these core steps to complete a requisition and convert it into a purchase order with minimal delay.

01

Prepare Requisition: Complete fields and attach quotes or specifications.
02

Manager Approval: Manager reviews budget and necessity, then signs.
03

Procurement Review: Purchasing validates vendor and pricing, resolves questions.
04

Issue PO: Purchasing issues the purchase order to the vendor.

Typical Digital Workflow Settings

Configure routing, approvals, and authentication so digital submissions meet internal control requirements.

Field	Configuration
Auto-fill Requester	Enable SSO/Magic fields to pre-populate user info
Conditional Approval	Route higher-value requests to additional approvers
Routing Order	Purchasing → Finance → Accounts Payable
Signer Authentication	Email link + optional SMS code

Where to Send or File a Completed Requisition

A completed form should be routed to purchasing and retained for audit access; electronic submission speeds routing and tracking.

Submit to Purchasing: Send the completed form to the procurement inbox or system.
Attach Supporting Files: Include quotes, vendor certifications, or scope documents.
Issue Purchase Order: Purchasing converts approved requisitions into POs.
Archive Record: Store signed copy in document repository for audit.

Sharing Options and Technical Requirements

Use file formats and tools that integrate with accounting and procurement systems to avoid manual re-entry.

Supported Formats: PDF, DOCX, XLSX
Integrations: NetSuite | Salesforce | Google Workspace
Authentication: Email link, SMS code, SSO

Recommended Timelines and Processing Expectations

Set internal SLAs so requesters and approvers know expected turnaround times and procurement can meet vendor lead times.

Approval SLA:

1–5 business days depending on approval level

Procurement Review:

Typically completes within 3 business days after approvals

PO Issuance:

Purchasing issues POs within 1–3 business days after review

Vendor Confirmation:

Expect vendor acknowledgement within 1–7 days

Emergency Purchases:

Expedited routing with documented justification

Common Preparation Mistakes to Avoid

Missing or incorrect cost-center codes lead to chargebacks and require accounting corrections that delay processing.
Vague item descriptions force procurement to request clarifications, adding days to vendor selection and purchase order issuance.
Failure to attach required quotes or approvals prevents processing and can trigger noncompliance with procurement policies.
Unsigned or incomplete approval chains cause procurement to reject the requisition until all signatories provide authorization.

Consequences of Incomplete or Incorrect Requisitions

Delayed Procurement: Order delays and missed project milestones

Overbudget Spend: Mischarged costs and budget overruns

Compliance Violation: Breach of purchasing policy or regulations

Audit Findings: Negative audit results and remediation costs

Vendor Payment Delays: Late payments and strained vendor relations

Tax Reporting Issues: Incorrect vendor info may trigger withholding

Exporting, Attachments, and Record Controls

Make signed requisitions easy to store and reference by standardizing exports and attachments.

Export Formats

Save final documents as PDF/A for archival; support for DOCX and XLSX preserves editable data for systems.

Required Attachments

Attach vendor quotes, specifications, and approvals as separate files to maintain an auditable record.

Version Control

Keep an immutable signed copy and a controlled editable draft; track changes and approval history.

Access Logs

Retain audit logs with timestamps, IPs, and signer attribution to satisfy internal audits.

eSignature Vendor Pricing Snapshot for Requisition Workflows

Compare common pricing and compliance features relevant to processing Purchase Requisition Forms; signNow is listed first per table conventions.

	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 (premium)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Frequently Asked Questions About Purchase Requisition Forms

Answers to common questions about e-signing, approvals, retention, and required supporting information for requisitions.

Need help? Contact support

Can a Purchase Requisition be signed electronically?
Yes. Under the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and most state UETA laws, electronic signatures are legally valid when intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements are met.
What signature methods are acceptable?
Typed names, drawn signatures, and click-to-sign are acceptable if the system captures attribution and an audit trail; industries may require stronger authentication for certain transactions.
Is notarization required for internal requisitions?
No. Purchase requisitions are internal authorization records and rarely require notarization; exceptions are rare and typically limited to contract documents that must be notarized.
Who must sign a requisition?
At minimum the requester and the designated approver(s) named by policy. Large-value requests often require additional finance or executive approvals before PO issuance.
How long should signed requisitions be retained?
Follow retention policy: at least 3 years for IRS purposes (IRC §6501(a)), 6 years for HIPAA-related items when applicable (45 CFR §164.530(j)), and longer if required by state or contract.
What attachments should accompany the form?
Include vendor quotes, specifications, vendor certificates, and any required approvals. Missing attachments are a common reason for rejection during procurement review.

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