Is Payment Request Form Required for online entries?

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radradryan
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Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2022 7:47 am
Location: Yucaipa, California

Is Payment Request Form Required for online entries?

#1

Post by radradryan »

Does as online entry require a payment request form be attached?
When an organization president submits a payment request online the system generates a Payment Request form PDF which is then reviewed, saved as an expense and is then available for approval. This Payment Request PDF remains part of the expense attachments.
When someone turns in receipts to me I scan them and just enter the expense request. This does not generate a Payment request form PDF, but just goes straight to the approval process. So there is not a Payment Request PDF attachment to the expense entry. In these cases do I need scan and attach the paper payment request form as part of the Expense entry?
eblood66
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Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:17 am
Location: Cumming, GA, USA

Re: Is Payment Request Form Required for online entries?

#2

Post by eblood66 »

Payment requests forms are not required but are useful to document who actually made the request, who is the payee, how much they are requesting and what was the purpose for the expense. That information isn't strictly needed for the audit but it can be very helpful if a mistake was made and needs to be corrected. Having the information may also make the auditor more comfortable with the documentation so that the audit goes smoother (or avoid an exception if you have an auditor that goes a bit beyond the audit instructions).

So I recommend including something with this information. In my experience, most of that information is usually in the email they send me so I just print the email to PDF and attach it to the expense. Occasionally if the email is really brief (once or twice it's just been the receipt), I will write up a short note in a word processor with the information I know about and then print it to PDF and attach. Personally I wouldn't bother filling out a request form by hand and scanning. The information is what is important, not the form.
ronsimpkins
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Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2020 2:53 pm

Re: Is Payment Request Form Required for online entries?

#3

Post by ronsimpkins »

Is there any references that documents a request form is not required? I had exceptions last audit because we did not have request forms for electronic transaction.
eblood66
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Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:17 am
Location: Cumming, GA, USA

Re: Is Payment Request Form Required for online entries?

#4

Post by eblood66 »

The audit form (at least in paper form) has this text in the definitions section:
Payment request form: An optional form used to gather basic information for each expense. It may also be used to request a reimbursement or an advance.
Emphasis is mine. Other mentions of a payment request form on the audit form include that the payment request form by itself is not sufficient documentation for a payment but it may be one of the supporting documents.

Looking at it more closely it looks like the definitions are also available in the online audit but the auditor has to click the 'Show Definitions' link to see them. Those definitions have the same text.
ronsimpkins
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Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2020 2:53 pm

Re: Is Payment Request Form Required for online entries?

#5

Post by ronsimpkins »

Thank you for your reply. This is very helpful. I want to be obedient but do not want to waste time on an unnecessary step. I did look through the definition section but must have missed it. I will review.
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