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A Check Request Form is an internal finance document that employees submit to the accounts payable or finance team to initiate a payment by check on behalf of the organization. It captures the payee's legal name and address, the exact payment amount, a specific business purpose, the correct general ledger account code, required manager approvals, and references to supporting documentation such as vendor invoices or receipts β giving the finance team everything they need to issue the check, post the expense, and maintain a complete audit trail in a single standardized submission.
Without a standard check request form, employees submit payment requests by email, sticky note, or verbal instruction β leaving the finance team to chase down missing GL codes, unsigned approvals, and unattached invoices before any check can be cut. Every incomplete submission adds a full processing cycle to what should be a routine transaction. A missing approval signature exposes the organization to unauthorized disbursements; a vague business purpose description fails IRS substantiation requirements and raises flags in an audit. This template enforces the complete information set and approval chain upfront, so the finance team processes requests on the first submission rather than the third, vendors get paid on time, and every disbursement is fully documented for year-end reporting.
| If your situation is⦠| Use this template |
|---|---|
| Reimbursing an employee for out-of-pocket business expenses | Expense Reimbursement Form |
| Paying a recurring vendor already set up in accounts payable | Purchase Order |
| Tracking all submitted payment requests in a spreadsheet log | Accounts Payable Tracking Spreadsheet |
| Requesting a cash advance for upcoming business travel | Travel Expense Report |
| Authorizing a petty cash disbursement under a set threshold | Petty Cash Request Form |
| Requesting payment to an independent contractor or freelancer | Invoice |
| Issuing a refund check to a customer or client | Credit Note |
Why it matters: Finance teams are required to retain documentation for every disbursement for audit purposes. A form without an attached invoice or receipt will be returned, resetting the processing clock.
Fix: Gather the invoice, receipt, or contract before filling out the form, and attach everything in a single submission packet.
Why it matters: Descriptions like 'office supplies' or 'vendor payment' give auditors and the finance team nothing to verify, and may fail IRS substantiation requirements for deductible business expenses.
Fix: Write one specific sentence naming the vendor, what was purchased or performed, and the invoice number β for example, 'Annual software license renewal for [VENDOR], Invoice #[NUMBER], covers [DATE] to [DATE].'
Why it matters: When the requestor's department code is missing, the finance team either holds the form for clarification or assigns a default code β both cause budget reporting errors that take time to correct.
Fix: Look up the correct GL account before submitting. If your organization has a chart of accounts summary, bookmark it β it takes less than a minute to find the right code.
Why it matters: An unapproved form returned from finance creates a second processing cycle and risks missing vendor payment deadlines, potentially incurring late fees.
Fix: Follow the approval sequence: requestor completes the form, manager signs, then finance receives. Never skip ahead to save time.
Record today's date and the specific date the check must be issued. Allow at least five business days for standard processing unless your organization has an expedite policy.
π‘ Check your finance team's published processing cutoff β most AP teams have a weekly check run, and missing it by one day adds a full week to delivery.
Fill in your full name, department, direct phone number, and business email. This is the contact the finance team will reach if they have questions about the request.
π‘ Use your direct line, not a main office number β a missed callback is the most common cause of check request delays.
Write the payee's legal name exactly as it appears on their W-9 or vendor registration. Include the complete mailing address if the check will be mailed rather than picked up.
π‘ For new vendors, attach a copy of their W-9 to the form β it satisfies IRS documentation requirements and speeds up vendor setup in the accounting system.
Enter the amount numerically, matching it precisely to the attached invoice or receipt. If the invoice is in a foreign currency, note the currency code and include the exchange rate used.
π‘ If the invoice includes a discount for early payment, confirm with the vendor whether the discount applies before writing the check amount on the form.
Describe what is being purchased, why it is a business expense, and reference the invoice number or contract. One clear sentence is enough β vague descriptions get kicked back.
π‘ Imagine explaining the expense to an external auditor who has no context about your department. If that person would understand it, the description is specific enough.
Look up the correct GL account in your chart of accounts and enter your department's cost center code. If unsure, ask your manager before submitting β incorrect coding requires a journal entry to fix.
π‘ Keep a one-page cheat sheet of the five to ten GL codes your department uses most often β it eliminates the most common submission error.
Tick every item in the attachment checklist that applies and physically attach or scan the documents with the form. A form submitted without supporting documents will be returned.
π‘ Scan invoices at 300 DPI or higher if submitting electronically β low-resolution scans where amounts are illegible cause the same delays as missing documents.
Present the completed form and attachments to your approving manager for signature before sending it to the finance team. The finance team will not process unapproved requests.
π‘ If your manager is unavailable and the payment is time-sensitive, identify the designated backup approver in your department's approval matrix ahead of time β not the moment you need a signature.
A check request form is an internal document that employees submit to the finance or accounts payable team to initiate a payment by check. It captures the payee name, payment amount, business purpose, GL account coding, and required approvals in one place, giving the finance team everything they need to issue the check and post the expense accurately.
Use a check request form for one-time, unplanned, or low-value payments where no purchase order was issued in advance β such as reimbursing a vendor deposit, paying a speaker fee, or covering an emergency repair. Use a purchase order when you are buying goods or services through your organization's formal procurement process before the expense is incurred.
Enough detail that someone unfamiliar with your department could confirm the expense is legitimate and business-related. Include the vendor name, what was purchased or delivered, the invoice number, and the dates covered if it is a service or subscription. One clear sentence usually meets IRS substantiation standards and passes an internal audit without a follow-up question.
Yes β it requires at least one approval signature, typically from the requestor's direct manager, before it reaches the finance team. Many organizations require a second signature from a finance officer for amounts above a set threshold, such as $500 or $1,000. Check your internal policy for the specific approval thresholds and required signatories.
Attach the vendor invoice or quote, a receipt if the expense has already been paid by the employee, a copy of the relevant contract or agreement for service-based payments, and a W-9 for any new vendor. The more documentation you attach upfront, the less likely the form is to be returned with questions.
A check request form asks the company to pay a third party β a vendor, supplier, or contractor β directly by check. An expense reimbursement form asks the company to repay an employee who has already spent personal funds on a business expense. If you paid a vendor out of your own pocket and want to be paid back, use an expense reimbursement form instead.
Most organizations run checks once or twice per week. Processing time from a complete, approved submission to a issued check is typically three to seven business days. Incomplete forms β missing documentation, missing GL codes, or no manager signature β restart the clock. For time-sensitive payments, check whether your finance team has an expedite process and what the cutoff time is.
Most organizations set approval thresholds that require additional authorization for larger amounts β for example, a second finance officer signature for requests over $1,000, or executive approval for amounts over $5,000. Review your internal disbursement policy to confirm the thresholds and approval chain that apply to your request before submitting.
A purchase order is issued before goods or services are delivered to authorize a planned procurement. A check request form is submitted after the expense is already incurred or a payment is due without a prior PO. Use a purchase order for planned spending and a check request form for unplanned or one-off payments.
An expense reimbursement form is used when an employee has already paid out of pocket and needs to be repaid. A check request form directs payment to a third-party payee β vendor, contractor, or organization β not to the employee. If you personally fronted a business cost, use the reimbursement form.
An invoice is a document issued by a vendor to the company requesting payment. A check request form is the internal document the employee uses to trigger the company's response to that invoice. The two documents should reference each other β the invoice number belongs in the check request's business purpose field.
A petty cash form covers small, immediate cash disbursements β typically under $50 β from an on-hand cash fund managed by the office. A check request form is used for larger or vendor-directed payments that require formal approval and a bank-issued check. Most organizations set a dollar threshold that separates the two processes.
Board-mandated dual-authorization controls and grant fund tracking make a standardized check request form essential for maintaining donor and auditor trust.
Schools and universities use check request forms to pay guest lecturers, event vendors, and student activity suppliers outside the standard purchase order cycle.
Clinics and hospitals require documented approval chains for all disbursements to meet Joint Commission and Medicare compliance standards.
Law firms, accounting firms, and consultancies use check request forms to pay client-matter disbursements that must be tracked against specific billing codes.
| Path | Best for | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use the template | Any organization that needs a standardized internal form for employee-initiated check payments | Free | 5 minutes to complete per request |
| Template + professional review | Organizations adding custom approval thresholds, department-specific GL code tables, or electronic workflow routing | $0β$100 (internal finance team customization) | 1β2 hours |
| Custom drafted | Enterprises integrating the form into an ERP or procurement system with automated approval routing | $500β$5,000+ (developer or system implementation) | 2β6 weeks |
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