As you all know, over the past couple years we have hired many new personnel, including Office Directors. Understandably then, confusion has arisen at times among those responsible for preparing, approving, processing and signing the respective check requests and checks pertaining to reimbursements for business expenses paid for by cash, personal credit card and/or corporate credit cards. Therefore, I thought it would be helpful for everyone if you were provided with a brief outline of the appropriate protocol.
- All check requests for expense reimbursements (including those initially paid for via cash, personal credit card or corporate credit card) must be approved by the individual’s supervisor (or if the person has no supervisor, a peer) before submission to the Finance Office for payment.
- Check requests must have adequate back-up such as receipts and suitable notations (which simply can be written on the back of the receipts and/or credit card statements) indicating the specific purpose and details of expenditures (e.g. purpose of dinner meeting, date, place, name and number of persons in attendance, etc.)
- Notwithstanding the fact that there may be money in your budget for various travel, meals, and other reimbursable expenses, the nature and extent of the particular expenditure should be consistent with our responsibilities as Church stewards. That is, at a time when the Church is under increased public scrutiny it is more important than ever that our expenses be relatively modest in nature, and the methods for obtaining reimbursement for expenses consistent with good accounting principles.
Your cooperation will make things much simpler and expeditious for those responsible for approving check requests, those involved in the check processing system and those responsible for signing the checks.