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Free form template · Word

Expense Approval Form

An expense approval form is a pre-approval request raised before money is spent, for items such as a team event, external training, client gifts or an equipment purchase. It checks the budget line, routes the request through an approval matrix by amount and is later attached to the reimbursement or invoice.

  • Editable Word (.docx)
  • Made for India
  • 11 fill-in fields highlighted
  • Free, no sign-up

Preview of the form

[Highlighted] = fill in
[Company Logo][Company Name]

EXPENSE PRE-APPROVAL REQUEST

Company:
[Company Name]
Approval No.:
[Reference Number]
Date:
[Date]

Requested by

Employee Name
Employee ID
Department
Cost Centre

Expense Details

Expense Type: Team Event / Training / Client Gift / Purchase / Other
Description
Business Justification
Date Required By
Number of Beneficiaries / Attendees

Cost and Quotes

VendorQuote Ref.Amount excl. GST (₹)GST (₹)Total (₹)Preferred (Y/N)
[Vendor][Quote Ref.][Amount][Amount][Amount][Y/N]
[Vendor][Quote Ref.][Amount][Amount][Amount][Y/N]
[Vendor][Quote Ref.][Amount][Amount][Amount][Y/N]

Budget Check

Budget Line
Annual Budget (₹)
Spent to Date (₹)
Available Balance (₹)
Payment Route: Direct to Vendor / Employee Reimbursement

Approval Matrix

Amount RangeApproverSignatureDate
Up to ₹[Amount][Reporting Manager][DD/MM/YYYY]
₹[Amount] to ₹[Amount]Department Head[DD/MM/YYYY]
Above ₹[Amount]Finance Head / [Authorised Signatory][DD/MM/YYYY]

Approval valid until [DD/MM/YYYY]. The approved amount is the maximum payable; any increase needs fresh approval. Quote Approval No. [Reference Number] on the invoice or reimbursement claim.

Requested by
[Employee Name]
Date: [Date]
Final Approval
[Authorised Signatory]
Approved Amount: ₹[Amount]

What this template includes

  • Description and business justification
  • Estimated cost with quotes
  • Budget line and available balance
  • Approval matrix by amount
  • Payment route: vendor invoice or employee reimbursement
  • Approval reference to quote on the claim

When to use it

  • Before booking a team offsite or celebration
  • Before paying for external training or certification fees
  • Before buying client gifts during festivals
  • For any one-off spend above the self-approval limit

How to customise this template

  1. 1Enter your approval thresholds and approvers
  2. 2Add a minimum number of quotes above a set value
  3. 3Link to your procurement process for capital items
  4. 4Include a client gift value limit if your ethics policy has one

HR tips

  • Get approval before spending, not after
  • Quote the approval number on the final claim
  • Prefer direct vendor payment for large amounts
  • Check gifts against your anti-bribery and conduct policy

For HR & hiring managers

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Frequently asked questions

Why is expense pre-approval needed?+

It confirms the spend is within budget and policy before money is committed, avoiding rejected claims later.

Who approves expenses?+

Usually the reporting manager for small amounts, with department heads or finance for higher amounts as per the approval matrix.

Can I spend more than the approved amount?+

Only with a fresh or revised approval; amounts above the approval are usually not reimbursed.