Team Money template
Purchasing Approval Matrix Template
Published 3 August 2026 · Last reviewed 22 August 2026 · By Kayley Hart
What this template is for
Use this matrix to make spending authority visible. It separates a request from an approval, sets evidence expectations and creates an emergency route that is documented rather than improvised.
Use this template your way
Copy it into your own workspace, print it, save it as a PDF from your browser, or download a DOCX file to edit offline.
How to use this template
- Choose bands that match your cash exposure and the risk of the purchase, not titles or personal preference alone.
- Share the matrix with everyone who can request or approve spend, including founders and temporary cover.
- Review it after budget changes, supplier incidents or a spending exception that exposed an unclear rule.
Reusable document
Working template
Replace the bracketed prompts with facts about your own team. Keep the completed version in the shared place where the relevant people can use it.
1. Spend band and purchase type
Define the value range and any high-risk categories that always require additional review, even below the normal threshold.
Spend band: [range] Examples in this band: [types] Always treated as high risk: [types]
2. Who may request
State which roles may raise the request and what business case they must provide before anyone approves it.
Requester roles: [roles] Request must include: [business purpose, budget code, supplier]
3. Who may approve
Name the approver for the band and the secondary approver for higher values or conflicts of interest. No one should approve their own purchase.
Primary approver: [role] Second approver / higher band: [role] Self-approval rule: [rule]
4. Evidence and record
Specify the quote, comparison, contract or receipt needed for this band, plus where the approval will be stored for later checking.
Evidence required: [items] Record location: [system] Payment method: [approved route]
5. Exception and emergency route
Define a genuinely urgent route with named approvers, time limit and retrospective evidence so ‘emergency’ cannot become a workaround.
Emergency means: [definition] Emergency approver: [role] Retrospective record due: [time]
Illustrative only
Filled example
This example shows the level of specificity to aim for. Replace it with your own names, limits, dates and evidence rather than copying the facts.
1. Spend band and purchase type
Spend band: £0–£100. Examples in this band: Routine software renewals and approved office supplies. Always treated as high risk: New financial tools, personal-data processors and recurring subscriptions.
2. Who may request
Requester roles: Team leads and designated operations staff. Request must include: Business purpose, total cost, supplier, budget line and whether the cost recurs.
3. Who may approve
Primary approver: Budget owner. Second approver / higher band: Finance lead for £500+ or recurring contracts. Self-approval rule: The requester cannot approve their own purchase or reimbursement.
4. Evidence and record
Evidence required: Supplier quote and business case; two quotes for £500+. Record location: Purchasing register linked to the approval message. Payment method: Company card or approved supplier invoice only.
5. Exception and emergency route
Emergency means: Immediate action is required to protect a customer, security or essential service. Emergency approver: Any director plus the finance lead. Retrospective record due: In the purchasing register by the next working day.
Before you share it
Test the matrix with one ordinary purchase and one urgent request. If different people reach different approvals, make the thresholds or evidence rules more specific.