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How do I get my manager to approve and sign a purchase order before it goes out?

Every purchase order the tool creates ends with an 'Approved by (name and signature)' line and a ruled blank. The tool cannot add an electronic signature, so print the PDF, have your manager write their name, sign and date it, then scan or photograph the page and send that copy to the supplier.

Published · 3 min read

Why approval before sending

In a small team, whoever prepares the order may be the purchasing or stock person, while the spending decision belongs to the manager or owner. A signature on the purchase order before it leaves means a second person has checked the amounts and quantities, and the supplier is dealing with an approved order, not one person's guess.

A five-step routine

  1. Prepare the order in the Purchase-order generator: 24 office chairs at 85 riyals each, with a 15% tax rate as per the supplier's quote, for a total of 2,346.00 SAR.
  2. Create and download the PDF, then send it to the manager or print it for them.
  3. The manager checks the figures, writes their name, signs on the approval line and dates it beside the signature.
  4. Scan the signed page, or photograph it from directly above in good light.
  5. Send the signed copy to the supplier and file it alongside the original PDF.

If the manager rejects or changes it

Do not correct the printout in pen and send it on: the supplier would see crossed-out figures that no longer match the printed total. Go back to the tool, change the quantity or price, let it recalculate the total, then print a fresh copy for signing. If the page is still open your data is there; if you closed it, you will have to enter it again, because the tool saves nothing.

Details that make the approval clear

  • The name written legibly beside the signature, since a signature alone is rarely readable.
  • If your team has spending limits, such as the manager approving anything above a set amount, write that rule in your internal guide, not on the purchase order.
  • On a multi-page order the approval line is on the last page only. The manager can initial each page if you prefer.
  • A logo or electronic stamp cannot be added. If you have a company stamp, stamp the paper copy next to the signature.

It also helps if the order reaches the manager before it is urgent, so nobody signs without reading. Work out when each item needs reordering with the Inventory reorder-point calculator, leaving time for approval.

Common questions

Can the manager sign the PDF directly on a phone?

The tool does not offer that. Some PDF reader apps let you add a drawn signature; that happens outside the tool and at your own discretion.

Does the manager's name fill in automatically on the approval line?

No, the line is blank so the name can be written and signed by hand.