Budget Signature Authority Process

Signature Cards

The Signature Authority Form designates individuals with direct authority and related responsibility to commit funds of the Organization code and Index numbers listed on the form for Financial Operations documents that includes, but are not limited to: vendor payments, pre-approvals, expense reports, and journal voucher revenue or expense transfers.

On an annual basis, the Office of Accounting Operations will formally request that each department review its list of active indexes and its approvers.  Changes and updates to approvers may be requested directly to Accounting Operations by sending an email to budgetsignature@wm.edu with the request for the index. 

During the year the Accounting Operations team will monitor changes to approvers and/or new indexes and will work directly with department administrators to obtain Budget Signature Authority Forms when required.

Upon receipt of the form, departments should:

• Complete the top section of the form, by adding the printed name of each staff member who has direct authority to commit funds of the Org and Index numbers listed on the form.   
• Use the Restriction Column to list any limited authority the listed staff member may have over an Organization code or Index disbursements.  In addition, please indicate any indexes that are no longer used and should not be maintained as active in Banner finance.
• Departments should use the Signature Authorization Form to make any corrections to signature authority during the year.