We have some of the forms from Critter and we started using them mid year last year. This year I am the treasurer and have tweaked them a tad (with board approval) to fit out PTO's needs but they are great I even used some of them to make another form for an ongoing event we do. let me know if you would like a copy
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We use the Check Request form for that sort of thing. This form, as opposed to a reimbursement request, is used in advance of a purchase or to pay an invoice. For example, we use a CR form to pay an assembly performer or to cut a check to Krogers so we can buy more $5 loyalty cards, or to pay the Little Ceaser's Pizza man when he delivers our frozen pizzas. It's not a reimbursement, so it has its own form. There's a few different fields on the form, too.

I always copied them on pink paper so I knew I had to followup (to get a copy of the receipt or invoice)if I saw one in the front of my binder. If you downloaded the forms, this one should be in the set. Will that meet your needs?

Thank you one and all for all the great advice! Nice to know that my thinking wasn't that far off track.

I have been using Critter's forms for several years now and am looking at adding another form. Well, we are running into the issue when we agree to spend money on (say...) lunch for the volunteers for Field Day the teacher needed to check that day to pay for the pizza. Problem, our Treasurer was hesatant to issue a check as there wasn't a reciept for the pizza but an e-mail from her for the request. The situation was worked out (I got a check from the treasurer and paid for the pizza then took the recipt to her). On the other hand a teacher had requested money for their 7th grade olympics and the teacehr went ahead and purchased the snacks and soda we agreed to pay for but put it on his school credit card and turned the reciept into the business office! After he told me what he did (remember the old V-8 bump your forehead...) and apologized but I figure it's a matter of spending quality time in the business office with three great gals!

MY POINT! I need a form for the requesting teacher to fill out OR attach their e-mail too so that we are not on the phone at 6:30 AM cordinating how we are going to hook up so I can (or others) write a check for pizza! You know... This person is requesting $$$ for _____________ on this day______________ approved by at this meeting blah blah blah.

My treasurer is an accountant....she really keeps me in check! HA!!

When we applied for 501c3, we stopped giving the teachers their classroom allocations upfront, becuase the IRS wants all your major expenditures firmly tied to your exempt purpose. Without receipts, we would never have been able to prove how the teachers spent their $.

Now we send a letter to each teacher in ealy June, with a special envelope attached. The letter explains that the PTO will vote on an amount per teacher (this year, $90) in September, but in the meantime, they should collect receipts to be turned in when they have reached the allocation amount. We don't issue a check until the teacher turns in his/her envelope full of receipts that total at least $90. We seal the envelope and file it away. We don't reveiw the receipts nor question their expenditures, but we have the receipts in case we would ever be audited.

This system works well for our staff, but I'm amazed by the number of teachers who STILL haven't requested their reimbursement. We know they spend their own $$, but until they give us receipts, we won't give them their $$. We don't carry their individual balance over to next year, so if they don't claim it now, it's goes back into the big pot of money for next year.

Regarding your former treasurer's practices...I would be very uncomfortable with allowing just anyone to make deposits. It's true the bank doesn't care, and there are legitimate occasions when someone other than your treasurer should make the deposit. But not routinely, and not so loosely.

Our bylaws require reimbursement requests in writing (on the yellow form) with receipt and within 45 days of the expenditure. When you start using the forms, require the members to fill them out, not you, the treaurer. Don't fall into the trap of filling the form out for others - make them accountable and put blank forms out where they can get them. Train your parents! And use one for every single financial transaction. It's really not that much paper. I think we typically process about 75 reimbursement requests per year.

Shameless plug warning: you might want to order a copy of the new PTOToday manual for treasurers called the Treasurer's Toolkit. It's less than $40 and I have it on good authority that it addresses the issues we all talk about here regarding PTO treasuring. Go to PTO Store for details.

We have around 70 staff members that recieve various amounts of discretionary funds. Several years back, our group decided to hand this out at the beginning of the year as most teachers spend their money before the school year even starts. Some schools do gift cards and some schools do cash so they don't have to write tons of checks. If your credit union doesn't charge check fees you still have to pay for the checks. You may consider trying 2 or 3 cut off dates during the year where receipts can be turned in. Anyway, we have 2 times during the year were we have each staff members sign for their discretionary funds and they are given cash. Though this wouldn't work for some, it meets all of our needs and no one-from parents to staff-have any complaints about how it is handled or spent.