If you use purchase requisitions at your company, fill one of those out and have him sign it. Otherwise, send him an email asking for his approval before purchasing the item. Your email should say something like "Because of the cost of the #### you requested that I purchase, I am asking for your email approval. This will provide proper backup for our accounting department. Please respond to this email with your okay."

Linda - It wouldn't be wise to tell your boss "no" and it sounds like you realize that & just want to have a little CYA in your corner. This happens at my office quite frequently. Along the lines of the response from Karen R., I always send an email to the person requesting the purchase - letting them know the details, and breakdown of the cost. I always close those emails with stating that I am waiting for their response before I move forward with finalizing the purchase they've requested. Having this form of 'back-up' has come in handy more than once!

If you feel the expenditure may be questioned, it might be a good idea to send your boss an email to CONFIRM that he/she wants you to make the purchase. Attach the response to this email to your receipt for future reference.

In my office I had to create a form that is used by everyone requesting a purchase. I called it the "Purchase Authorization Form". It actually serves as "back-up" for many reasons. It give me all the details of the purchase for a purchase requisition including accounts to be charged, full descrption of purchase, etc. The requestor must obtain approval from the director in order to proceed. If they will be using their credit card - I inform them the purchase request has been approved once the director signs the form. If a purchase requisition is needed, then I proceed. As for this purchase - I agree with everyone in having some type of confirmation/signature/email as back-up from your boss authorizing the purchase.

After you've dealt with this situation, Linda, as previous responses have suggested, you might be wise to design and implement a request form. I work for a government agency, and we must always get approval for any purchase (of course - - bureaucracy at it's finest). Even our top administrators need to get authorization before making purchases.

Our form asks for the name of the vendor, description of the item, proposed cost, justification for the purchase, billing codes (funding source), signature of requesting party AND signature of authorizing party. If the cost comes in at above or below the proposed cost, that is noted as well.

If the signatures are not there, the item is not ordered. End of story. Of course, this needs to become policy, and you probably can't do that on your own. But some kind of tracking system, and approval/justification documentation should already be required by your accounting department. To have nothing in place to provide an audit trail seems strange to me. In the my career, I've worked in the public sector, private sector and for non-profits, and they all required some sort of "paper trail" for purchases.

You might have to start slow, talk to accounting and HR to get this implemented, but you really need some kind of protection in this area. Good luck.

When it comes to the end of the line it is the credit card holder that is held responsible and left out to dry if it is an inappropriate purchase. Card holders are suppose to know the company or government procurement rules. You are spending their department funds but it is your job on the line if there is a audit get the bosses request in writing.