Before a source document can be processed for payment in Payment Services (Accounts Payable) an appropriate authorizing signature is required. 

Deans, Directors, Chairs and Department Heads are delegated authority to authorize these source documents by Financial Services policy 'Delegation of Authority for Commitment of University Funds Upon Budget Allocation'. They may also delegate signing authority to a subordinate.

To facilitate verification of these authorizing signatures, Payment Services maintains a database of two different forms related to the delegation of signing authority.

1. 'Delegation of Signing Authority - All Funds'

On this form, a Dean, Director, Chair or Department Head may:

• Delegate signing authority to a subordinate for specified accounts, expenditure types and financial spending limit
• Designate a subordinate as an 'institutional approver' for both Fund 301 grant accounts and/or all other accounts for which they are responsible.
  • An Institutional Approver may approve a transaction for processing after reviewing the transaction and verifying the transaction has been properly initiated and authorized and meets expense eligibility requirements where applicable.

Please email completed Delegation of Signing Authority form to Lynda Molnar - Assistant Manager, Payment Services

2. 'Grant Holder Declaration and Delegation of Signing Authority - Fund 301 and Fund 302'

On this form, a Grant Holder of a Fund 301 or Fund 302 grant may, for a specific grant:

• Delegate signing authority to an appropriate individual for specified expenditure types and financial spending limit
• Elect not to delegate signing authority and take sole responsibility for the initiation of all expenditures

Please email completed Grant Holder Declaration and Delegation of Signing Authority form to Research Financial Services

This database is available to:

• Financial Services Staff
• Departmental Institutional Approvers