Help Center / Purchase Requests

Filing a Purchase Request

A purchase request lets you get approval from your finance or procurement team before making a large purchase or buying from a new vendor. It's a simple process that protects both you and your company.

When to File a Purchase Request

You should file a purchase request when:

  • You need approval before making a purchase
  • Your purchase exceeds your card's spending limit
  • You're buying from a new or unfamiliar vendor
  • Your company requires pre-approval for certain purchases
  • You need to order items in bulk or at high cost

Check with your manager if you're unsure whether you need a purchase request.

How to File a Purchase Request

Filing a request doesn't require you to have a manager assigned. If your company's approval workflow routes approval to the requester's manager, though, submitting without one blocks the request, with the error "No user or user group was selected as approver." If that applies to your company, ask your admin to assign you a manager in People settings before you submit.

  1. Open Light and go to Purchase requests, under the Spend management menu
  2. Select Create purchase request
  3. Add each item in the line-item table: Description, Account, Quantity, and Unit price. Light calculates the total for you
  4. Enter the vendor's details: name, contact email (this is where the purchase order goes once approved), and any vendor account information you already have
  5. Fill in the business details:
    • Description of the purchase
    • Entity, the legal entity the purchase belongs to
    • Request owner, who the purchase is for
    • Any custom properties your admin has configured will also appear here
  6. Attach anything that helps finance review faster: vendor quotes, pricing documents, specs, or other supporting documents. This step is optional
  7. Review the details, then select Submit for approval

Your request now sits in your finance team's review queue.

Requesting a Vendor Card

If you're requesting a vendor card instead of a purchase order, you'll also fill in:

  • Card account: The balance account the card will draw from
  • Spend limit: The interval (e.g., monthly) and amount for the card's limit
  • Authentication phone number: The phone number that receives authentication requests when transacting with the card. This auto-fills from your profile, but you can update it if needed.

Vendor Quotes Speed Up Approval

A vendor quote lets finance verify pricing, compare vendors, and set up payment terms without going back to you with questions. Ask your vendor for a quote or price estimate before you submit, if you can. If you don't know the exact price, submit your best estimate. Finance can adjust the amount when they process the order, but a closer estimate means fewer delays.

Editing or Adding to a Request After Submission

  • To add supporting documents to a request that's already submitted, open the request in Light and use the Documents tab.
  • To change the amount, vendor, or description, the request needs to still be in review and you need edit permission. If you can't edit it yourself, ask your finance team or a company admin to update it for you.

Timeline

  • Submit request: Immediately in Light
  • Review by finance: Usually 1-2 business days
  • Approval or questions: You'll be notified via email or in the Light app
  • After approval: Your purchase order is created and ready to share with your vendor (or your vendor card is issued, if that's what you requested)

If a Request Is Declined

Finance will tell you why. Common reasons include missing information, a vendor your company hasn't approved, an amount that exceeds budget, or a policy conflict. Reach out to your manager or finance team to resolve the issue and resubmit if needed.

Also searched as: PO request, purchase order approval, procurement approval, vendor card request, buying approval in Light.

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