Petty cash and expense policy template

What the petty cash and expense policy template gives you

Small cash payments are where money goes missing. This template gives a clear petty cash and expense policy: the size of the float, who holds it, what it may be used for, what proof is needed, how claims are approved and reimbursed and how the float is counted and topped up, with a petty cash voucher and an expense claim form to print.

Who it is for

Owners, office managers and finance staff who control petty cash and staff expenses.

How to use it

1. Fill in the float, the limits and the names.
2. Share the policy with everyone who spends money for the business.
3. Use the voucher for every petty cash payment.
4. Count and reconcile the float every month.
5. Keep a signed or dated copy with your records, so you can show what was agreed or done.

What is inside

• Float size, custodian and limits
• What petty cash may and may not be used for
• Petty cash voucher
• Expense claim form
• Monthly reconciliation steps

The document is a ready-to-print PDF with these parts: 1. The float, 2. Rules, 3. Petty cash voucher, 4. Expense claim, 5. Monthly count. It is laid out for A4, with the headings, tables and tick boxes already in place, so you can print it and fill it in by hand, or type into it with a PDF editor.

Tips for getting it right

• Keep the float small and locked.
• One person holds it; a different person checks it.
• No receipt, no reimbursement.
• Top up the float only against vouchers.

Why it helps

Accounting records let you answer three questions at any time: what came in, what went out and who owes whom. Kept consistently they also make tax returns, loan applications and the sale of a business much easier, because the evidence is already organised. Entering transactions the day they happen is far cheaper than reconstructing them at year end.

Questions people ask

Can I edit it? It is a PDF, so it is meant to be printed and completed, or filled with a PDF editor. If you want to change the wording, copy the text into Word or Google Docs and adapt it to your business.

Is it legal advice? No. It is a practical starting point written for Kenya. Rules change, so check the current position and ask a professional where the stakes are high.

Will it work on my phone? Yes for reading. For filling in and printing, a computer or a PDF app works best.

Keeping it safe and up to date

Good accounting records are a legal duty as well as a management tool: keep the supporting receipts and invoices with the workbook, and keep each year's copy for at least five years. Work on a copy, never on your only file, and back it up.

Read how to keep business records for KRA for the wider picture. See more accounting templates or ask us for a custom one.

This document is general information, not tax, legal or accounting advice, and it is not affiliated with the Kenya Revenue Authority. If something does not work as described, contact us and we will put it right.

Related guides, calculators and templates

• Guide: How to keep business records for KRA: what to save and for how long
• Guide: Bank reconciliation step by step: match your books to your bank
• Guide: Fixed assets and capital allowances explained for small businesses
• Another template: 13-week cash flow forecast
• Another template: Accounting policies and procedures manual template
• Another template: Accounts payable ageing schedule

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