Petty Cash Request Process

Status: In Review

Document ID: petty-cash-request

Last updated: 2026-01-04

1. Executive Summary

This page explains how a Club President submits a petty cash request and how it is reviewed and handled based on the requested amount. Depending on the routing, the Student Fund either (a) transfers cash directly for lower-tier requests, or (b) follows a fulfillment path for larger requests (vendor/warehouse/service handling) and then decides whether any cash transfer is still needed.

2. Key Characteristics of This Process

Approvals are routed by amount

The approval path changes based on the requested amount (Supervisor only, Director involvement, or direct Student Fund review).
See: Walkthrough Step 3.0.

Fulfillment can mix multiple methods

For requests that go through the fulfillment path, the request can be handled through vendor procurement, warehouse loans, recording services, a cash transfer, or a combination (for example: some items loaned + a remaining cash amount).
See: Walkthrough Steps 6.0–8.0.

Vendor-related timing risk is called out explicitly

Policy (not modeled in BPMN)

Requests expected to require vendor procurement have a stated lead time expectation, and late submissions shift vendor-delay risk away from the Student Fund.
See: Governance “Submission Lead Time Principle”; “Late Submission Warning”.

3. Key Process Logic

Routing is based on amount: < 5,000 SAR is handled with Supervisor approval; 5,000–10,000 SAR is routed to the Director; and > 10,000 SAR is routed to the Student Fund for fulfillment handling. See: Walkthrough Step 3.0.
Requests may be returned by the Supervisor or Director with comments; the Club President updates and resubmits. See: Walkthrough Step 2.0 and 4.5.
Student Fund handling has two main modes:
- Direct transfer: for lower-tier requests, the Student Fund transfers the approved amount.
- Fulfillment path: for larger requests, the Student Fund decides whether a vendor is required; if not, it handles the requested items (warehouse/service) and then decides whether a cash transfer is still needed.
See: Walkthrough Steps 5.0–8.0.
If the request is closed with no cash transfer, a reason/comment is required. See: Walkthrough Step 8.0.
Requests expected to require vendor procurement should be submitted at least 30 calendar days before the activity date. (Policy; not modeled in BPMN.) See: Governance “Submission Lead Time Principle”.

4. Process Actors and Responsibilities

Role	Responsibility
Club President	Initiator. Responsible for filling the request details (Event, Items, Amount) and modifying the request if returned.
Club Supervisor	Operational Authority. Responsible for reviewing requests for validity, managing initial routing based on financial thresholds, and approving low-tier requests (below 5,000 SAR) prior to Student Fund automatic processing.
Director	Strategic Authority. Responsible for reviewing and approving mid-tier requests (5,000 – 10,000 SAR) prior to Student Fund automatic processing.
Student Fund — Staff	Review and fulfillment handling. Reviews requests in the fulfillment path, decides whether a vendor is required, handles procurement or item fulfillment, and decides whether petty cash is still needed.
Student Fund — System	Automated processing. Performs direct processing/cash transfers when routed, and completes closure steps after decisions are made.

5. Process Map (BPMN)

BPMN Diagram Notice: This document export excludes the interactive BPMN diagram.
To view the full process map, please visit:
ba-dsa.pages.dev → Petty Cash Request Process

6. Process Walkthrough & Business Logic

Step	Actor	Action	Business Rules
1.0	Club President	Submit Request	Selects the event, selects the budget items, enters the requested amount, and submits the request.
2.0	Club Supervisor	Initial Review	Reviews the request for completeness, policy compliance, and budget correctness. If Returned: Send back to Club President with comments. If Approved: Proceed to routing logic.
3.0	Club Supervisor	Routing Logic	Routing based on requested amount: Tier 1 (< 5,000 SAR): Mark as Supervisor Approved and forward for direct processing. Tier 2 (5,000 – 10,000 SAR): Forward to Director for approval. Tier 3 (> 10,000 SAR): Forward to Student Fund for fulfillment handling.
4.0	Director	Strategic Review Tier 2	Applies only to Tier 2 requests. Reviews the request for strategic alignment and justification. If Returned: Send back to Club President with comments. If Approved: Mark as Director Approved and forward to Student Fund for processing.
4.5	Club President	Modify & Resubmit Request	Applies when a request is returned by the Supervisor or Director. Updates the request based on comments and resubmits it. All resubmissions are routed to the Club Supervisor (Step 2.0).
5.0	Student Fund (Staff/System)	Receive Approved Request	Receives an approved request and proceeds based on routing: Tier 1 & Tier 2: direct processing and cash transfer (Student Fund System). Tier 3: fulfillment handling path (Student Fund Staff), including vendor decision and per-item handling.
6.0	Student Fund — Staff	Vendor Requirement Assessment	Determine whether an external vendor is required to fulfill any requested items. If Vendor Required: Handle procurement and close the request as “Procurement handled”. If No Vendor Required: Proceed to per-item fulfillment (warehouse/service).
7.0	Student Fund — Staff	Per-item fulfillment (warehouse/service)	Applies only if no vendor is required. The Student Fund handles each requested budget item one by one: If the item is a service: record it as a service. If the item is a physical asset: check warehouse availability and either loan it or record it as unavailable.
8.0	Student Fund (Staff/System)	Decide cash need and close	After fulfillment handling, decide whether petty cash is still needed and close the request. If cash is still needed: approve the amount and transfer it to the Club President account, then close the request. If cash is no longer needed: close the request with a required reason/comment explaining why no cash is needed.

7. Exception Handling

There are no exceptions in this process. All alternate outcomes, returns, and conditional paths are explicitly handled within the process walkthrough and business rules.

8. Inputs & Outputs

Inputs

Event Selection
Budget Item Selection
Requested Amount

Outputs

Procured goods delivered through Student Fund procurement (vendor path)
Items loaned from the warehouse (where available)
Funds transferred to the Club President to cover remaining costs (if required)
Request closed as “cash no longer needed” with a documented reason/comment (if applicable)

9. Governance, Lead Times & Processing Standards

Submission Lead Time Principle

Policy (not modeled in BPMN)

Requests that require, or are reasonably expected to require, external vendor procurement must be submitted no less than 30 calendar days prior to the scheduled activity date to ensure timely fulfillment.

Late Submission Warning

Requests submitted within 30 days of the activity date will be accepted and processed; however, the Student Fund functions solely as the fulfillment authority and assumes no accountability for vendor-related delays or failure to deliver services within the required timeframe.

Processing Cycle Time Targets

Policy (not modeled in BPMN)

To ensure availability of funds or items prior to the event, the following maximum processing times apply:

Club Supervisor Review: ≤ 2 business days from submission
Director Review (Tier 2 only): ≤ 3 business days from Supervisor approval
Student Fund Fulfillment:
- Tier 1 & Tier 2 requests: Same business day upon receipt of final approval
- Tier 3 requests: ≤ 5 business days
- Vendor procurement: Variable, dependent on market availability and procurement complexity

Audit & Traceability

Policy (not modeled in BPMN)

All system actions, including submission timestamps, Supervisor and Director approval decisions, and final fulfillment methods (cash, loan, or vendor), must be automatically recorded to ensure full auditability and traceability.

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