pencil whip

present singular third person pencil whips · participle present pencil whipping · participle past pencil whipped · past pencil whipped

1. idiomaticTo approve a document without actually knowing or reviewing what it is that is being approved.
2. idiomaticTo complete a form, record, or document without having performed the implied work or without supporting data or evidence.

   Knowing the auditors were coming in just a week, we chose to pencil whip the quarterly inventory forms for the last year.

   2 more examples

   So, if you pencil-whipped that last survey, you've probably shot yourself in the foot, according to Stanley.

   1998, Airman, volume 42, page 26

   “Nothing should be 9:00, 9:15, 9:30, because the auditors say you're pencil-whipping it. And truth be known, we do pencil-whip it. We can't add by fifteen because that really puts you in a bind. Add by fourteen. That looks pretty come audit time. […]

   2018, Shane Bauer, American Prison