Can I sign timesheets electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally valid for most timesheet transactions under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted, provided intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements are met.

What authentication is recommended?

Use at least email verification plus an additional factor (SMS or SSO) for signers with payroll access; stronger authentication reduces risk of repudiation.

How do I correct submitted hours?

Submit a documented correction in the next pay period with manager approval. Maintain both original and corrected records to support audits and dispute resolution.

Are notaries required for timesheets?

Not typically. Notarization is only needed where state or contract requires notarized employee attestations. Remote Online Notarization (RON) rules vary by state.

How long must timesheets be retained?

At minimum retain payroll records for 3 years per IRC §6501(a); industry rules such as HIPAA may require 6 years (45 CFR §164.530(j)). Consult counsel for specific obligations.

What if a signer disputes an electronic signature?

Rely on the audit trail, authentication records, and access logs to demonstrate intent and attribution. Maintain reproducible records that capture timestamp and signer identity.

Electronic Signature
Templates
HR
Aris Solutions Timesheet

Aris Solutions Timesheet

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

What the Aris Solutions Timesheet Is and when it's used

The Aris Solutions Timesheet is a standardized employee time‑tracking form used to record hours worked, project codes, overtime, and paid time off for payroll, billing, and compliance purposes. Organizations use it for weekly or biweekly payroll cycles, client billing for hourly projects, and internal productivity tracking. The timesheet can be completed on paper or digitally and often includes fields for employee name, employee ID, supervisor approval, project or cost center, date ranges, daily hours, and a signature line. Electronic completion and secure eSubmission reduce manual data entry and preserve an audit trail under ESIGN and UETA.

Why accurate, standardized timesheets matter

A consistent Aris Solutions Timesheet improves payroll accuracy, supports client invoicing, and documents hours for audit and labor compliance. Clear fields and timely approvals reduce disputes and protect employer records for required retention periods.

Typical users and their roles

The Aris Solutions Timesheet is used across payroll, operations, project accounting, and field staff to capture hours and approvals efficiently.

Payroll teams reconcile submitted timesheets with payroll runs and tax withholding information.
Project managers verify hours, assign project codes, and approve billable time for client invoicing.
Field staff and hourly employees enter daily hours, break times, and job codes for each shift.

Primary signers and approvers

Payroll Manager

Responsible for verifying totals, tax withholding, and submission to payroll. The payroll manager confirms approver signatures, resolves discrepancies, and retains the signed timesheet according to recordkeeping rules.

Hourly Employee

Completes daily entries including start/stop times, breaks, and project codes. The employee must ensure entries are complete and accurate; mismatched or incomplete entries can delay approval and payroll.

Security and compliance at a glance

Encryption: AES-256 at rest

In transit: TLS 1.2/1.3

Authentication: Multi-factor options

Audit trail: Timestamped logs

HIPAA capability: BAA available

Standards: SOC 2 Type II

Step-by-step: completing an Aris Solutions Timesheet

Follow these steps to complete and submit a timesheet that supports payroll and billing without delays.

01

Enter identity: Fill full legal name and employee ID.
02

Record time: Enter daily start/stop times and total hours.
03

Assign codes: Select project or cost center codes per line.
04

Sign and submit: Employee signs, manager approves, then submit to payroll.

Typical digital workflow settings for online completion

Common setup options streamline routing, approvals, and audit capture when using an eSubmission workflow.

Field	Configuration
Signer order	Employee first \| Manager second
Required fields	Name, ID, daily hours, signature
Authentication	Email link, SMS code, or SSO
Retention	Auto-archive in secure storage

How eSubmission and eSignature typically operate

A standard electronic signing flow captures intent, identity, and an audit trail while routing for approvals and archiving the completed record.

Upload document: Sender uploads the timesheet template to the platform.
Place fields: Add name, date, hours, and signature fields.
Authenticate signer: Signers verify via email link or additional factor.
Finalize and store: System records audit trail and archives PDF.

Technical considerations for digital timesheets

Ensure the signing platform supports required file formats, authentication strength, and retention policies before eSubmission.

File formats: PDF, DOCX, XLSX
Integrations: Payroll, HRIS, ERP
Access control: SSO and role-based rights

Common submission deadlines and payroll timing

Set clear internal cutoffs for timesheet entry and approvals to meet payroll processing windows and avoid delayed paychecks.

Employee submission deadline:

Typically two business days before payroll cutoff.

Manager approval deadline:

Must approve before payroll processing begins.

Payroll processing cutoff:

Payroll team finalizes files one business day prior to pay date.

Retroactive corrections:

Submit within the next pay period to avoid separate adjustments.

Record retention start:

Retention period begins on payroll filing date.

Common mistakes to avoid when preparing timesheets

Entering hours without project codes leading to misbilled client invoices and delayed revenue recognition.
Using inconsistent time formats or omitting unpaid breaks, which can overstate hours and require payroll corrections.
Late approvals that miss payroll cutoffs and trigger off‑cycle runs or manual adjustments.
Failing to sign or authenticate electronically, causing rejections or questions during audits.

Potential penalties and legal risks from incorrect timesheets

Wage claims: Employee lawsuits or back pay

FLSA violations: Recordkeeping penalties (29 CFR §516.5)

Tax penalties: Incorrect withholding or reporting

I-9 fines: Documentation penalties (8 CFR §274a.2)

Client disputes: Billing disputes and revenue adjustments

Compliance risk: Failure to retain required records

Paper vs electronic timesheets: key differences

Comparing paper and electronic timesheets highlights tradeoffs in auditability, speed, and error rates that affect payroll and billing.

Criteria	Paper	Electronic
E-sign accepted
Audit trail	limited	comprehensive
Error correction	manual	automated
Retention ease	physical storage	digital archive

eSignature provider pricing overview for timesheet workflows

Below is a concise pricing and capability comparison to inform which eSignature provider aligns with your volume and compliance needs. signNow appears first in the vendor column per benchmarking conventions.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor
Bulk Send	Yes (Business Premium+)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	No cap	No cap	No cap

Frequently asked questions about signing and submitting timesheets

Answers to common questions about electronic signing, authentication, corrections, and recordkeeping for Aris Solutions Timesheets.

Need help? Contact support

Can I sign timesheets electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures are legally valid for most timesheet transactions under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted, provided intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements are met.
What authentication is recommended?
Use at least email verification plus an additional factor (SMS or SSO) for signers with payroll access; stronger authentication reduces risk of repudiation.
How do I correct submitted hours?
Submit a documented correction in the next pay period with manager approval. Maintain both original and corrected records to support audits and dispute resolution.
Are notaries required for timesheets?
Not typically. Notarization is only needed where state or contract requires notarized employee attestations. Remote Online Notarization (RON) rules vary by state.
How long must timesheets be retained?
At minimum retain payroll records for 3 years per IRC §6501(a); industry rules such as HIPAA may require 6 years (45 CFR §164.530(j)). Consult counsel for specific obligations.
What if a signer disputes an electronic signature?
Rely on the audit trail, authentication records, and access logs to demonstrate intent and attribution. Maintain reproducible records that capture timestamp and signer identity.

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