Can this plan be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures are generally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted, provided the signature shows intent, consent, attribution, and retention capability.

When is notarization required?

Notarization is required when a statute or the agreement specifically demands it (for example, certain deeds or powers of attorney); check jurisdictional rules before assuming an eSignature suffices.

Who is authorized to sign?

Signatory authority should be recorded in the plan and supported by corporate resolutions or power-of-attorney documents when needed to prove binding signature authority.

How do I amend a published plan?

Document amendments with a dated revision statement and obtain acknowledgements from affected parties; retain previous versions for audit and dispute resolution.

How long must I keep signed plans?

Retention depends on applicable law. For many financial records keep three years (IRC §6501(a)); HIPAA-related items require six years (45 CFR §164.530(j)).

What if names or IDs don’t match?

Address mismatches before execution; require corrected legal names or supplemental ID documentation to avoid verification delays or challenges to validity.

Client Action Plan

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CLIENT ACTION PLAN

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Client Name: is engaging the Service Provider to perform services consistent with the scope set forth below; and

WHEREAS, Service Provider Name: has the experience and capacity to deliver the services described in this Action Plan; and

WHEREAS, the parties desire to set forth the objectives, deliverables, payment and other terms by which the Service Provider will perform the services for the Client.

ACTION PLAN OVERVIEW

Project / Engagement Title Prepared By Date of Plan

SCOPE OF WORK

The Service Provider will perform the services and produce the deliverables described below. The scope may be modified only by a written amendment signed by authorized representatives of both parties.

Detailed Scope of Work

OBJECTIVES & DELIVERABLES

Primary objectives for this engagement and tangible deliverables to be completed by the Service Provider are set out below. Each deliverable shall include acceptance criteria and an expected delivery date.

Key Deliverable 1 — Description Due Date Key Deliverable 2 — Description Due Date

MILESTONES & TIMELINE

Milestone 1 — Description Milestone 1 Due Date Milestone 2 — Description Milestone 2 Due Date

RESPONSIBILITIES & RESOURCES

Client Responsibilities Service Provider Responsibilities Assumptions & Constraints

PAYMENT TERMS

Total Fee: $

Payment Schedule

Late Payment: If any undisputed invoice is not paid within days of the invoice due date, then interest shall accrue at or the maximum lawful rate, whichever is lower.

Invoicing and Payment Instructions

TERM AND TERMINATION

This Action Plan commences on Start Date: and continues through End Date: unless earlier terminated in accordance with this section.

Either party may terminate this Action Plan for convenience upon written notice delivered at least prior to the effective termination date. Either party may terminate immediately for material breach that is not cured within thirty (30) days after written notice of such breach.

CONFIDENTIALITY

The receiving party shall hold confidential and not disclose any Confidential Information of the disclosing party except to employees, contractors or agents who have a need to know and who are bound by confidentiality obligations at least as protective as those set forth here. Confidential Information does not include information that (i) is or becomes public through no fault of the receiving party; (ii) was known to the receiving party prior to disclosure; (iii) is rightfully received from a third party without restriction; or (iv) is independently developed without use of the disclosing party's Confidential Information.

Upon termination or expiration of this Action Plan, the receiving party shall return or destroy Confidential Information in its possession and certify in writing that it has done so, except to the extent retention is required by law or necessary for archival purposes.

GOVERNING LAW

This Action Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of without regard to principles of conflict of laws.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This document, together with any incorporated schedules, exhibits and written amendments signed by both parties, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, proposals and communications, whether oral or written.

No waiver, modification, or amendment of any provision of this Action Plan shall be effective unless in writing and signed by authorized representatives of both parties.

ACCEPTANCE

By signing below, the parties acknowledge they have read, understood and agree to the terms of this Action Plan and that the individuals signing have authority to bind their respective organizations.

Client:

By:

Date:

Service Provider:

By:

Date:

What a Client Action Plan Is and When It’s Used

A Client Action Plan is a written outline that organizes tasks, deadlines, responsibilities, and required documents for a client engagement. It breaks a larger project or transaction into discrete action items, assigns owners, and sets target dates so all parties share a single source of truth. The plan is commonly used for onboarding, compliance checks, contract execution, delivery milestones, and post-closing tasks. It helps reduce misunderstandings, speeds decision points, and provides a record of agreed next steps that can be referenced during audits, client disputes, or regulatory reviews.

Why a Client Action Plan Matters

A Client Action Plan clarifies obligations, reduces missed deadlines, and documents approvals required to meet regulatory or contractual obligations. It supports accountability across teams and creates an auditable trail for compliance and dispute resolution.

Who Typically Prepares and Uses a Client Action Plan

Teams use Client Action Plans to coordinate cross-functional work and track required documents throughout an engagement.

Account managers coordinating onboarding and deliverables across internal teams and external clients.
Legal or compliance teams tracking signature authority, notarization, and regulatory approvals.
Project managers or operations staff monitoring milestones, dependencies, and handoffs between stakeholders.

Use the plan as a living document: update responsibilities, deadlines, and required deliverables as tasks progress and new information appears.

Core Elements to Include in a Professional Plan

A complete Client Action Plan lists parties, tasks, deadlines, required documents, approval authorities, and escalation steps so each item is actionable and measurable.

Parties

Identify all parties by legal name and role so assignments and signature authority are unambiguous throughout the engagement.

Tasks

Describe discrete action items with clear owners, dependencies, and acceptance criteria to avoid scope confusion.

Deadlines

Set calendar dates and business-day expectations for each task, including interim checkpoints and contingency dates.

Required Documents

List contracts, forms, authorizations, and supporting exhibits or attachments that must be collected or executed.

Signature Rules

Specify who can sign, whether witnesses or notarization are required, and acceptable eSignature authentication levels.

Escalation

Define escalation contacts, timing, and dispute-resolution steps if tasks are delayed or requirements change.

Essential Compliance and Security Notes

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

Data at Rest: AES-256 encrypted

Certifications: SOC 2 Type II available

Healthcare: HIPAA — BAA required

Legal Basis: ESIGN and UETA

Audit Trail: Time-stamped event history

Principal Risks of an Incomplete or Incorrect Plan

Missed Deadlines: Contract breach risk

Invalid Signatures: Enforceability disputes

Regulatory Breach: HIPAA or tax noncompliance

Financial Penalties: Late-filing fines possible

Data Exposure: Unauthorized disclosure

Audit Findings: Records insufficient for review

Common Preparation Mistakes to Avoid

Vague task descriptions that lack owners or acceptance criteria — this causes handoff confusion and missed responsibility.
Mismatched names between ID documents and signature blocks — inconsistent names can delay verification and raise authentication issues.
Assuming all signatures can be electronic without confirming industry exceptions or required witness/notary steps.
Failing to document version history or updates; parties may rely on different plan versions without a clear authoritative copy.

How Organizations Use Client Action Plans in Practice

Real-world examples show how a structured plan reduces back-and-forth and creates a verifiable record of obligations and approvals.

Optica Ventures — COO

Optica used a Client Action Plan to centralize onboarding tasks and required documents for new investments, reducing transfer delays.

They linked deliverables to named owners for each step.
As a result, stakeholders had one authoritative schedule and a complete execution record, which simplified audits and reduced follow-up emails across the team.

Martin Properties — Founder

Martin Properties implemented an action plan for remote lease closings to collect tenant documents and signatures online.

The plan assigned notarization and ID checks as required tasks.
This created a consistent closing checklist that could be tracked, updated, and reproduced for compliance reviews and internal reporting.

Step-by-Step: Create and Use a Client Action Plan

Follow these steps to prepare a clear, enforceable plan and keep it current throughout the engagement.

01

1. Define scope: List objectives, deliverables, and exclusions.
02

2. Assign owners: Name responsible individuals and backups.
03

3. Set dates: Add target and contingency deadlines.
04

4. Collect approvals: Specify signatures, authentication, and witness needs.

Where to File, Send, or Submit the Plan

Routes depend on organizational workflow and whether the plan triggers regulatory filings or third-party review.

Internal Repository: Store in the company document system with access controls.
Client Distribution: Share the plan with client contacts and collect acknowledgements.
Legal Review: Send to legal for signature authority verification.
Regulatory Filing: Submit required documents to agencies if specified.

How to Configure an Online Plan Workflow

Set up fields and routing so tasks automatically flow to the right reviewer and signatures are captured consistently.

Field	Configuration
Owner Assignment	Auto-assign by role or team
Deadline Alerts	Send reminders 7 and 2 days before
Signature Order	Sequential or parallel as needed
Final Archive	Save signed PDF + audit trail

Technical Options for Sharing and Signing

Use an eSignature provider that supports required integrations, acceptable authentication strength, and secure audit trails for future review.

Formats Supported: PDF, DOCX, XLSX
Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Google Workspace
Authentication: Email link, SMS code, KBA

Typical Timelines and Processing Expectations

Estimate review cycles and allow buffer time for authentication, notarization, or reviews by external counsel.

Plan Issued:

Send upon engagement commencement; immediate distribution

Client Review:

Allow 3–7 business days for comments

Signature Completion:

Expect 1–5 business days for eSigning

Notarization Window:

Schedule within 5–10 business days if required

Final Filing:

Archive signed plan within 2 business days

Key Milestones and Approval Stages

Map milestones in sequence so teams can visualize dependencies and escalation points.

01

Kickoff

Confirm scope, parties, and initial deliverables.

02

Documentation Collection

Gather IDs, contracts, and supporting exhibits.

03

Review & Approvals

Legal and client approvals, including signatories.

04

Execution & Archive

Obtain signatures, notarization if needed, then store.

Typical eSignature Pricing and Feature Comparison

Compare basic starting prices and key feature availability across common eSignature vendors to choose an appropriate plan for plan execution needs.

	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	Yes — 7-day free trial, no credit card	Yes — trial available	Yes — trial available	Yes — trial available	Yes — trial available
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	None — no envelope cap	Limited — 100 envelopes/user/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

Frequently Asked Questions About Client Action Plans

Answers to common questions about eSigning, notarization, signatory authority, recordkeeping, and updating the plan during an engagement.

Need help? Contact support

Can this plan be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures are generally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted, provided the signature shows intent, consent, attribution, and retention capability.
When is notarization required?
Notarization is required when a statute or the agreement specifically demands it (for example, certain deeds or powers of attorney); check jurisdictional rules before assuming an eSignature suffices.
Who is authorized to sign?
Signatory authority should be recorded in the plan and supported by corporate resolutions or power-of-attorney documents when needed to prove binding signature authority.
How do I amend a published plan?
Document amendments with a dated revision statement and obtain acknowledgements from affected parties; retain previous versions for audit and dispute resolution.
How long must I keep signed plans?
Retention depends on applicable law. For many financial records keep three years (IRC §6501(a)); HIPAA-related items require six years (45 CFR §164.530(j)).
What if names or IDs don’t match?
Address mismatches before execution; require corrected legal names or supplemental ID documentation to avoid verification delays or challenges to validity.

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