Can the intake form be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures are valid for most business transactions under federal and state law; ensure signers consent to electronic records and use appropriate authentication for sensitive approvals.

When is notarization required for approvals?

Notarization is only required when a specific legal attestation is needed. Most routine communications approvals do not require a notary; check state or legal guidance when formal affidavits are involved.

What if an approver's email is wrong?

Correct the approver contact and re-route the request. If a signature was already collected under the wrong address, treat the signature as invalid and obtain a corrected signature to preserve the audit trail.

How do I fix a submitted intake with errors?

Create an amended form or versioned record and document changes. Retain the original plus the corrected version and note the reason for the amendment for audit purposes.

How long are completed intake forms kept?

Retention depends on document type and industry rules. Keep records for the active term plus the organization’s minimum retention period and any applicable regulatory requirements.

Who can revoke or cancel an intake request?

Typically the original requestor or designated project owner can cancel; record cancellations in the system with date, reason, and any approver confirmations to maintain an auditable trail.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Healthcare
Communications Project Intake Form

Communications Project Intake Form

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

What the Communications Project Intake Form Does

A Communications Project Intake Form standardizes requests for communications work by collecting project objectives, audiences, required assets, timelines, budgets, and approvals in a single record. It helps teams triage requests, assign owners, estimate resource needs, and create a clear handoff to production. When used consistently the form reduces back-and-forth, clarifies scope, and creates an audit trail for approvals and delivery decisions across internal teams and external vendors.

Why a Standard Intake Form Matters

A clear intake form reduces ambiguity, sets expectations, and speeds approvals by capturing scope, stakeholders, deadlines, and required assets up front. It supports consistent prioritization and helps measure project throughput and resource needs.

Who Typically Completes and Reviews the Form

Most organizations rely on a mix of requesters and reviewers to complete intake forms so work is routed efficiently.

Communications managers and directors who prioritize and allocate resources across multiple campaigns and channels.
Project or program managers who track milestones, dependencies, and handoffs between internal teams and external vendors.
Marketing, PR, or product owners who supply objectives, target audience details, and required deliverables for the request.

Use role labels and contact info on the form to avoid routing delays and ensure approvers can be reached quickly.

Essential Sections to Include in a Professional Intake

A complete intake groups information so reviewers can make fast decisions. Include project basics, goals, deliverables, timing, budget, and approvals.

Project Summary

One-sentence description of the project scope and business objective to provide immediate context for reviewers and vendors.

Goals & Metrics

Define measurable objectives and success metrics such as impressions, leads, signups, or awareness targets to guide creative and measurement.

Target Audience

Specify primary and secondary audiences, segments, languages, and any accessibility requirements to shape messaging and delivery.

Deliverables

List each asset required (e.g., social posts, email, press release, landing page) with format, sizes, and file-type expectations.

Timeline & Milestones

Include internal review windows, hard deadlines, production buffer times, and shipment or launch dates for each deliverable.

Budget & Approvals

State budget, approvals required, approver names/emails, and any procurement or vendor constraints affecting execution.

Required Fields at a Glance

Requestor Name: Full legal name

Department: Business unit or team

Project Title: Short descriptive title

Due Date: MM/DD/YYYY

Approver: Name and email

Estimated Budget: Dollar amount or N/A

How to Complete the Intake Form, Step by Step

Follow a logical order to provide complete and actionable information. Check required fields before submission.

01

Start with basics: Enter requestor, project title, and department.
02

Define scope: List deliverables and key messages clearly.
03

Set dates: Enter milestones and final delivery date.
04

Assign approvers: Provide names and emails for required sign-offs.

Customize the Online Intake Workflow

Configure the form platform to ensure proper routing, authentication, and conditional fields for different request types.

Field	Configuration
Authentication	Email link or SMS code for approvers
Conditional Fields	Show budget fields only when budget > $0
Notifications	Email alerts for pending approvals and overdue items
Storage	Auto-save PDFs to shared folder

Where to Send and How Routing Works

Define final destinations for completed forms and the routing order for approvals to avoid processing confusion.

Project Repository: Save completed intake PDFs to a central document folder or DAM.
Approval Chain: Route to approvers in the order specified on the form.
Vendor Handoff: Share approved briefs with external agencies via secure link.
Archive: Retain final signed form in records retention repository.

Technical Distribution and Signing Considerations

Consider integrations, supported file types, and signer authentication when choosing how to distribute and collect approvals.

Integrations: Connect to Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or project management tools
File Formats: Support PDF, DOCX, and editable forms for reuse
Authentication: Use email links, SMS codes, or stronger methods for high-risk approvals

Ensure the platform captures an audit trail and stores completed documents in a secure, searchable location for compliance and reporting.

Typical Timelines and Processing Expectations

Set realistic lead times and communicate review windows to avoid missed deadlines. Use the following as planning benchmarks.

Request Lead Time:

2–4 weeks for multiasset campaigns

Initial Review:

1–3 business days for intake validation

Creative Production:

3–10 business days depending on deliverables

Approval Cycle:

2–5 business days per approver round

Final Delivery:

Allow 24–72 hours for packaging and distribution

Common Mistakes That Slow Projects

Incomplete approver information leads to routing delays and missed deadlines when the form cannot be escalated automatically.
Unclear deliverable specifications cause repeated revisions and inconsistent assets across channels, increasing production time and cost.
Unrealistic timelines submitted without buffer for review or QA force last-minute scope cuts or missed launch dates.
Missing brand files or incorrect formats require rework and add cycle time for designers and vendors.

Consequences of Incomplete or Incorrect Intake Forms

Missed Deadlines: Delays in launch or distribution

Budget Overruns: Increased costs from expedited work

Noncompliance: Violation of accessibility or legal requirements

Privacy Breach: Improper handling of sensitive audience data

Invalid Approvals: Unsigned or improperly signed records

Reputational Risk: Public errors from incorrect messaging

eSignature Pricing Comparison for Intake and Approval Workflows

Basic pricing and feature availability influence total cost when selecting an eSignature provider for intake approvals. signNow is listed first for direct comparison.

	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	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

Frequently Asked Questions and Troubleshooting

Answers to common questions about signing, approvals, notarization, and errors when using a Communications Project Intake Form.

Need help? Contact support

Can the intake form be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures are valid for most business transactions under federal and state law; ensure signers consent to electronic records and use appropriate authentication for sensitive approvals.
When is notarization required for approvals?
Notarization is only required when a specific legal attestation is needed. Most routine communications approvals do not require a notary; check state or legal guidance when formal affidavits are involved.
What if an approver's email is wrong?
Correct the approver contact and re-route the request. If a signature was already collected under the wrong address, treat the signature as invalid and obtain a corrected signature to preserve the audit trail.
How do I fix a submitted intake with errors?
Create an amended form or versioned record and document changes. Retain the original plus the corrected version and note the reason for the amendment for audit purposes.
How long are completed intake forms kept?
Retention depends on document type and industry rules. Keep records for the active term plus the organization’s minimum retention period and any applicable regulatory requirements.
Who can revoke or cancel an intake request?
Typically the original requestor or designated project owner can cancel; record cancellations in the system with date, reason, and any approver confirmations to maintain an auditable trail.

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