Can the form be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures meeting the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and state UETA laws create legally binding signatures when intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are established. For consumer-facing or PHI forms, provide required disclosures and obtain a BAA where HIPAA applies.

Is notarization required for these forms?

Typically no. Employee Time and Effort Forms usually do not require notarization. Exceptions exist for state-specific or institutional policies. Confirm sponsor and institutional requirements; where notarization or a witness is required, follow state notary rules and remote online notarization protocols.

Recommended signer authentication level and options

Use authentication proportional to risk: email verification for internal forms, SMS or SSO for standard records, and multi-factor or KBA for federally funded or high-risk records. Maintain an audit trail (IP, timestamp) to support attribution under ESIGN and UETA.

How long must I retain completed forms?

Retain records according to funding and legal requirements: at least three years after final Federal Financial Report for federal awards (2 CFR §200.333), IRS payroll records for three years (IRC §6501(a)), and six years for HIPAA-covered records (45 CFR §164.530(j)).

Common mistakes to avoid when completing forms

Avoid inconsistent activity coding, missing signatures or dates, rounding hours without policy basis, failing to reconcile timekeeping with payroll, and omitting project or cost center codes. Such errors increase audit findings and may require corrective actions or reimbursements to sponsors.

Using signNow for electronic signatures and compliance

Yes. signNow supports ESIGN and UETA compliance, provides detailed audit trails and strong encryption (TLS 1.2/1.3, AES-256), and offers a BAA for HIPAA workflows. Pricing starts at $8/user/month with a 7-day free trial and additional plan options for high-volume usage.

Electronic Signature
Templates
HR
Employee Time and Effort Form

Employee Time and Effort Form

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

EMPLOYEE TIME AND EFFORT FORM

Employee Information

Employee Name Employee ID Home Address

Phone

Email

Position and Reporting Information

Position / Title Department / Unit Supervisor / Manager

Reporting Period: From to . Payroll Pay Period or Month:

Effort Distribution (List all activities and funding sources)

Instructions: For each activity or project, indicate the funding source, cost center or grant, the planned percent effort, actual percent effort for the reporting period, and total hours. Percentages must total 100% for the period.

Activity / Project 1 - Name

Total Hours for Activity 1 Explanation of employee's duties under Activity 1 Activity / Project 2 - Name

Total Hours for Activity 2 Explanation of employee's duties under Activity 2 Activity / Project 3 - Name

Total Hours for Activity 3 Explanation of employee's duties under Activity 3

Total Percent (should equal 100%):

Explanation of Significant Changes

If actual effort differs materially from planned effort for any activity, provide specific justification, timing of change, and any supervisory approvals.

Employment History (Most Recent Two Employers)

Employer 1 - Company Name

Responsibilities Reason for Leaving Employer 2 - Company Name

Responsibilities Reason for Leaving

Education

Highest Degree Institution Graduation Date

Professional References

Provide three professional references who can verify work performance.

Reference 1 - Name

Reference 2 - Name

Reference 3 - Name

Legal Disclosures

At-Will Employment: Nothing in this form constitutes a contract of employment. Employment remains at-will unless a separate written agreement states otherwise.

Equal Opportunity: The organization provides equal employment opportunity and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics. This form will be used consistent with applicable nondiscrimination laws and internal policy.

Certifications and Authorizations

I certify that, to the best of my knowledge, the effort and hours reported on this form represent a true and accurate accounting of my activities and time for the reporting period. I understand that intentional misrepresentation of time or effort may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

I authorize the organization to contact the references and previous employers listed above for the purpose of verifying employment history and performance. I further authorize review of records necessary to validate funding source allocations where required by policy or regulation.

Employee Certification (initial each)

I certify accuracy of effort allocation I acknowledge this report may be audited I declare no unresolved conflicts of commitment

Additional Comments / Notes

Employee Printed Name:

Employee Signature:

Date:

Supervisor Printed Name:

Supervisor Signature:

Date:

What the Employee Time and Effort Form Is

The Employee Time and Effort Form is a standardized record used by employers and grant-funded projects to document hours worked, distribution of effort, and allocation of labor to specific activities or funding sources. It records regular and overtime hours, project or cost center codes, and a brief description of tasks performed. For federally funded research, the form supports effort reporting required by federal regulations and institutional policies. Accurate completion links payroll charges to project budgets, supports audits, and establishes the basis for indirect cost recovery and grant compliance.

Why Accurate Time and Effort Reporting Matters

Documenting time and effort ensures compliance with employer policy and federal grant requirements, reduces audit risk, and provides an auditable link between payroll and charged projects. Proper forms support accurate billing, cost allocation, and transparent internal controls.

Who Completes and Reviews These Forms

Common users include HR teams, principal investigators on grants, departmental administrators, and payroll specialists who track labor distribution.

HR administrators responsible for payroll reconciliation and maintaining employee records across departments.
Principal investigators certifying effort allocations against sponsored project budgets and cost-sharing commitments.
Grants offices preparing documentation required for audits and federal compliance reviews.

Using the form consistently across the organization reduces discrepancies between labor charges and approved budgets.

Essential Elements to Include on the Form

Core components of a professional Employee Time and Effort Form ensure clear assignment of work, accurate cost allocation, and audit-ready documentation.

Employee Details

Include full legal name, employee ID, job title, department, and official contact information. Mismatched names or IDs can delay payroll reconciliation and complicate audit trails.

Pay Period

Record start and end dates using MM/DD/YYYY format. Accurate pay period entries determine which payroll run and grant charges apply and affect reporting windows consistently.

Activity Codes

List project numbers, cost centers, and task codes that align with sponsored award budgets. Use institutionally approved codes to prevent misallocation and simplify audit verification.

Hours Breakdown

Provide regular and overtime hours with a daily or weekly breakdown as required. Round per policy and avoid estimates to maintain accuracy for payroll and grant charging.

Cost Allocation

Show percentage or dollar allocation of wages to each funding source. Percentages must sum to 100% and reflect actual effort under federal cost principles and institutional guidance.

Certification

Include dated signatures or secure electronic equivalents from the employee and authorized manager certifying the accuracy of reported time and effort for the specified period.

Security and Privacy Considerations

Confidential Data: Contains personal and payroll data

Encryption: AES-256 at rest, TLS 1.2/1.3

Access Controls: Role-based access and audits

HIPAA Considerations: BAA required for PHI

Audit Trail: Immutable timestamp and IP log

Retention Policy: Store per regulatory requirement

Step-by-Step: Completing the Form

Follow these steps to complete the Employee Time and Effort Form accurately and create an auditable record aligned with payroll and grant accounting.

01

Gather Records: Collect timecards, schedules, and project assignments.
02

Enter Details: Fill employee, period, hours, and codes.
03

Allocate Costs: Assign percentages to each funding source.
04

Certify: Employee and manager sign and date.

Configure an Online Workflow for the Form

Configure your online form workflow for authentication, notifications, conditional fields, and archival to match institutional controls and audit requirements.

Field	Configuration
Primary Signer Authentication Method Type	Email link, SMS code, or institution SSO.
Notification and Reminder Schedule for Signers	Immediate send, two reminders at three-day intervals.
Conditional Field Logic Rules per Department	Show fields only when project code matches grant-funded sources.
Archival and Export Settings for Compliance	Export to PDF/A, store in secure archive with audit metadata.

Typical Submission Flow

Typical submission flow moves the form from employee entry through manager certification to grants office filing and archival for audit.

Employee Entry: Employee completes fields and signs electronically.
Manager Review: Manager verifies allocations and signs certification.
Grants Filing: Grants office logs form and reconciles charges.
Archive: Store with audit trail and export copy.

Digital Signing and Integration Requirements

Ensure your e-signature platform meets authentication, audit, and storage requirements before enabling eSubmission for Employee Time and Effort Forms.

Supported Formats: PDF, DOCX, or form templates.
Integrations: HRIS, payroll, and grants systems.
Authentication: Email, SMS, SSO, or KBA options.

Key Timing and Submission Deadlines

Key timing expectations include payroll posting, certification deadlines, and routine reconciliations tied to pay cycles and grant reporting periods.

Pay Period Closing Date per Payroll Cycle:

Enter within two business days of period end.

Manager Certification Deadline within Payroll Cycle:

Submit within five business days after period close.

Grants Reconciliation Monthly Window for Accounts:

Complete monthly reconciliation before month-end close.

Audit Retention Start Date per Policy:

Retention begins on certification date.

Annual Certification Review and Reporting:

Review forms annually for accuracy and compliance.

Common Preparation Pitfalls

Failing to reconcile timecards with project charges leads to misstatements in grant accounting, potential audit findings, and costly retroactive adjustments to payroll and budgets.
Using inconsistent activity codes or out-of-date project numbers causes misallocation and increases the administrative burden of correcting past entries during sponsor reviews.
Permitting unsigned or undated forms undermines certification, can invalidate effort reporting, and may trigger requests for duplicate documentation during audits.
Relying on manual spreadsheets without version control increases transcription errors and complicates proving chain-of-custody for signed records in compliance examinations.

Potential Consequences of Incorrect Forms

Grant Repayment: Possible sponsor cost disallowance

False Claims Exposure: Civil and criminal liability

Audit Findings: Requires corrective action plans

Payroll Corrections: Retroactive pay adjustments likely

Loss of Funding: Grants at risk of termination

Reputational Harm: Institutional trust may decline

eSignature Pricing and Basic Capabilities

Typical per-user starting prices and basic feature availability for common eSignature vendors used to sign Employee Time and Effort Forms.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8 per user per month billed annually	$15 per user per month billed annually	$14 per user per month billed annually	$19 per user per month billed annually	$15 per user per month billed annually
Free Trial	7-day free trial, no credit card required	Trial available; length varies by promotion	Free trial available; terms vary	Free trial available with account registration	Free trial available for new users
Bulk Send	Yes — bulk send supported on applicable plans	Yes — bulk send available on enterprise tiers	Yes — bulk send available within enterprise plans	Yes — bulk sending available for paid plans	No — bulk send not available on basic plans
Audit Trail	Yes — detailed audit trail and certificate	Yes — detailed audit trail and certificate	Yes — detailed audit trail and certificate	Yes — audit trail included	Yes — audit trail included
HIPAA Compliant	Yes — BAA available upon request	Yes — BAA available for business accounts	Yes — BAA available for enterprise customers	No — BAA not generally available	No — BAA not available by default
Envelope Cap	No envelope cap; unlimited envelopes supported	Limit of 100 envelopes per user per year	Varies by plan; check vendor limits	Varies by plan; contact sales for limits	Varies by plan; envelope limits may apply

How Organizations Use Electronic Forms in Practice

Real organizations use eSign workflows to streamline time and effort reporting, reduce paper handling, and improve audit readiness.

Fertility Centers of Illinois

Fertility Centers of Illinois moved clinical and administrative forms online to reduce turnaround times across multiple locations and ensure consistent documentation.

Staff reported faster processing and fewer errors.
John Butler notes the API and support eased integration with existing systems, enabling secure electronic signatures that meet institutional controls and reduce time spent on manual collection, printing, and scanning of signed records.

Tech Data

Tech Data standardized electronic signature workflows for internal approvals and customer-facing documents, shortening the path from approval to revenue recognition.

The change increased speed to revenue.
Bob Dutkowsky reports the platform improved customer service and internal turnaround; Tech Data integrated signatures into billing and order workflows, reducing delays and clarifying audit trails for transaction approvals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about completing, signing, and storing Employee Time and Effort Forms; includes electronic signature, authentication, and retention guidance.

Need help? Contact support

Can the form be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures meeting the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and state UETA laws create legally binding signatures when intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are established. For consumer-facing or PHI forms, provide required disclosures and obtain a BAA where HIPAA applies.
Is notarization required for these forms?
Typically no. Employee Time and Effort Forms usually do not require notarization. Exceptions exist for state-specific or institutional policies. Confirm sponsor and institutional requirements; where notarization or a witness is required, follow state notary rules and remote online notarization protocols.
Recommended signer authentication level and options
Use authentication proportional to risk: email verification for internal forms, SMS or SSO for standard records, and multi-factor or KBA for federally funded or high-risk records. Maintain an audit trail (IP, timestamp) to support attribution under ESIGN and UETA.
How long must I retain completed forms?
Retain records according to funding and legal requirements: at least three years after final Federal Financial Report for federal awards (2 CFR §200.333), IRS payroll records for three years (IRC §6501(a)), and six years for HIPAA-covered records (45 CFR §164.530(j)).
Common mistakes to avoid when completing forms
Avoid inconsistent activity coding, missing signatures or dates, rounding hours without policy basis, failing to reconcile timekeeping with payroll, and omitting project or cost center codes. Such errors increase audit findings and may require corrective actions or reimbursements to sponsors.
Using signNow for electronic signatures and compliance
Yes. signNow supports ESIGN and UETA compliance, provides detailed audit trails and strong encryption (TLS 1.2/1.3, AES-256), and offers a BAA for HIPAA workflows. Pricing starts at $8/user/month with a 7-day free trial and additional plan options for high-volume usage.

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