Can this form be signed electronically?

Yes. Under the ESIGN Act and UETA, electronic signatures are generally enforceable if intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements are met; consumer-facing consents may require disclosure.

What if hours are entered incorrectly?

Correct the entry with an amendment logged in the audit trail and obtain manager re-approval. Document the reason for change to support payroll corrections and audits.

How long must I keep WIP records?

Retain records at least three years for tax and payroll purposes; healthcare records may require six years per HIPAA (45 CFR §164.530(j)).

Do I need a notary for approvals?

Most internal approvals do not require notarization. Notarization is only needed when a legal instrument or state rule requires it.

How do I authenticate remote signers?

Use email verification, SMS codes, or stronger authentication such as MFA or knowledge-based checks depending on risk and regulatory needs.

Where should signed forms be stored?

Store signed forms in a secure, access-controlled repository with encryption at rest and an immutable audit trail to support compliance and discovery requests.

Electronic Signature
Templates
HR
Employee WIP Form

Employee WIP Form

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

EMPLOYEE WIP FORM

Use this Employee Work-in-Progress (WIP) Form to record active assignments, progress, time spent, issues and required actions. The information provided will be used for internal tracking, performance review, and may be shared with management for planning and resource allocation. Complete all applicable fields accurately. Incomplete or false information may result in administrative action.

Personal Information

Employee Name: Employee ID:

Address

Phone: Email:

Position Information

Job Title Department

Reporting Manager: Start Date (in role):

Employment Type (select all that apply)

Full-time Part-time Contractor/Contingent

WIP Summary

Project / Initiative WIP Overview Key Objectives / Deliverables

Task Entries (Provide details for active tasks)

Task 1

Task Title Task Description

Date Started: Est. Completion: Hours Spent: % Complete: %

Status: Not Started In Progress Blocked Complete

Task 2

Task Title Task Description

Date Started: Est. Completion: Hours Spent: % Complete: %

Status: Not Started In Progress Blocked Complete

Time Tracking

Total Hours This Period: Period From: To:

Current Blockers / Risks Mitigation Plan / Next Steps Manager Comments (optional)

Employment History

Previous Employer 1

Company Title / Role

Dates Employed: From To

Responsibilities Reason for Leaving

Previous Employer 2

Company Title / Role

Dates Employed: From To

Responsibilities Reason for Leaving

Education

Highest Degree Institution Graduation Date

References

Reference 1 Reference 2 Reference 3

Legal Disclosures & Notices

At-Will Employment: Nothing on this form constitutes a promise of continued employment. Employment remains at-will and may be terminated by the employer or employee at any time, with or without cause, unless otherwise provided in a written agreement signed by an authorized company representative.

Equal Opportunity: The company is an equal opportunity employer. Decisions regarding assignment, promotion, discipline and termination are made without regard to protected characteristics or activities and are based on legitimate business reasons.

Applicant Certification: I certify that all information provided on this form is true, accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that falsification or omission of material facts may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Authorization: I authorize the company to contact previous employers and references provided on this form, and to conduct background checks and verifications as permitted by law. I understand that such checks may include, but are not limited to, verification of employment history, education, and applicable public records.

Consent Acknowledgement: I acknowledge that I have read and understand the legal disclosures above.

Certification and Authorization

By signing below, I certify the accuracy of the information contained herein and authorize the company to use this record for performance tracking, payroll reconciliation and internal audit purposes. I consent to any background checks and employment verifications necessary to substantiate my history, credentials, and suitability for my role.

Background Check Authorization: I authorize background checks and previous employer contact as described above.

Employee Name:

Signature:

Date:

What the Employee WIP Form Is and when it helps

The Employee WIP Form (Work-in-Progress) is an internal HR and operations record used to track ongoing assignments, hours, deliverables, status updates, and approvals for individual employees or project teams. It captures task descriptions, start and expected completion dates, percent complete, resource allocation, and any blockers or change requests. Organizations use WIP forms to maintain consistent project visibility, support payroll and invoicing reconciliation, and create an auditable trail for performance reviews and client billing. This document can be paper-based or completed electronically and retained with other personnel or project records.

Why maintain a formal Employee WIP Form

A consistent Employee WIP Form improves accuracy for resource planning, payroll reconciliation, and client billing while creating an auditable record of work status and approvals that supports compliance, audits, and performance management.

Who typically completes or reviews this form

Use role-based signing and routing to ensure each stakeholder sees and signs the fields required for their responsibility.

Project managers tracking task status, percent complete, and dependencies for project reporting and client invoices.
HR or payroll specialists confirming hours and shift notes for payroll reconciliation and benefits administration.
Finance or billing staff validating billable time, cost centers, and approvals prior to client invoicing.

Core components you'll find on a professional Employee WIP Form

A well-designed WIP form balances project detail, time capture, and approval fields to support operations, payroll, and billing workflows.

Task Summary

Concise description of the task or deliverable, including project code and brief scope so reviewers understand work content without separate documents.

Dates

Start date, expected completion date, and actual completion date fields to measure schedule variance and inform project timelines.

Effort

Hours worked, percent complete, and time type (billable/non-billable) to support payroll, cost accounting, and client invoicing.

Approvals

Designated approval fields for manager sign-off, client acceptance, and finance sign-off to establish authorization before billing.

Blockers

Space for issues, dependencies, or resource needs so teams can escalate and document causes for delay or scope change.

Audit Trail

Fields for who entered or changed data plus timestamps to maintain accountability and simplify audits or retrospective reviews.

Step-by-step: completing the Employee WIP Form

Follow these steps to ensure each WIP entry is complete, authorized, and ready for payroll or billing.

01

Record Task: Enter a clear task description.
02

Log Time: Add date and hours worked.
03

Assign Project: Select correct project code.
04

Obtain Approval: Manager signs and dates entry.

Typical workflow for an electronic WIP process

This sequence describes how a completed WIP form moves from employee entry to final accounting or client invoice.

Employee Entry: Employee populates form fields.
Manager Review: Manager verifies and approves.
Finance Validation: Finance confirms billing status.
Archive: Signed copy stored in records.

Platform and security considerations for electronic WIP forms

Ensure the solution encrypts data in transit and at rest, records signer attribution and timestamps, and integrates with payroll or billing systems to avoid duplicate entry and streamline reconciliation.

File formats: PDF, DOCX
Integrations: HRIS, ERP, accounting
Authentication: Email or MFA

Configuring an eWorkflow for Employee WIP Forms

Set up fields and routing to match your internal approval and accounting steps.

Field	Configuration
Task Description	Required text field, max 250 characters
Hours	Numeric field with decimal validation
Project Code	Dropdown mapped to ERP cost centers
Manager Approval	Signature field that triggers routing

Security and compliance checklist for WIP records

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3; AES-256

Audit Trail: Timestamps and IP logs

Access Controls: Role-based permissions

BAA Available: HIPAA BAA when required

Standards: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001

Accessibility: WCAG 2.0 Level AA

Legal and operational risks of incorrect WIP records

Payroll Fines: Incorrect hours — payroll fines (29 CFR §516.5)

I-9 Violations: Missing I-9 — fines $281–$2,789 (8 CFR §274a.2)

Tax Reporting: Misstated billing — IRS penalties possible (IRC §6721)

Contract Disputes: Billing disputes delay payments

Privacy Breach: Unauthorized access — regulatory exposure

Audit Findings: Incomplete trail increases audit risk

Common mistakes when preparing Employee WIP Forms

Entering hours without linking to a project code, which causes cost misallocation and slows invoice reconciliation.
Using inconsistent date formats or omitting year data, which creates ambiguity across pay periods and reporting.
Failing to capture approver identity and timestamp, leaving entries unsupported during audits or client disputes.
Allowing duplicate entries for the same work period, which inflates labor costs and complicates payroll adjustments.

Submitting and processing timelines to follow

Adopt clear submission and cutoff dates to align WIP entries with payroll and billing cycles.

Daily Entry:

Submit entries daily where possible to improve accuracy.

Weekly Cutoff:

Weekly payroll cutoffs require entries before close of business.

Monthly Reconciliation:

Finance reconciles WIP to invoicing monthly.

Quarterly Audit:

Internal audit reviews selected WIP records quarterly.

Retention Review:

Annual review to archive completed records.

Practical examples: how organizations use Employee WIP Forms

Real customer examples illustrate common WIP workflows and benefits across operations and client billing.

Optica Ventures — Operations

Optica standardized WIP entries across teams to reduce reconciliation time

Consistent fields enabled automated matching to invoices
The interface simplicity helped staff adoption and improved cross-team visibility for revenue recognition.

Martin Properties — Real Estate

Martin Properties used electronic WIP forms on mobile to capture on-site work

Field staff logged hours and issues in real time
This eliminated paper delays, improved billing accuracy, and sped up resident turn times.

Typical signers and approvers for the WIP form

HR Manager

An HR Manager or payroll specialist reviews entries for compliance with company policies, validates employee identity and employment status, and resolves discrepancies before payroll processing. They are responsible for retention and audit responses.

Project Lead

A Project Lead or supervisor verifies task completion, confirms percent complete and billable status, and provides the required approval that routes the entry to finance for billing or payroll reconciliation.

Frequently asked questions about the Employee WIP Form

Answers to common questions on format, e-signing, retention, and error correction procedures for WIP entries.

Need help? Contact support

Can this form be signed electronically?
Yes. Under the ESIGN Act and UETA, electronic signatures are generally enforceable if intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements are met; consumer-facing consents may require disclosure.
What if hours are entered incorrectly?
Correct the entry with an amendment logged in the audit trail and obtain manager re-approval. Document the reason for change to support payroll corrections and audits.
How long must I keep WIP records?
Retain records at least three years for tax and payroll purposes; healthcare records may require six years per HIPAA (45 CFR §164.530(j)).
Do I need a notary for approvals?
Most internal approvals do not require notarization. Notarization is only needed when a legal instrument or state rule requires it.
How do I authenticate remote signers?
Use email verification, SMS codes, or stronger authentication such as MFA or knowledge-based checks depending on risk and regulatory needs.
Where should signed forms be stored?
Store signed forms in a secure, access-controlled repository with encryption at rest and an immutable audit trail to support compliance and discovery requests.

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