Employee Details
Full legal name, employee ID, department, job title, work location, and contact information used to match HR and payroll records accurately.
A clear, consistent PAF reduces payroll errors, preserves audit trails, and ensures timely updates to benefits and tax records. Proper completion supports compliance with employment, tax, and record-retention rules and improves HR responsiveness across the employee lifecycle.
Departments and roles that commonly start, approve, or receive the PAF are listed below.
Each role has distinct responsibilities; routing and approval order should be defined in policy to avoid processing delays.
The HR Manager reviews submitted PAFs for completeness, confirms eligibility for changes, signs for HR approval, and ensures the record is placed in the employee file. They coordinate with payroll to schedule compensation changes and with benefits administrators when enrollment is affected.
The Department Head or direct supervisor initiates role or status changes, supplies business justification, and signs to confirm operational approval. Their signature authorizes the personnel action and triggers downstream updates to systems and stakeholders.
Full legal name, employee ID, department, job title, work location, and contact information used to match HR and payroll records accurately.
Clear selection of the action (e.g., pay change, title change, address update) so downstream systems apply the correct business rules.
The exact MM/DD/YYYY date when the change takes effect; this drives payroll cycles, benefit eligibility, and reporting timelines.
If applicable, specify new salary/hourly rate, pay frequency, FLSA classification, and whether the change is permanent or temporary.
Designated signers in sequence with dates and titles to document authorization, prevent unauthorized changes, and support auditability.
Attach offer letters, signed agreements, or manager approvals that justify the action and provide evidence for audits or dispute resolution.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Notification | Email alerts to approvers and HR on submission |
| Approver Order | Set sequential or parallel approval routing |
| Authentication | Choose email link, SMS code, or stronger methods |
| Auto Payroll Sync | Enable NetSuite/Payroll push for approved changes |
Decide how forms will be hosted, which integrations are required, and what signer authentication you need.
Submit approved pay changes before payroll run deadline to avoid retro pay adjustments
Retain I-9s 3 years after hire or 1 year after termination, whichever is later (8 CFR §274a.2)
Keep relevant financial records at least 3 years from filing (IRC §6501(a))
Submit benefit-affecting changes within plan-specified open enrollment or qualifying event timelines
Use exact MM/DD/YYYY effective dates; payroll systems rely on this value
System logs receipt and notifies first approver.
Supervisor reviews and either approves or returns for edits.
HR confirms compliance and authorizes payroll update.
Payroll applies changes in the next scheduled run.
| 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 (Premium) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Varies by plan |
| 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 |
Optica implemented ePAFs to streamline approvals and reduce manual entry
A real estate operator standardized PAFs across locations to centralize payroll updates