Can this document be electronically signed?

Yes, generally. Electronic signatures satisfy the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted, provided the signer intends to sign, consents to electronic records, the signature can be attributed, and records are retained. Exceptions include wills, certain court filings, and other statutorily excluded documents.

Who should sign the document to be valid?

Authorized signers are typically project sponsors, budget owners, and designated approvers named in organization policy. Signatory authority may be limited by delegation thresholds; verify corporate approval matrices and procurement rules to confirm who can legally bind the organization.

Do approvals require notarization or witnesses?

Most internal Project Approval Documents do not require notarization or witnesses. If the document conveys property interests or creates certain legal instruments, notarization or witnesses may be required under state law. Check local rules and consult counsel when in doubt.

How should I store signed documents securely?

Store signed originals in a secure records repository with encryption at rest, access controls, and an immutable audit trail. Retain copies according to retention policy and regulatory requirements such as IRS, HIPAA, or SEC rules; ensure backups and disaster recovery are in place.

Can I use remote notarization (RON) for signatures?

RON availability varies by state. Many states permit permanent RON with identity proofing and audio-video recording; confirm your state's notary commission rules. Maintain required retention for RON recordings and verify compliance with any audio-video storage mandates.

What to do if an approver declines?

Document the decline reason in the record, update scope or budget if renegotiated, and re-route for alternative approvals if delegation rules permit. Preserve the audit trail of the decline and communications for dispute resolution.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Project Approval Document

Project Approval Document

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

PROJECT APPROVAL DOCUMENT

Project Identification

Project Name Project Number / Reference

Requester Name

Department / Division

Request Date

Recitals

WHEREAS, the Project Sponsor, identified as , has proposed the project described herein and requests formal approval to commence work; and

WHEREAS, the Project has an estimated total budget of and will be executed under the terms and conditions set forth in this document; and

WHEREAS, the Approving Authority finds that the Project is necessary for business operations and warrants authorization subject to the conditions and limitations contained in this Project Approval Document.

Scope of Work

The Sponsor shall undertake the following scope of work. This section defines deliverables, key activities, acceptance criteria, and any dependencies.

Payment Terms

Total Approved Amount:

Payment Schedule / Milestones

Late Payment: Invoices not paid within days after the due date shall incur interest at or the maximum rate permitted by applicable law, whichever is lower.

Invoicing Instructions

Term and Termination

Term Commencement Date: . Term Expiration Date: .

Either party may terminate this approval for convenience upon days' prior written notice. Termination for cause may be effected immediately upon written notice where the other party materially breaches a material obligation and the breach is not cured within a commercially reasonable cure period of days.

Termination Obligations

Confidentiality

Each party shall maintain the confidentiality of Confidential Information disclosed under this Project Approval Document and shall not disclose such information to any third party except as required by law or as necessary to perform the obligations hereunder. "Confidential Information" includes non-public business information, technical data, financial information, and personally identifiable information disclosed in connection with this Project. The receiving party shall use at least the same degree of care to protect Confidential Information as it uses to protect its own similar confidential information, but no less than reasonable care.

Exceptions to Confidentiality

Governing Law

This Project Approval Document shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of , without regard to its conflict of laws principles. Venue for any dispute arising under this document shall be the state or federal courts located within that state.

Entire Agreement

This Project Approval Document, including any attachments or referenced schedules executed by the parties, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements, understandings, negotiations and discussions, whether oral or written. Any amendment or modification must be in writing and signed by authorized representatives of both parties.

Approval Decision

The Approving Authority shall indicate the decision by selecting one of the following:

Approve Approve with Conditions Reject

Conditions / Comments (if any)

Approval Effective Date:

Certification: By signing below, each signatory certifies that they are authorized to bind their organization to the terms of this Project Approval Document, that the information provided herein is complete and accurate to the best of their knowledge, and that they accept responsibility for fulfilment of their respective obligations.

Approving Authority:

By:

Date:

Project Sponsor:

By:

Date:

What a Project Approval Document Is and why it matters

A Project Approval Document is a formal written authorization that records scope, budget, schedule, and decision-maker sign-off required to proceed with a project phase or the entire project. It serves as the official approval for resources, funding, and deliverables, and creates a clear record of assumptions, constraints, success criteria, and escalation paths. Organizations use this document to reduce scope creep, align stakeholders, and establish responsibility for post-approval changes. Where applicable it becomes part of project governance records and should be retained according to applicable regulatory and contract requirements.

Why a formal approval record improves governance

Use a Project Approval Document to centralize approval decisions, document allocated budget and timeline, and create an auditable trail of authority. It clarifies deliverables and acceptance criteria, reduces disputes, and supports compliance with internal controls and external regulations.

Who typically prepares, reviews, and signs this document

Common users include project managers, program sponsors, finance approvers, and functional leads who authorize scope and funding.

Project managers — initiator of content, ensures technical accuracy and presents justification to approvers.
Sponsors and executives — provide budgetary approval, accept risk, and confirm strategic alignment.
Finance and procurement — verify funding availability, cost allocation, and contract or procurement triggers.

The document is also useful for auditors, procurement teams, and external funders reviewing authorization history.

Core sections every Project Approval Document should include

An effective Project Approval Document organizes approval criteria, budget, schedule, scope, risks, and signatures into a single concise record for governance.

Scope

Describe project objectives, in-scope deliverables, out-of-scope items, and measurable acceptance criteria so stakeholders share a common understanding of expected results, including key milestones and deliverable owners.

Budget

List total approved budget, line-item estimates, funding source, contingency allowance, and any capital vs operating split required by finance, and specify invoicing cadence and payment milestones.

Schedule

Provide planned start and end dates, major milestones with target dates, dependencies, and any critical path items that affect delivery timing, including approval gates and review windows.

Risks

Summarize top project risks, likelihood and impact ratings, proposed mitigations, risk owner, and escalation criteria for unresolved issues. Include residual risk after mitigation and reporting frequency.

Deliverables

Define key deliverables, acceptance tests, quality criteria, delivery format, and the responsible party for final sign-off on each item. Attach sample templates or reference documents when applicable to avoid ambiguity.

Signatures

List required approvers by name and role, signing order if sequential, and any delegated authority limits or fallback approvers. Specify whether electronic signatures are permitted and record retention responsibility.

Step-by-step: from draft to sign-off

Follow these steps to complete and circulate a Project Approval Document from draft to final sign-off.

01

Draft: Prepare content and attach supporting documents.
02

Review: Circulate to stakeholders for technical and financial review.
03

Approval: Collect authorized signatures in prescribed order.
04

Archive: Store final version and audit trail securely.

Set up the online approval workflow before sending

Configure the online approval workflow to match signing order, notifications, and conditional routing rules before sending.

Online Workflow Field Configuration Settings	Describe setting and expected value for each workflow field.
Required Signing Order and Sequence	Set sequential or parallel approvals and include fallback approvers.
Email Notifications and Reminder Schedule	Configure notification triggers and reminder cadence for pending approvers.
Conditional Routing and Approval Rules	Use conditional fields to route by cost center or risk level.
Signer Authentication and Verification Settings	Choose email, SMS OTP, or KBA where required for higher assurance.

How routing typically works for approvals

Typical routing for a Project Approval Document moves from drafter to reviewers, approvers, and finally to finance and archive.

Upload: Upload final draft and supporting files.
Place Fields: Add signature, date, and approval fields where needed.
Send: Start workflow and notify approvers in order.
Complete: Capture signed document plus audit trail copy.

Platform capabilities to support eSubmission and distribution

Use an eSignature platform that supports sequential signing, audit trails, and secure storage to streamline approvals.

File Formats: PDF and DOCX are supported.
Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Microsoft 365 integrations available.
Security: AES-256 at rest; TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit.

Common deadlines and scheduling considerations

Key dates for approval and submission help avoid budget delays and contractual penalties. Plan milestone deadlines into calendars.

Internal Draft Completion Due Date:

Set date for internal review and edits.

Stakeholder Review and Comment Window:

Allow at least five business days for comments.

Final Approval Submission Deadline Required:

Ensure signatures collected by this date to secure funding.

Finance Release and Funding Date:

Matches payment schedule; do not invoice before release.

Archive Final Document and Audit Trail:

Move signed files to records repository within five business days.

Milestone timeline for approval processing

This milestone timeline tracks key approval stages from initiation through funding and closure. Use it to coordinate teams.

01

Initiation

Request submitted with summary and attachments.

02

Review Phase

Stakeholders validate scope, budget and risks.

03

Approval Gate

Authorized signatories approve and release funding.

04

Post-Approval Controls

Monitor deliverables and approve change requests.

Common mistakes to avoid when preparing approvals

Incomplete scope statements create ambiguity that leads to scope creep, disputes over deliverables, and downstream budget overruns unless acceptance criteria are specified.
Missing or incorrect approver information delays routing; incorrect email addresses or absent delegated approvers can cause multi-day approval bottlenecks.
Failure to attach vendor quotes, estimates, or contractual terms forces manual follow-up, increases audit risk, and can invalidate the approval in procurement reviews.
Using ambiguous date formats or inconsistent currency designations creates accounting reconciliation errors and may trigger rework during invoice processing and funding release.

Potential consequences of incorrect or incomplete approvals

Budget Delay: Project start deferred.

Contractual Breach: Vendor penalties possible.

Audit Findings: Noncompliance cited.

Funding Loss: Grants or capital rescinded.

Cost Overruns: Unscheduled expenses increase.

Approval Rework: Additional review cycles required.

Real-world examples of Project Approval Documents in use

Project Approval Documents are used across sectors to authorize funding, confirm scope, and document approval history for audits.

Optica Ventures

Optica Ventures used a formal Project Approval Document to consolidate approvals for multiple portfolio projects and reduce back-and-forth.

Saved significant internal review time.
The single document provided a clear audit trail and reduced approval cycles; accounting could match funding to milestones faster and stakeholders reported fewer clarification emails during execution. Overall governance improved for quarterly reviews.

Tech Data

Tech Data standardized approval documents across business units to accelerate contract execution and improve internal service levels.

Reduced approval latency by days.
Standardization enabled automated routing and simplified procurement handoffs; leadership could audit decisions and financial teams reconciled approvals with invoices more quickly, shortening cash conversion cycles across global operations within weeks after rollout.

Common eSignature pricing and capability snapshot for approvals

Compare typical starting prices and feature availability for eSignature plans commonly used to sign Project Approval Documents.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
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 tips

Common questions about preparing, signing, and storing the Project Approval Document, plus troubleshooting tips for eSign workflows.

Need help? Contact support

Can this document be electronically signed?
Yes, generally. Electronic signatures satisfy the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted, provided the signer intends to sign, consents to electronic records, the signature can be attributed, and records are retained. Exceptions include wills, certain court filings, and other statutorily excluded documents.
Who should sign the document to be valid?
Authorized signers are typically project sponsors, budget owners, and designated approvers named in organization policy. Signatory authority may be limited by delegation thresholds; verify corporate approval matrices and procurement rules to confirm who can legally bind the organization.
Do approvals require notarization or witnesses?
Most internal Project Approval Documents do not require notarization or witnesses. If the document conveys property interests or creates certain legal instruments, notarization or witnesses may be required under state law. Check local rules and consult counsel when in doubt.
How should I store signed documents securely?
Store signed originals in a secure records repository with encryption at rest, access controls, and an immutable audit trail. Retain copies according to retention policy and regulatory requirements such as IRS, HIPAA, or SEC rules; ensure backups and disaster recovery are in place.
Can I use remote notarization (RON) for signatures?
RON availability varies by state. Many states permit permanent RON with identity proofing and audio-video recording; confirm your state's notary commission rules. Maintain required retention for RON recordings and verify compliance with any audio-video storage mandates.
What to do if an approver declines?
Document the decline reason in the record, update scope or budget if renegotiated, and re-route for alternative approvals if delegation rules permit. Preserve the audit trail of the decline and communications for dispute resolution.

be ready to get more

Join over 28 million airSlate SignNow users

Sign Now