What if a signer’s name differs?

If a signature name does not match legal records, include a signer attestation and supporting ID. Mismatched names can delay acceptance by auditors or legal reviewers.

Can approvals be signed electronically?

Yes. Under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and state UETA statutes, electronic signatures are generally valid if intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are met.

When is notarization required?

Notarization is only necessary when a document affects recordable interests or state law requires it. Routine internal approvals typically do not require a notary.

How to handle withheld attachments?

Do not submit incomplete requests. Missing attachments are a primary cause of rejection; include all required documents to avoid routing delays.

What audit evidence should be retained?

Keep the signed document, audit trail (timestamps, IP), reviewer comments, and any identity verification logs for the retention period applicable to your industry and jurisdiction.

How to escalate overdue approvals?

Define escalation paths in the workflow: auto-notify next-level approver after SLA breach and copy the project sponsor to accelerate decision-making.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Project Management
Project Management Approval Procedure

Project Management Approval Procedure

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

Project Management Approval Procedure

Project Identification

Project Title:

Project ID: Client Name:

Project Manager: Effective Date:

Scope of Work and Boundaries

Detailed Scope of Work Out-of-Scope Items

Deliverables and Acceptance

List the primary deliverables, their acceptance criteria, and responsible party. Each deliverable requires documented acceptance testing or sign-off.

Deliverable 1 — Description Deliverable 1 — Acceptance Criteria

Due Date: Responsible Party:

Deliverable 2 — Description Deliverable 2 — Acceptance Criteria

Due Date: Responsible Party:

Timeline and Milestones

Project Start Date: Project End Date:

Milestone 1

Description:

Target Date: Owner:

Milestone 2

Description:

Target Date: Owner:

Budget and Payment

Total Approved Budget Payment Schedule and Terms

Change Order Process

All changes to scope, schedule, or budget must follow the change order process below. Written change orders must identify impact, alternatives, and estimated costs. Approval thresholds determine routing.

Change Order Approval Threshold (amount) Change Order Procedure Summary

Approvals and Routing

The following approvers are required based on the nature of the request. Check all required approvers for this procedure and provide the approver name.

Project Manager approval required Approver Name:

Project Sponsor approval required Approver Name:

Steering Committee approval required Committee Representative:

Recordkeeping and Audit Trail

All approval documentation, signed change orders, acceptance records, and testing evidence must be retained in the project record. The project manager is responsible for maintaining a complete and auditable trail.

Retention Period

Confidentiality

All project-related information exchanged under this procedure that is marked confidential or reasonably understood to be confidential shall be held in confidence by all recipients. Confidential information may only be used for performance of the project and may not be disclosed except as required by law, subject to prior written notice to the disclosing party where permitted.

Governing Law

This Procedure shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the governing jurisdiction agreed by the parties. Any dispute arising under or related to this Procedure shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction identified in the project master agreement.

Deviation and Non-Compliance

Deviations from this Procedure must be documented and approved in writing by the Project Sponsor. Non-compliance with approval steps may result in invalidation of change orders and withholding of payment until proper approvals are obtained.

Acknowledgement of Procedure

By signing below, the undersigned parties acknowledge that they have read, understood, and will adhere to the approval steps, change order process, and recordkeeping obligations set forth in this Project Management Approval Procedure.

Client:

By:

Date:

Service Provider:

By:

Date:

What the Project Management Approval Procedure Is

A Project Management Approval Procedure is a formal, documented workflow used to request, review, and authorize project activities, scope changes, budgets, and key deliverables. It defines who may submit requests, which stakeholders must review them, what documentation is required, and how approvals are recorded. The procedure ensures consistent decision-making, traceable authorization, and alignment with project governance, procurement, and finance controls. It can be implemented as a paper form, a digital form with e-signatures, or an integrated workflow inside a project management system to capture timestamps, reviewer comments, and final sign-off.

Why a Formal Approval Procedure Matters

A consistent approval procedure reduces ambiguity, enforces accountability, and provides an auditable record for scope, cost, and schedule decisions. It supports compliance with internal controls and external regulations while reducing rework and approval delays.

Who Typically Completes and Reviews This Procedure

Project managers, project sponsors, functional managers, procurement, and finance commonly initiate or review approval requests for project actions.

Project Manager — Prepares request, scope, and justification; first-line approver for minor changes.
Project Sponsor — Reviews strategic impact, funding, and final authorization for major changes.
Procurement / Finance — Validates budget, vendor approvals, and payment terms prior to final sign-off.

Clearly identifying roles upfront reduces routing errors and accelerates review cycles.

Typical Signatories and Their Responsibilities

Project Manager

Often the requestor who documents scope changes, risk impacts, scheduling adjustments, and cost estimates. Responsible for initiating the approval, attaching supporting documents, and communicating outcomes to the project team and stakeholders.

Sponsor / Executive

Provides final authorization for material scope or budget changes, validates business case alignment, and accepts residual risk. Their signature or electronic approval typically unlocks procurement, release of funds, or contract amendments.

Required Data Elements in the Approval Procedure

Request ID: Unique request identifier

Requester: Name and role

Effective Date: MM/DD/YYYY

Description: Summary of change

Estimated Cost: Numeric value, USD

Approvals: Signed reviewer list

Step-by-Step: Completing the Approval Request

Follow these steps to prepare and submit a complete approval request and avoid avoidable routing delays.

01

Prepare Request: Document scope, rationale, and cost estimate
02

Attach Evidence: Include budgets, vendor quotes, and schedule impacts
03

Select Reviewers: Add required approvers in role-based order
04

Submit for Approval: Send via workflow or eSignature-enabled distribution

How Approval Routing Typically Flows

A clear routing sequence reduces handoffs and ensures required stakeholders review requests in the right order.

Submit Request: Requester uploads form and supporting files
Technical Review: PMO or technical lead checks scope impact
Financial Review: Finance validates budget and funding
Final Authorization: Sponsor signs or e-approves to implement

Configuring the Digital Workflow

Configure fields and routing so reviewers receive only what they need and approvals are captured automatically.

Field \| Configuration	Role-based visibility \| Mandatory
Reviewer Order	Sequential or parallel routing
Authentication Level	Email or SMS code
Attachments	PDF, DOCX, or images allowed
Audit Trail	Enable timestamp and IP logging

Technical Requirements for eSubmission

Choose a platform that supports secure e-signing, audit trails, and common file formats to preserve evidentiary value.

File Formats: PDF, DOCX, XLSX supported
Integrations: CRM and storage connectors
Authentication: Email, SMS, or stronger

Integration with project management, document storage, and finance systems reduces manual entry and creates a single source of truth for approvals and audit history.

Typical Timelines and Processing Expectations

Define and publish SLA targets for each approval tier so stakeholders know expected response times and escalation points.

Minor Change Review:

2–5 business days typical

Major Change Review:

5–15 business days typical

Finance Approval:

3–7 business days typical

Procurement Lead Time:

Varies by vendor; include estimated days

Escalation Window:

Escalate unresolved items after defined SLA

Key Approval Milestones from Request to Implementation

The following stages show numbered milestones commonly used to track progress from request submission to execution.

01

Submission Received

Record intake, assign Request ID, and validate required attachments

02

Technical Assessment

Assess scope, dependencies, and preliminary risk

03

Commercial Review

Finance and procurement assess budget and vendor terms

04

Final Authorization

Sponsor or executive signs off and triggers implementation

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Submitting incomplete justification or missing attachments, which delays review and forces resubmission.
Using informal language or vague cost estimates that leave reviewers unable to assess financial impact.
Routing to incorrect reviewers due to unclear role mapping, causing approval loopbacks and missed SLAs.
Failing to record approval metadata (date, signer identity, method), which weakens the audit trail.

Risks and Consequences of Poor Approval Practice

Project Delay: Cost overruns possible

Non-Compliance: Regulatory exposure risk

Contract Breach: Supplier disputes possible

Audit Findings: Internal control weaknesses

Financial Loss: Unapproved spend occurs

Reputational Harm: Stakeholder confidence reduced

Industry Examples of Approval Procedures in Action

These brief case summaries show how different organizations apply approval procedures to reduce friction and preserve auditability.

Real Estate Development

A developer used a digital approval form to centralize change-order requests and cost estimates.

The workflow enforced sequential approvals from PMO, finance, and sponsor.
The centralized record reduced approval cycle time, created an auditable trail for contractors, and simplified month-end reconciliation across multiple projects.

Healthcare IT Rollout

A hospital IT group standardized approvals for system changes with privacy checklists.

HIPAA considerations were attached for any data-impacting change.
This reduced review omissions, ensured required privacy sign-offs, and provided evidence during internal and external audits.

Comparing eSignature Options for Approval Workflows

This table summarizes common plan attributes and compliance capabilities for signNow and widely used competitors to inform platform selection for approval workflows.

	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

Common questions about completing, submitting, and validating project approval requests are answered below to reduce friction and prevent errors.

Need help? Contact support

What if a signer’s name differs?
If a signature name does not match legal records, include a signer attestation and supporting ID. Mismatched names can delay acceptance by auditors or legal reviewers.
Can approvals be signed electronically?
Yes. Under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and state UETA statutes, electronic signatures are generally valid if intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are met.
When is notarization required?
Notarization is only necessary when a document affects recordable interests or state law requires it. Routine internal approvals typically do not require a notary.
How to handle withheld attachments?
Do not submit incomplete requests. Missing attachments are a primary cause of rejection; include all required documents to avoid routing delays.
What audit evidence should be retained?
Keep the signed document, audit trail (timestamps, IP), reviewer comments, and any identity verification logs for the retention period applicable to your industry and jurisdiction.
How to escalate overdue approvals?
Define escalation paths in the workflow: auto-notify next-level approver after SLA breach and copy the project sponsor to accelerate decision-making.

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