Initiation
Project identifier, sponsor, objectives, constraints, and initial risk summary to frame scope and accountability for downstream activities.
A consistent Granite Steps document reduces ambiguity by defining scope, approvals, and responsibilities up front. It improves auditability of decisions, shortens approval cycles, and helps teams demonstrate compliance with internal controls and customer requirements while producing a single authoritative record for later review.
The Project Management Granite Steps is used by project teams, sponsors, procurement, and compliance stakeholders to coordinate work and approvals.
Use it where multiple reviewers or formal approvals are required to deliver a repeatable, auditable process across the project lifecycle.
The Project Manager typically prepares the Granite Steps, assigns tasks and owners, and collects approvals. They ensure entries reflect current schedule, budget, and risk posture and retain signed copies for project records and audits.
The Sponsor or client-level approver confirms scope and acceptance criteria, signs budget or change approvals, and holds final authority for closeout. Their signature documents formal acceptance of deliverables and triggers post-project processes.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Signers | Role-based order with parallel reviewers |
| Authentication | Email + optional SMS code |
| Conditional Fields | Show budget fields if cost > threshold |
| Retention | Auto-archive signed PDF on completion |
Choose a platform that supports PDF, DOCX uploads, audit trails, and integrates with your document repository or ERP.
Initial plan approved within 5 business days
Milestone approvals every 30–90 days
Respond to comments within 7 business days
Sign-offs due before execution of change orders
Archive final record within 10 business days of acceptance
Sponsor approves scope and baseline budget
Design acceptance and handoff to execution
Client or sponsor signs acceptance certificate
Archive records and publish lessons learned
Project identifier, sponsor, objectives, constraints, and initial risk summary to frame scope and accountability for downstream activities.
Milestone list with planned dates, owners, and acceptance criteria so progress and slippage are visible to approvers and auditors.
Line-item budget, funding code, and change-order thresholds that require escalation and documented sign-off when limits are exceeded.
Active risk register entries and issue logs that capture impact, mitigation owners, and status updates tied to decision history.
Role-based signature blocks, approval dates, and version history to show who authorized scope changes and when approvals occurred.
Acceptance criteria, delivery artifacts, and final sign-off language used to determine formal project completion and invoicing triggers.
| Criteria | Digital Signature | Electronic Signature |
|---|---|---|
| Technical Basis | pki certificate-based | any electronic symbol, process |
| Legal Scope | subset of electronic signatures | broad legal category under esign/ueta |
| Non-repudiation | stronger via certificate chain | based on audit trail and attribution |
| Typical Use Cases | regulated submissions, 21 cfr part 11 | contracts, approvals, general 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, no credit card | Varies by vendor | Varies by vendor | Varies by vendor | Varies by vendor |
| Bulk Send | Available (Business Premium) | Available | Available | Available | Available |
| Audit Trail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA Compliant | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
The team standardized the template to capture stakeholder sign-off at each gate
Used the Granite Steps to collect remote approvals and retain compliance records