Is an electronic signature valid?

Yes. Electronic signatures are valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA in most states if intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are established.

When is notarization required?

Notarization is rarely required for an internal PM Form, but attachments such as deeds or certain affidavits may need notarization; check state and document-specific rules.

Can I use simple e-signatures or need digital signatures?

Simple electronic signatures are generally sufficient under ESIGN/UETA. Use cryptographic digital signatures only when industry regulations (e.g., 21 CFR Part 11) or contracting parties demand certificate-based signatures.

What if a signer’s name doesn’t match records?

Mismatched names delay acceptance and can void approvals. Update names to match government ID or supporting corporate documentation before finalizing the form.

How long should I keep signed PM Forms?

Retain for the project life plus recommended periods: minimum 3 years generally, 6 years for HIPAA-related records, and up to 7–10 years for certain contract or real estate matters.

Can I revoke or amend an executed PM Form?

Amendments should be made by mutual written agreement and signed by the same authorized parties. Revocation depends on contract terms and may require follow-up documentation to avoid disputes.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Project Management PM Form

Project Management PM Form

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

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT (PM FORM)

Agreement Date:

Parties

Client Name: Client Address: Service Provider Name: Service Provider Address:

Recitals

WHEREAS, Client Name: desires to procure project management services for the project identified below; and

WHEREAS, Service Provider Name: represents that it has the expertise, personnel and resources necessary to provide such services under the terms and conditions set forth herein; and

WHEREAS, the parties intend by this Agreement to define the scope, deliverables, payment, term, confidentiality and other essential terms governing the project management engagement.

Project Identification

Project Title: Project Manager (Service Provider): Project Manager Contact:

Scope of Work

The Service Provider shall perform project management services as described below. This Scope of Work sets forth the principal tasks, deliverables, schedules and acceptance criteria.

Detailed Scope (describe services, responsibilities, assumptions): Major Deliverables and Acceptance Criteria: Milestones (dates or linked deliverables): Reporting Frequency:

Payment Terms

The Client shall pay the Service Provider in accordance with the terms below. All payments shall be due net as indicated in the invoicing terms.

Total Contract Amount: Payment Structure (fixed fee, milestone payments, hourly): Late Payment Fee / Interest: Expense Reimbursement (policy & limits): Invoicing Terms:

Term and Termination

This Agreement commences on the Start Date and continues until the End Date unless earlier terminated pursuant to this section.

Start Date: End Date: Notice Period for Termination (days): Termination for Cause (procedures):

Confidentiality

Each party shall keep confidential all Confidential Information disclosed by the other party and shall not use such information except to perform its obligations under this Agreement. "Confidential Information" means non-public business, technical or financial information disclosed in writing or orally and identified as confidential at the time of disclosure.

Confidentiality Duration (years): Exceptions to Confidentiality (if any):

Change Control

Any change to the Scope of Work, schedule, or fees must be documented in a written change order signed by authorized representatives of both parties. The change order shall specify scope, schedule and adjustment to compensation.

Change Order Procedure (contact, approval workflow):

Liability and Insurance

Except for liability arising from willful misconduct or gross negligence, the parties' aggregate liability to one another shall be limited to direct damages up to the total fees paid under this Agreement. Each party shall maintain insurance customary for the size and scope of the project.

Indicate Required Insurance Types:

Governing Law

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction specified below, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Governing Law (State or Jurisdiction):

Entire Agreement

This Agreement, together with any executed change orders, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, proposals and communications, whether oral or written. Any amendment must be in writing and signed by both parties.

Miscellaneous

Notices under this Agreement shall be in writing and delivered to the addresses set forth above or to such other address as a party designates in writing. If any provision is held invalid, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

Primary Notice Contact (Client): Primary Notice Contact (Provider):

Acknowledgment

By signing below, the persons executing this Agreement represent and warrant that they are duly authorized to enter into this Agreement on behalf of the party for whom they sign.

Client:

By:

Date:

Service Provider:

By:

Date:

What the Project Management PM Form Covers

The Project Management PM Form is a standardized project document used to record scope, deliverables, schedule, resources, approvals, and key risks for a specific project or project phase. It centralizes stakeholder names and contact details, milestone dates, acceptance criteria, budget summaries, and change-control checkpoints so decisions are auditable and responsibilities are clear across teams, contractors, and sponsors.

Why a Formal PM Form Matters for Project Success

A clear PM Form reduces scope ambiguity, speeds approvals, and creates an auditable record of decisions and signoffs. It supports consistent handoffs, helps enforce contractual terms, and provides a single source of truth for scheduling, budget tracking, and change management.

Who typically completes and approves the PM Form

The PM Form is completed by project leads and reviewed by stakeholders who need formal signoff before work proceeds.

Project manager and project controls team who prepare the content and track milestones.
Business sponsor or product owner who approves scope, budget, and acceptance criteria.
External contractors or vendors who confirm deliverables, resource commitments, and invoice milestones.

Use the completed form to trigger procurement, onboarding, invoicing, or regulatory review depending on project type.

Typical signatories and their roles

Project Manager

The Project Manager prepares the PM Form, populates scope, schedule, risk items, and budget estimates, and manages version control. They are accountable for obtaining required approvals and tracking change requests against the baseline in the document.

Sponsor / Approver

The sponsor or authorized approver reviews financial commitments, acceptance criteria, and milestone payments. Their signature confirms organizational authorization to proceed and validates the form as an enforceable internal agreement.

Core components to include in a professional PM Form

A complete PM Form groups the project definition, schedule, budget, quality criteria, governance, and risk controls so signatories can assess commitments quickly and consistently.

Scope Statement

Clear description of included and excluded work, deliverables, and boundaries so owners and contractors share a single definition of project scope and reduce later disputes.

Deliverables

A concise list of deliverables with acceptance criteria and owner names so reviewers can verify completion against measurable outputs and timelines.

Schedule

Key milestones, target completion dates, and interim checkpoints that define when approvals are due and when invoicing or resource allocation should occur.

Budget Summary

High-level cost breakdown by category and contingency amounts with approval thresholds to manage spending and trigger additional governance if limits are exceeded.

Risk Register

Top project risks, likelihood, impact, and assigned mitigations to make risk ownership and escalation paths explicit to approvers.

Approvals

Designated signature blocks with role, printed name, and date so the form creates an auditable record of who authorized each element of the plan.

Step-by-step: completing the PM Form

Follow these steps in order to prepare, validate, and obtain necessary approvals for the PM Form before work begins.

01

Draft the form: Complete scope, schedule, budget, risks, and deliverables fields.
02

Internal review: Share draft with stakeholders and revise per feedback.
03

Obtain approvals: Collect signatures from sponsor, PM, and procurement as required.
04

Publish final: Issue the signed form to involved parties and store securely.

How the PM Form moves through approvals

A typical approval workflow routes the PM Form from creator to reviewers, then to authorized signers, producing an auditable completion record.

Upload document: Sender uploads the PM Form and adds fields.
Assign signers: Specify signer emails and role order if sequential approval is required.
Sign and verify: Signers authenticate and sign using the eSignature method.
Archive and notify: System stores final copy and notifies stakeholders automatically.

Recommended digital workflow settings for eSubmission

Configure workflow options to match required authentication, routing order, and retention rules before sending the PM Form for signature.

Field	Configuration
Signer Authentication	Email link with optional SMS code for higher assurance
Routing Order	Sequential for approvals, parallel for informational recipients
Bulk Send	Enable for repeated, identical PM forms across projects
Audit Trail	Enable timestamps, IP capture, and downloadable activity logs

Technical requirements and file formats for eSubmission

Use standard file formats and integrations to streamline import, signature, and archival of the PM Form.

File formats: Use PDF or DOCX for best compatibility
Integrations: Connect to Salesforce, NetSuite, or Google Workspace
Storage: Archive in Box, Egnyte, or AWS

Confirm platform supports required authentication, audit trails, and the archive format your organization mandates before sending for signatures.

Common preparation errors to avoid

Missing required approver names or incorrect contact details that cause signature delays and re-routing.
Vague deliverable descriptions that lead to differing expectations and scope change requests later.
Inconsistent dates between schedule, budget, and milestone acceptance, which causes payment and compliance disputes.
Failing to attach referenced exhibits, SOWs, or vendor quotes required to validate budget and deliverable claims.

Key timing and internal deadlines to set

Define explicit internal deadlines for review, approval, and execution to keep the project on schedule and avoid payment holds.

Draft completion deadline:

Set a target for initial form completion, typically 5–10 business days before start

Stakeholder review window:

Allow 3–7 business days for comments and revisions

Approval due date:

Require all signatures at least 48 hours before planned mobilization

Change request turnaround:

Define a 5 business day window to evaluate and approve scope changes

Archival timing:

Store the final signed form immediately after last signature

Milestone timeline for a typical PM Form lifecycle

Track the PM Form from initiation through closure with clear stage gates and responsible parties at each checkpoint.

01

Initiation and Drafting

Create the first version and gather initial inputs from stakeholders.

02

Review and Revision

Incorporate feedback and resolve scope, schedule, and budget questions.

03

Final Approval

Obtain sponsor and procurement signatures to authorize work.

04

Closure and Archive

Capture lessons learned and file the final signed form for records.

Security and compliance considerations for storing PM Forms

Encryption: AES-256 at rest

In-transit: TLS 1.2/1.3

Audit logging: Detailed timestamps and event history

Regulatory: ESIGN and UETA compliance

Healthcare: HIPAA available with BAA

Certifications: SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001

Risks and consequences from an incorrect PM Form

Project delays: Missed dates and mobilization hold

Contract disputes: Disagreement over deliverables or scope

Payment withholding: Invoices disputed or delayed

Compliance gaps: Regulatory or audit issues arise

Increased costs: Rework and change-order expenses

Invalid approvals: Unauthorized signers can void acceptance

Practical examples from organizations using a standardized PM Form

Real-world usage shows how consistent forms reduce turnaround and improve clarity across project teams.

Optica Ventures — Brian Fitzgibbons

Optica needed a mobile-friendly form for client approvals and faster processing.

Interface is simple and easy-to-use.
Brian Fitzgibbons, COO, said 'The interface is simple and easy-to-use for our team; more importantly, it is just as easy for our customers.' He noted measurable reductions in back-and-forth and faster client signoff cycles.

Martin Properties — Tim Martin

A real estate firm required on-site approvals for inspection and work orders.

Mobile and offline signing helped.
Tim Martin, Founder, reported 'I can process and execute all of these documents online with 100% compliance and built-in security.' This improved turnaround when teams worked remotely at properties.

eSignature vendor comparison for signing and distributing PM Forms

Compare baseline price, trial availability, core features, and HIPAA support when selecting an eSignature vendor for PM Forms; signNow is listed first for parity with plan data.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo (annual billing)	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial, no credit card required	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan
Bulk Send	Yes, included on Business Premium	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes, full audit trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes (BAA available)	Yes	Yes	No	No

FAQs and troubleshooting for the PM Form

Answers to common questions about execution, eSigning, legal validity, and storage to reduce delays and ensure compliance.

Need help? Contact support

Is an electronic signature valid?
Yes. Electronic signatures are valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA in most states if intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are established.
When is notarization required?
Notarization is rarely required for an internal PM Form, but attachments such as deeds or certain affidavits may need notarization; check state and document-specific rules.
Can I use simple e-signatures or need digital signatures?
Simple electronic signatures are generally sufficient under ESIGN/UETA. Use cryptographic digital signatures only when industry regulations (e.g., 21 CFR Part 11) or contracting parties demand certificate-based signatures.
What if a signer’s name doesn’t match records?
Mismatched names delay acceptance and can void approvals. Update names to match government ID or supporting corporate documentation before finalizing the form.
How long should I keep signed PM Forms?
Retain for the project life plus recommended periods: minimum 3 years generally, 6 years for HIPAA-related records, and up to 7–10 years for certain contract or real estate matters.
Can I revoke or amend an executed PM Form?
Amendments should be made by mutual written agreement and signed by the same authorized parties. Revocation depends on contract terms and may require follow-up documentation to avoid disputes.

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