Who must sign the form?

Required signers typically include the project manager and sponsor; additional functional approvers (finance, procurement) are required when the form triggers budget or procurement actions.

Can the form be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures are enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted, provided intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements are met.

Are notarization or witnesses required?

Not normally for routine project opening forms. Notarization is only required when state law or contracting parties specify it or when attaching documents that require acknowledgement.

What happens if information changes after signing?

Submit an updated or amendment form and obtain approvals following the same routing; retain both original and amendment per retention policy.

How should the signed form be stored?

Store the signed PDF and audit trail in the project repository or document management system with access controls; retain per corporate and regulatory retention policies.

Which laws govern electronic signatures?

ESIGN (15 U.S.C. §7001 et seq.) and UETA (where adopted) govern electronic signatures in the U.S.; New York uses its ESRA (NY Tech Law §301–309).

Electronic Signature
Templates
Project Management
Project Management Project Opening Form

Project Management Project Opening Form

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

PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROJECT OPENING FORM

Project Identification

Project ID: Project Title:

Client Name Service Provider Project Manager (Provider)

Background and Purpose

Provide a concise description of the business need and objectives driving this engagement.

Scope of Work

Summarize tasks, responsibilities, and boundaries of the engagement. The Service Provider shall perform the work described below in accordance with the acceptance criteria. Any work not expressly listed is out of scope unless a change order is approved.

Out-of-Scope Items (explicit exclusions)

Deliverables and Acceptance Criteria

List each deliverable, deliverable owner, and measurable acceptance criteria. Acceptance shall be in writing and may include testing, review cycles, and sign-off by the Client or authorized representative.

Deliverable 1 - Title Deliverable 1 - Description and Acceptance Criteria Deliverable 2 - Title Deliverable 2 - Description and Acceptance Criteria

Timeline and Milestones

Project Start Date: Project End Date:

Milestone 1

Target Date:

Milestone 1 - Acceptance Criteria Milestone 2

Target Date:

Milestone 2 - Acceptance Criteria

Budget and Payment Schedule

Total Contract Value:

Payment Schedule Invoicing Instructions and Terms

Change Order Process

All modifications to scope, schedule, or price must be documented via a written change order signed by authorized representatives of both parties prior to commencement of the changed work. The change order must include description of change, impact to schedule, additional cost or credit, and revised acceptance criteria.

Confidentiality, Intellectual Property, and Data Handling

The parties agree that Confidential Information disclosed under this engagement shall be used solely for performance of the project. Service Provider shall protect Client data with industry-standard safeguards and shall not disclose Confidential Information without Client's prior written consent, except as required by law. Ownership of deliverables and intellectual property rights will be allocated as follows; any pre-existing materials remain the owning party's property; newly created work-for-hire deliverables shall be assigned to the Client upon final payment unless otherwise specified.

Liability, Insurance, and Indemnity

Each party's liability for direct damages shall be limited to the total fees paid under this agreement for the work giving rise to the claim. Neither party shall be liable for consequential, incidental, or punitive damages. Service Provider shall maintain insurance coverage customary for the services provided and shall provide certificates upon request.

Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

This agreement shall be governed by the substantive law of the chosen jurisdiction as set forth below. Parties will attempt to resolve disputes through good-faith negotiation and escalation. If unresolved, disputes will be subject to binding arbitration or litigation as specified.

Governing Jurisdiction

Operational and Administrative Contacts

Client Project Contact Service Provider Project Contact

Risk Assessment and Key Assumptions

Identify principal project risks and assumptions that materially affect schedule, cost, or performance. Unforeseen conditions may require a change order or schedule revision.

Approvals

By signing below, each party represents that the person signing is authorized to bind the respective organization to the terms contained in this Project Opening Form. This form, together with any attachments and approved change orders, constitutes the agreement for initiation of the work described herein.

Client:

By:

Date:

Service Provider:

By:

Date:

What the Project Management Project Opening Form Is and When to Use It

The Project Management Project Opening Form is a standardized document used to record essential project-start information: scope summary, objectives, key stakeholders, estimated budget, preliminary schedule, risks, and required approvals. Project managers and sponsors use the form to capture agreement on initial assumptions and to trigger downstream processes such as resource allocation, procurement requests, and governance review. Completing this form creates an auditable record that supports transparency during initiation and provides the baseline data required to create a formal project charter, budget package, and kickoff materials.

Why a Consistent Project Opening Form Matters

A consistent Project Management Project Opening Form reduces ambiguity at project start, speeds approvals, and establishes the official record for scope, authority, and budget. It improves cross-team alignment and helps satisfy audit and compliance requirements by documenting who authorized the work and why.

Typical Users and Signers for the Project Opening Form

The Project Management Project Opening Form is completed and reviewed by a small cross-functional group to ensure accuracy and authorization before work begins.

Project Manager — prepares the form, summarizes scope, and lists resource needs for approval.
Project Sponsor / Executive — reviews key objectives, approves budget and funding source.
Functional Managers / Procurement — validate resource availability, procurement triggers, and risk controls.

After signatures, the form becomes the official initiation record used to generate the project charter, resource assignments, and procurement requests.

Core Sections to Include in a Professional Project Opening Form

A thorough form organizes initiation data so reviewers can make timely decisions. Include sections that document scope, stakeholders, budget, schedule, risks, and required approvals to facilitate subsequent planning and control activities.

Project Identification

Project name, unique ID, business unit, and brief descriptive summary to uniquely identify the initiative.

Objectives & Scope

Clear statement of project goals, in-scope and out-of-scope items, and key deliverables the project will produce.

Stakeholders

List primary sponsor, project manager, steering committee members, and key external contacts with roles defined.

Budget & Funding

Estimated total cost, identified funding source, budget code, and any capital vs operating distinctions.

Preliminary Schedule

High-level milestones including target start date, critical milestones, and estimated completion date.

Risks & Approvals

High-level risks and required signatory approvals with names, titles, and signature blocks.

Required Data Elements to Capture

Project Title: Formal name used for tracking and reporting.

Project ID: Unique identifier from the PMO or portfolio system.

Sponsor: Name and title of the executive sponsor.

Project Manager: Assigned PM with contact email and phone.

Estimated Budget: High-level cost estimate with funding code.

Planned Start Date: MM/DD/YYYY format for scheduling purposes.

Step-by-Step: Completing the Project Opening Form

Follow these sequential steps to collect accurate information and secure approvals before project work begins.

01

Draft the Form: Populate identification, scope, objectives, and preliminary budget.
02

Validate with Stakeholders: Share draft with sponsor and functional managers for input and cost confirmation.
03

Obtain Approvals: Route for signatures in the required order and capture dates.
04

File and Distribute: Store the signed form in the project repository and notify stakeholders.

Where to Send the Form and How It Moves Through Approval

The form typically flows from the project manager to sponsor and then to any required functional approvers before being filed with the PMO.

Submit to Sponsor: PM submits the completed form to the sponsor for first-level approval.
Route to Finance: Finance confirms budget availability and funding codes.
Procurement Review: Procurement assesses vendor needs and lead times if required.
PMO Filing: PMO records the signed form and issues the project ID if needed.

How to Configure an Online Workflow for the Form

Set up an electronic workflow so the form routes automatically to reviewers, enforces field completion, and captures an audit trail.

Field	Configuration
Required Fields	Make Project Title, Sponsor, Budget, and Signatures mandatory.
Routing Order	Define sequential approvers: Sponsor → Finance → Procurement → PMO.
Authentication	Use email or SMS code for signer verification; increase strength for high-risk approvals.
Retention	Save signed PDF and audit trail to the project repository automatically.

Digital Signing, Formats, and Integrations to Support eSubmission

For electronic completion, choose a platform that supports PDF/DOCX uploads, preserves an auditable trail, and integrates with enterprise systems.

File Formats: PDF, DOCX, and fillable forms (Excel input supported) are commonly required.
Integrations: Look for connectors to Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Salesforce, NetSuite, and Procore.
Security: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit and AES-256 at rest with audit trail support.

Ensure the chosen platform supports the organization’s compliance needs (ESIGN/UETA) and any industry-specific requirements such as HIPAA BAA when handling protected health information.

Typical Timelines and Processing Expectations

Timing expectations help plan resourcing and procurement. These common deadlines indicate when approvals should be completed to avoid schedule delays.

Form Submission Window:

Submit at least 10 business days before planned start for internal review.

Sponsor Review:

Allow 3–5 business days for sponsor approval.

Finance Review:

Allow 5–10 business days for budget verification and code assignment.

Procurement Lead Time:

Procurement review may add 10–30 business days depending on vendor needs.

PMO Filing:

PMO registration and issuance of project ID typically occurs within 2–3 business days after approvals.

Key Milestones from Submission to Project Baseline

A high-level milestone sequence clarifies approval dependencies and the path to an approved baseline.

01

Submission

PM uploads a completed form to the workflow for initial sponsor review.

02

Approvals

Sponsor, finance, and procurement sign in the defined order and record dates.

03

PMO Registration

PMO issues project ID, records approvals, and publishes tracker entry.

04

Baseline Kickoff

Once approvals and funding are confirmed, schedule and resources are locked and work may begin.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Preparing the Form

Incomplete budget details that omit funding codes or contingency assumptions.
Using inconsistent project names that create duplicate records across systems.
Missing required approver signatures or unsigned electronic fields.
Neglecting procurement lead times that delay vendor selection and start dates.

Consequences of Incorrect or Incomplete Project Opening Forms

Delay Costs: Late starts and idle resources increase project costs and may breach SLA terms.

Funding Risk: Unapproved or mis-coded budgets can result in funding rejections by finance.

Audit Findings: Incomplete authorization records may trigger internal audit or compliance failures.

Procurement Delays: Insufficient procurement detail can prevent timely vendor engagement.

Scope Creep: Weak scope definitions lead to scope changes without approved baselines.

Contractual Exposure: Missing approvals before vendor work begins can create unenforceable obligations.

eSignature Vendor Pricing and Feature Comparison for Project Opening Forms

Compare basic pricing and core capabilities relevant to distributing and signing Project Management Project Opening Forms. signNow appears first per vendor ordering rules.

	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	Varies	Varies	Varies
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Frequently Asked Questions About the Project Opening Form

Answers to common questions about completion, signatures, electronic submission, and retention for the Project Management Project Opening Form.

Need help? Contact support

Who must sign the form?
Required signers typically include the project manager and sponsor; additional functional approvers (finance, procurement) are required when the form triggers budget or procurement actions.
Can the form be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures are enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted, provided intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements are met.
Are notarization or witnesses required?
Not normally for routine project opening forms. Notarization is only required when state law or contracting parties specify it or when attaching documents that require acknowledgement.
What happens if information changes after signing?
Submit an updated or amendment form and obtain approvals following the same routing; retain both original and amendment per retention policy.
How should the signed form be stored?
Store the signed PDF and audit trail in the project repository or document management system with access controls; retain per corporate and regulatory retention policies.
Which laws govern electronic signatures?
ESIGN (15 U.S.C. §7001 et seq.) and UETA (where adopted) govern electronic signatures in the U.S.; New York uses its ESRA (NY Tech Law §301–309).

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