Can I sign this template electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures are generally valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted. Ensure the record meets intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements (15 U.S.C. §7001 standards).

Are any signatures excluded from e-signing?

Certain documents may be excluded from e-signature treatment, such as wills, some court filings, and certain notices; consult the exceptions list in your jurisdiction and legal counsel before relying on e-signatures.

How should I verify signer identity?

Use multi-factor authentication, SMS codes, or knowledge-based verification for higher assurance levels; preserve audit logs with timestamps and IP addresses to support attribution.

What formats should I store the signed file in?

Store signed records in PDF/A or PDF with embedded audit metadata to ensure long-term reproducibility; preserve the accompanying audit trail for evidentiary use.

How long must I keep project records?

Retention depends on record type: follow IRS minimums (IRC §6501(a)), HIPAA six-year rules (45 CFR §164.530(j)) for health data, and any contractual obligations or state rules.

Can a signed template be changed after execution?

Material changes require a signed amendment or change order. Maintain an auditable chain of edits and ensure all parties sign any modifications to preserve enforceability.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Project Management
Project Management Template

Project Management Template

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

PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEMPLATE

Project Identification

Project Title Project ID

Client Name: Service Provider:

Project Manager (Client) Project Manager (Service Provider)

Effective Date:

Scope of Work

The Service Provider shall perform the work described below in accordance with the terms of this Template. The Scope of Work establishes the tasks, responsibilities, and deliverables necessary to achieve the project objectives.

Detailed Scope of Work Out of Scope

Deliverables and Acceptance Criteria

Deliverables shall be provided in the formats and within the timeframes set forth below. Acceptance is conditioned on the Client's review and written sign-off per the Acceptance Procedure.

Deliverable 1 — Description Deliverable 1 — Acceptance Criteria

Due Date:

Deliverable 2 — Description Deliverable 2 — Acceptance Criteria

Due Date:

Project Timeline & Milestones

Project Start Date: Project End Date:

Milestone 1 — Name

Due Date:

Milestone 1 — Description Milestone 2 — Name

Due Date:

Milestone 2 — Description

Budget, Payment & Change Orders

Total Project Fee Payment Schedule Invoicing Terms Change Order Process

All change orders require written authorization signed by authorized representatives of both parties prior to commencement of changed work.

Confidentiality & Intellectual Property

Each party shall maintain in confidence all non-public information disclosed by the other party in connection with the performance of this Template. Confidential information shall not include information that is demonstrably in the public domain, independently developed without use of the other party's confidential information, or required to be disclosed by law subject to notice to the disclosing party.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, all final deliverables specifically commissioned under this Template will be considered work made for hire and ownership of the final deliverables will vest in the Client upon full payment. The Service Provider retains the right to use non-confidential general skills and know-how developed in the performance of the work.

Acceptance Procedure & Warranty

The Client shall have a defined review period of ten (10) business days following delivery of each deliverable to inspect and either accept or provide written rejection specifying deficiencies. If rejected, the Service Provider shall correct identified deficiencies at no additional cost and resubmit for acceptance within the agreed remediation timeframe.

The Service Provider warrants that services will be performed in a professional manner consistent with industry standards for a period of thirty (30) days from acceptance. This warranty does not cover defects resulting from Client misuse or modifications.

Liability, Termination & Governing Law

Except for willful misconduct or breaches of confidentiality, neither party's liability for direct damages under this Template shall exceed the total fees paid to the Service Provider under this Template. Neither party shall be liable for consequential, incidental, or punitive damages.

This Template may be terminated for cause upon written notice if a material breach is not cured within thirty (30) days after receipt of written notice specifying the breach. Either party may terminate for convenience upon sixty (60) days' prior written notice; termination for convenience shall require payment for all work performed through the effective date of termination plus reasonable wind-down costs.

Governing Law: The laws of shall govern the interpretation and enforcement of this Template, without regard to its conflicts of law rules.

Notices & Contacts

Client Contact — Name Client Contact — Email Client Contact — Phone Service Provider Contact — Name Service Provider Contact — Email Service Provider Contact — Phone

General Provisions

Entire Agreement: This Template, including any executed change orders, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior negotiations, representations, and proposals.

Force Majeure: Neither party shall be liable for delays or failures to perform caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including acts of God, labor disputes, governmental actions, or failures of third-party providers, provided that the affected party gives prompt notice and uses reasonable efforts to mitigate delay.

Client:

By:

Date:

Service Provider:

By:

Date:

What a Project Management Template Is and When to Use It

A Project Management Template is a standardized document that captures a project's scope, schedule, budget, roles, risks, and deliverables so teams can plan, track, and close work consistently. It typically includes sections for a project charter, task breakdown, milestone dates, resource assignments, communication protocols, and change-control provisions. Templates reduce setup time, support auditability by preserving decision records, and make handoffs between stakeholders and vendors clearer. For organizations that repeat similar project types, a maintained template improves accuracy and shortens approval cycles while ensuring contractual and regulatory details are recorded.

Why a Project Management Template Matters for Consistency and Compliance

A well-structured template ensures each project starts with the same legal, financial, and operational controls included. It reduces onboarding time, clarifies responsibilities, and helps preserve audit trails required for regulatory or contractual review.

Who Typically Uses a Project Management Template

Project management templates are used across roles that oversee delivery, procurement, and compliance.

Project managers and PMO teams who standardize scopes, schedules, and status reporting across programs.
Procurement and contract administrators who need consistent language for vendor deliverables and payment milestones.
Stakeholders and sponsors who require a single record for approvals, budget tracking, and risk sign-off.

Use the template version suited to your team — light-weight for internal projects, more detailed when contracts or external approvals are required.

Step-by-step: Complete the template from draft to signed record

Follow these sequential actions to populate, review, sign, and archive the template correctly.

01

Prepare: Populate scope, dates, and budget fields before stakeholder review.
02

Assign: Add task owners and approvers with contact emails.
03

Review: Circulate for stakeholder comments and capture change requests.
04

Sign: Obtain authorized signatures and store the signed record with an audit trail.

Core components to include in a professional Project Management Template

A comprehensive template balances planning, controls, and traceability so projects can be executed consistently and evaluated post-completion.

Project Charter

Defines purpose, objectives, sponsor, and acceptance criteria; serves as the single-source summary that authorizes the project to proceed.

Scope Definition

Describes deliverables, exclusions, and acceptance terms to limit disputes and scope creep during execution and change requests.

Schedule & Milestones

Lists key milestones, dependencies, and target dates to enable baseline comparison and progress reporting.

Budget & Cost Breakdown

Includes approved totals, line-item estimates, contingency reserves, and invoicing milestones for financial control and audit trails.

Risk Register

Captures identified risks, likelihood, impact, mitigations, and owners to support informed decision-making and escalation.

Communication Plan

Sets reporting frequency, stakeholder audiences, and delivery channels so status and issues are communicated consistently.

How to configure the template for online workflows

Common settings prepare the template for reuse, routing, and automated notifications in document platforms.

Field	Configuration
Template Name and Versioning	Include a clear version code and maintain a change log for auditability.
Conditional Fields	Show or hide sections based on project type to reduce signer friction.
Notifications and Reminders	Configure email or SMS reminders for pending approvals and overdue tasks.
Integrations and Storage	Connect to your CRM/ERP or cloud storage to auto-save signed copies.

Delivery options and platform considerations for electronic completion

Decide whether the template will be completed offline, via in-person signing, or as a fully electronic workflow.

Supported Formats: PDF, DOCX, or fillable forms for consistent rendering.
Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Microsoft 365 integrations are commonly used.
Storage: Save signed records to Box, Google Drive, or internal sinks.

Select a platform that preserves audit trails, supports required authentication, and stores signed records in the format your compliance team requires.

Typical routing for a completed and signed template

A concise routing pattern reduces delays between approval, signature, and archival.

Assign Owner: Project manager or contract owner accepts responsibility for completion.
Request Approvals: Route to stakeholders in defined order for review and approval.
Collect Signatures: Use eSign or in-person signing as authorized by policy.
Archive: Store the signed record with version and audit metadata.

Key project milestones and the typical progression

Track these high-level stages to align governance, budget release, and stakeholder checkpoints.

01

Initiation

Define objectives, sponsor approval, and charter acceptance.

02

Planning

Set baseline schedule, budget, and resource assignments.

03

Execution

Deliver work packages, manage changes, and report status.

04

Closeout

Complete deliverables, obtain final acceptance, and archive records.

Typical timeline checkpoints and review cadences

Use explicit date-driven checkpoints to trigger reviews, payments, and handoffs.

Start Date (Baseline):

Project start date in MM/DD/YYYY; used to calculate schedule slippage.

Schedule Freeze Date:

Date when baseline is locked for change-control comparisons.

Weekly Status Meeting:

Recurring cadence for progress updates and issue escalation.

Monthly Budget Review:

Formal review of expenditures versus approved budget lines.

Closeout and Final Acceptance:

Due within 30 days after last deliverable for formal sign-off.

Common mistakes to avoid when preparing the template

Leaving scope language vague, which creates disputes and leads to scope creep and extra cost.
Failing to include signatory authority or title, causing rejected signatures or vendor pushback.
Not mapping payment milestones to deliverables, which delays vendor payment and strains relationships.
Storing signed records without an audit trail, making it hard to prove decision timing during audits.

Risks and potential consequences of incomplete or incorrect templates

Contract Invalidity: Missing authorized signatures may make obligations unenforceable.

Payment Delays: Unclear milestones delay invoicing and payment processing.

Compliance Breach: Improper handling of regulated data risks penalties.

Data Exposure: Storing PHI without safeguards violates HIPAA policies.

Audit Failure: No retainment or version history impedes regulatory response.

Scope Liability: Undefined deliverables increase dispute and cost exposure.

Security and compliance features to seek when using electronic templates

In-transit encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3

At-rest encryption: AES-256

Third-party audits: SOC 2 Type II

Health-data protection: HIPAA (BAA required)

Regulated records: 21 CFR Part 11 capability

Accessibility: WCAG 2.0 Level AA

eSignature provider comparison for executing Project Management Templates

Compare basic plan features and compliance capabilities for common eSignature vendors. signNow is listed first for column alignment.

	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

Real-world examples of project templates in action

These brief examples show practical ways organizations use templates to accelerate approvals and preserve compliance.

Martin Properties — Field Execution

Martin Properties standardized templates to close rental and vendor agreements remotely.

Mobile and offline signing supported field staff.
"I can process and execute all of these documents online with 100% compliance and built-in security," enabling faster handoffs between onsite crews and office administrators.

Xerox — Systems Integration

Xerox integrated templates with NetSuite for automated routing and record-keeping.

API-based signature capture reduced manual entry.
The integration provided flexibility to get signatures in the right formats and improved internal billing and reconciliation workflows.

Frequently asked questions about using and signing the Project Management Template

Answers to common execution, legality, and retention questions for project templates and electronically signed records.

Need help? Contact support

Can I sign this template electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures are generally valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted. Ensure the record meets intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements (15 U.S.C. §7001 standards).
Are any signatures excluded from e-signing?
Certain documents may be excluded from e-signature treatment, such as wills, some court filings, and certain notices; consult the exceptions list in your jurisdiction and legal counsel before relying on e-signatures.
How should I verify signer identity?
Use multi-factor authentication, SMS codes, or knowledge-based verification for higher assurance levels; preserve audit logs with timestamps and IP addresses to support attribution.
What formats should I store the signed file in?
Store signed records in PDF/A or PDF with embedded audit metadata to ensure long-term reproducibility; preserve the accompanying audit trail for evidentiary use.
How long must I keep project records?
Retention depends on record type: follow IRS minimums (IRC §6501(a)), HIPAA six-year rules (45 CFR §164.530(j)) for health data, and any contractual obligations or state rules.
Can a signed template be changed after execution?
Material changes require a signed amendment or change order. Maintain an auditable chain of edits and ensure all parties sign any modifications to preserve enforceability.

be ready to get more

Join over 28 million airSlate SignNow users

Sign Now