Can the working draft be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures executed with intent and consent are legally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA in most states, provided any statutory exceptions do not apply.

Who has authority to sign the draft?

Only authorized signatories identified by corporate governance or delegated authority should sign. Record title and signing authority to avoid later challenges to enforceability.

Is notarization required for the document?

Most working drafts do not require notarization. Certain instruments (deeds, some powers of attorney) do; check state notary rules or use Remote Online Notarization when allowed.

How do I update the draft after signatures?

If signatures are preliminary, issue a new version with change log and require reapproval. For signed baselines, use formal amendment language and obtain required approvals.

How long must I keep executed drafts?

Follow the retention schedule in this guide: at least the active term plus 3 years; healthcare and tax records require longer statutory retention periods.

What if the wrong person signed?

If a signer lacked authority, the document may be void or voidable. Re-execute with proper authority and keep documentation of the error and corrective steps.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Project Management
Project Management Working Draft

Project Management Working Draft

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

PROJECT MANAGEMENT WORKING DRAFT

Project Identification

Project Title Project ID

Client Name: Client Contact:

Service Provider: Project Manager:

Project Manager Contact

Scope of Work

The Service Provider will perform the following work in accordance with the milestones and deliverables set forth below. Services will be provided in a professional manner consistent with industry standards. Any material change to scope shall follow the change order process specified in this document.

Detailed Scope of Work Out of Scope

Deliverables and Acceptance

Each deliverable will be reviewed and accepted or rejected according to the acceptance criteria below. Acceptance shall not be unreasonably withheld. Rejected deliverables will be revised and resubmitted per the correction schedule.

Deliverable 1 — Description Deliverable 1 — Acceptance Criteria Deliverable 2 — Description Deliverable 2 — Acceptance Criteria Final Deliverable — Description Final Deliverable — Acceptance Criteria

Timeline & Milestones

Estimated timeline and key milestones. Dates are estimates and subject to adjustment through the change order process.

Planned Start Date Planned End Date Milestone 1 — Name

Due Date: Responsible:

Milestone 2 — Name

Due Date: Responsible:

Budget & Payment

Fees, invoicing, and payment schedule. All monetary amounts are exclusive of taxes unless otherwise stated. Invoices are payable within the timeframe indicated below.

Total Contract Value Payment Schedule Invoicing and Payment Terms Change Order Process

Confidentiality

Each party shall treat as Confidential Information all non-public business, technical and financial information disclosed in connection with this project. Confidential Information shall not be disclosed to third parties except to employees, contractors or advisors with a need to know and subject to confidentiality obligations no less protective than those contained herein. Confidential obligations survive termination for a period of three years.

Acknowledgement of Confidentiality: I acknowledge and accept the confidentiality terms.

Warranties, Liability & Indemnification

Service Provider warrants that services will be performed in a professional manner consistent with prevailing industry standards. Except for willful misconduct or gross negligence, neither party shall be liable for indirect, incidental or consequential damages. Each party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the other from third-party claims arising from its breach of this agreement or its negligence.

Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, intellectual property rights created specifically for the Client under this project shall be assigned to the Client upon full payment. Provider retains ownership of pre-existing tools, methodologies and templates; Provider grants Client a non-exclusive license to use such materials solely for Client's internal purposes in connection with the deliverables.

Termination

Either party may terminate for material breach if the breach remains uncured after thirty (30) days' written notice. Upon termination, Provider shall be paid for all work performed to the termination date and deliverables delivered. Termination does not relieve either party of obligations accrued prior to termination.

Governing Law

This Working Draft and any resulting agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of without regard to conflict of law principles.

Acceptance of Working Draft

This document is a working draft intended to record proposed scope, deliverables, schedule and commercial terms. Execution below by authorized representatives indicates approval of the current draft as the basis for a final agreement, subject to any further negotiated modifications documented via change order.

Client

Printed Name:

By:

Date:

Service Provider

Printed Name:

By:

Date:

What the Project Management Working Draft Is

The Project Management Working Draft is a preliminary project document that captures scope, deliverables, schedule, assumptions, resources, and initial risk items before formal approval. It records versioned decisions, review comments, and proposed milestones so stakeholders can evaluate cost, timeframe, and responsibilities. A working draft is not a final contract but may be circulated for approvals, redlines, and signatures; when signed electronically it should meet ESIGN and applicable state UETA/ESRA requirements to ensure enforceability and retention for audit purposes.

Why a Clear Working Draft Matters

A well-structured working draft reduces misunderstandings, shortens review cycles, and creates an auditable record of decisions and acceptance.

Who Typically Prepares and Reviews This Draft

Stakeholders from both delivery and governance sides should prepare, review, and approve the working draft before baseline sign-off.

Project manager and project coordinator: draft, track changes, and manage review cycles across stakeholders.
Project sponsor or executive: reviews scope, funding, and strategic alignment; provides approval authority for baseline changes.
PMO and functional leads: validate resourcing, dependencies, quality criteria, and integration with enterprise schedules.

Use the list below to identify primary assignees and reviewers, then confirm signatory authority and escalation paths before circulation.

Common Signatory Roles and Responsibilities

Project Manager

Responsible for preparing the working draft, coordinating reviews, and maintaining version control. The project manager documents assumptions, assigns owners, and tracks approvals to support implementation readiness.

Project Sponsor

Provides budgetary and governance approval. The sponsor signs to confirm scope and funding; their signature authorizes resources and signals executive buy-in for the baseline.

Core Sections Every Professional Working Draft Should Include

A complete draft groups information into consistent sections so reviewers find what they need quickly and approvals align with expectations.

Project Scope

Define in-scope and out-of-scope work, acceptance criteria, and boundaries. Clear scope limits downstream disputes and supports consistent change control.

Deliverables

List measurable deliverables, quality acceptance tests, and delivery formats. Tie each deliverable to responsible owners and target dates to improve accountability.

Schedule & Milestones

Include key milestones, dependencies, and estimated durations. Identify the critical path and any external approval or procurement dates that could impact the timeline.

Budget & Resources

Show estimated costs, resource assignments, contingency, and any billed items. Distinguish capital versus operational expenditures and how overruns will be handled.

Risk Register

Summarize top project risks, probability, impact, mitigation owners, and trigger events. Link risks to possible schedule or cost adjustments.

Approvals & Signatures

Provide a clear approval section with named approvers, signature lines, and effective-date fields. Specify whether electronic signatures are acceptable and required authentication levels.

Step-by-Step: Creating and Circulating a Working Draft

Follow sequential steps to prepare, review, and record approvals so the draft becomes a defensible baseline.

01

Prepare draft: Assemble scope, schedule, budget, and risk entries.
02

Assign reviewers: Add reviewers and define response timelines.
03

Collect approvals: Obtain signatures and record timestamps.
04

Finalize baseline: Publish versioned baseline and archive prior drafts.

Typical Online Workflow Settings for the Draft

Configure reviewers, authentication, notifications, and retention before sending the draft for signature.

Field	Configuration
Signer Order	Sequential \| Signer 1→Signer 2
Authentication	Email link \| SMS code optional
Auto Reminders	3 days \| Enabled until signed
Retention	PDF export \| Audit trail stored

Technical Considerations for eSubmission and Sharing

Confirm file format, authentication method, and integration needs before issuing the draft.

File Formats: PDF, DOCX, or HTML accepted
Authentication: Email, SMS code, or KBA
Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Google Workspace

Typical Online Signing Flow for the Draft

A standard e-sign flow reduces friction and preserves a time-stamped audit trail for each action on the document.

Upload document: Sender uploads the working draft to the platform.
Place fields: Add signature, date, and approval checkboxes.
Send to signers: Issue emails or secure signing links to recipients.
Capture audit trail: System records IP, timestamp, and actions.

Typical Timeframes and Review Deadlines

Establish clear calendar expectations to avoid scope creep and missed approvals during planning and procurement.

Draft Completion Target:

Complete initial draft within project initiation week.

Stakeholder Review Window:

Allow 5–10 business days for review and comments.

Approval Deadline:

Set a firm approval cutoff before baseline sign-off.

Baseline Publication:

Publish baseline once all required signatures are collected.

Kick-off Meeting:

Schedule within 3 business days after baseline.

Key Project Milestones from Draft to Kick-off

Track milestone progression clearly so stakeholders see dependencies and release gates at a glance.

01

Draft Issued

Document distributed for initial comment and redline.

02

Review Complete

All reviewers have submitted comments or approvals.

03

Signatures Obtained

Named approvers have signed the baseline.

04

Project Kick-off

Team begins work against the approved baseline.

Common Preparation and Approval Pitfalls

Unclear scope language that leaves room for differing interpretations and later disputes.
Missing or inconsistent version control that causes multiple teams to act on outdated instructions.
Insufficient signatory authority recorded in the draft, leading to rejected approvals during audits.
Using informal initials or unchecked fields instead of full signatures when a signed record is required.

Risks and Consequences of an Incorrect Draft

Schedule Delay: Missed milestones

Budget Overrun: Additional costs

Scope Creep: Uncontrolled changes

Invalid Signature: Enforceability risk

Data Breach: Confidentiality loss

Compliance Failure: Regulatory exposure

Recommended Security and Compliance Controls

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

Data at Rest: AES-256 encryption

Audit Trail: Detailed timestamped logs

HIPAA: BAA required for PHI

21 CFR Part 11: Compliant options available

Certifications: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001

How a Working Draft Differs from a Final Project Agreement

Compare characteristics so teams know which document to use at each stage and how signing obligations differ.

Criteria	Working Draft	Final Agreement
Legal Form	informal	contract
Signature Required	optional
Revisions Allowed	high	limited
Record Retention	project file	legal retention

Typical eSignature Pricing and Feature Comparison

Cost and feature differences matter when choosing an eSignature provider for recurring project workflows; signNow is listed first per vendor comparison conventions.

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

Frequently Asked Questions About the Working Draft

Answers to common questions about eSigning, authority, notarization, revisions, and retention for working drafts.

Need help? Contact support

Can the working draft be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures executed with intent and consent are legally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA in most states, provided any statutory exceptions do not apply.
Who has authority to sign the draft?
Only authorized signatories identified by corporate governance or delegated authority should sign. Record title and signing authority to avoid later challenges to enforceability.
Is notarization required for the document?
Most working drafts do not require notarization. Certain instruments (deeds, some powers of attorney) do; check state notary rules or use Remote Online Notarization when allowed.
How do I update the draft after signatures?
If signatures are preliminary, issue a new version with change log and require reapproval. For signed baselines, use formal amendment language and obtain required approvals.
How long must I keep executed drafts?
Follow the retention schedule in this guide: at least the active term plus 3 years; healthcare and tax records require longer statutory retention periods.
What if the wrong person signed?
If a signer lacked authority, the document may be void or voidable. Re-execute with proper authority and keep documentation of the error and corrective steps.

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