Can a time log be e-signed?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally valid when intent, consent, attribution, and retention are present per 15 U.S.C. ch. 96 (ESIGN) and UETA. Consumer-facing records may require an ESIGN consumer disclosure.

How do I correct an entry?

Make a dated amendment or add a correction line; include reason, approver initials, and retain the original entry. Maintain an audit trail so changes are attributable and reproducible.

How long must I keep logs?

Retention depends on use: payroll records typically 3 years (29 CFR §516.5), tax-related records 3–6 years (IRC §6501(a)), and HIPAA-covered information 6 years (45 CFR §164.530(j)).

Who should sign the log?

The employee (or contractor) and the supervisor or project manager should sign to confirm accuracy and approval. Signatory roles should be documented in policy.

Are notarization or witnesses required?

Generally no for routine time logs. Notarization is uncommon unless time evidence is used in legal filings or affidavits requiring notarized proof.

What authentication is adequate?

Email or SMS verification, single-sign-on, or stronger multi-factor authentication are common. Use stronger methods for high-risk billing or regulated data.

Project Time Log

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

PROJECT TIME LOG

Client Name: Contractor Name:

Project Title: Project Code/ID:

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Client Name: desires to procure certain professional services relating to the project described above; and

WHEREAS, Contractor Name: possesses the expertise to perform such services and will record time worked on the project in the time log set forth below; and

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree that the following timekeeping, billing, and contractual provisions shall govern the work and the attached project time log entries.

SCOPE OF WORK

Describe scope of services to be performed

PROJECT TIME LOG ENTRIES

Enter each work day separately. All time recorded must be actual time spent on the project tasks described in the Scope of Work.

Date

Day

Start Time

End Time

Break Hours

Total Hours

Task / Notes

PAYMENT TERMS

Billing rate (per hour) Billing schedule Invoicing instructions Late payment fee

TERM AND TERMINATION

Contract Start Date: Contract End Date:

Either party may terminate this engagement for convenience upon giving written notice to the other party. Notice period: . Termination for cause shall be effective immediately upon written notice if the defaulting party fails to cure material breach within a commercially reasonable period.

CONFIDENTIALITY

The parties acknowledge that in the performance of this Agreement each may receive confidential and proprietary information of the other. Each party shall hold such information in strict confidence, shall not use it except as necessary to perform the Scope of Work, and shall not disclose it to third parties without prior written consent. This obligation survives termination for a period of three years, unless a longer period is required by applicable law.

GOVERNING LAW

This Agreement and any disputes arising out of or relating to it shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of without regard to conflict of laws principles.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This document, together with any attachments or exhibits expressly incorporated herein, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, representations, and understandings, whether written or oral. Any amendment must be in writing and signed by authorized representatives of both parties.

CERTIFICATION OF TIME ENTRIES

By signing below, the Contractor certifies that all time entries on this Project Time Log are true, correct, and represent actual time expended performing the work described in the Scope of Work. The Client acknowledges review of the submitted entries and reserves the right to request supporting detail for any entry within thirty days of receipt.

Contractor:

By:

Date:

Client:

By:

Date:

What a Project Time Log Records and Why It Matters

A Project Time Log is a structured record of hours worked on specific projects, tasks, or deliverables. It typically captures date, start and end times, total hours, task descriptions, project or cost center codes, billable versus non-billable status, and the name of the person recording the time. Organizations use time logs for client billing, internal cost allocation, payroll compliance, and project performance tracking. When retained and signed correctly, the log supports audits, client disputes, and regulatory requirements involving labor and financial records.

Step-by-step: completing a Project Time Log

Use a consistent workflow so entries are accurate, approved, and stored for audit.

01

Record Daily: Enter time at day end to preserve accuracy.
02

Assign Project: Select correct project code before saving.
03

Calculate Totals: Verify total hours and rounding rules.
04

Approve and Sign: Supervisor reviews and eSigns for validation.

Common questions about Project Time Logs

Answers address signing, corrections, retention, and legal validity for U.S.-based workflows.

Need help? Contact support

Can a time log be e-signed?
Yes. Electronic signatures are legally valid when intent, consent, attribution, and retention are present per 15 U.S.C. ch. 96 (ESIGN) and UETA. Consumer-facing records may require an ESIGN consumer disclosure.
How do I correct an entry?
Make a dated amendment or add a correction line; include reason, approver initials, and retain the original entry. Maintain an audit trail so changes are attributable and reproducible.
How long must I keep logs?
Retention depends on use: payroll records typically 3 years (29 CFR §516.5), tax-related records 3–6 years (IRC §6501(a)), and HIPAA-covered information 6 years (45 CFR §164.530(j)).
Who should sign the log?
The employee (or contractor) and the supervisor or project manager should sign to confirm accuracy and approval. Signatory roles should be documented in policy.
Are notarization or witnesses required?
Generally no for routine time logs. Notarization is uncommon unless time evidence is used in legal filings or affidavits requiring notarized proof.
What authentication is adequate?
Email or SMS verification, single-sign-on, or stronger multi-factor authentication are common. Use stronger methods for high-risk billing or regulated data.

How a clear Project Time Log protects operations

A consistent time log improves billing accuracy, supports labor-law compliance, and reduces disputes over invoicing and payroll.

Teams and roles that rely on Project Time Logs

Standardizing who completes and signs logs reduces errors and shortens approval cycles.

Project managers who track deliverables and approve billed hours for client invoices.
Finance and payroll teams that reconcile hours, process payments, and prepare tax reports.
Contractors and consultants who need verified time records to receive timely payment.

Essential elements of a professional Project Time Log

Include these components to make each entry auditable, billable, and defensible in review or dispute.

Project Identifier

A unique project or cost-center code that ties each entry to a contract or budget line for billing and reporting.

Date and Times

Clear date plus start and end times to establish when work occurred and to calculate accurate hour totals.

Hours Recorded

Total hours or decimal equivalents, following a documented rounding policy for payroll and invoicing consistency.

Task Description

Concise activity description to validate chargeable work against statements of work or client agreements.

Billable Status

Indicate billable vs non-billable and any applicable billing rate or multiplier for client invoicing.

Approval Signature

Employee and supervisor signatures or authenticated eSignatures to confirm accuracy and authorization for payment.

Security and compliance controls for time logs

Encryption in transit: TLS 1.2/1.3

Encryption at rest: AES-256

Audit trail: Timestamped action log

Access controls: Role-based permissions

HIPAA readiness: BAA available

Regulatory standards: SOC 2 Type II

Consequences of incorrect or incomplete time logs

Payroll Errors: Late or incorrect pay

Tax Exposure: Incorrect filings (IRC §6501)

Billing Disputes: Client rejection of invoices

Regulatory Fines: I-9 or FLSA penalties

Audit Findings: Increased remediation costs

Reputational Risk: Client trust erosion

Frequent preparation errors to avoid

Delayed entries that rely on memory and increase inaccuracy risks during payroll reconciliation.
Inconsistent rounding and time formats that create mismatches between timesheets and payroll systems.
Incorrect or missing project codes that shift costs to wrong budgets and delay invoicing.
Unsigned or unapproved entries that block payment and expose the organization in audits.

Typical processing flow for an electronic Project Time Log

A reliable process ensures timely entry, review, signature, and archival of time records.

Create Log: Employee completes fields and saves entry.
Assign Reviewer: Project manager receives notification to review.
Sign and Approve: Supervisor eSigns to authorize billing.
Archive: Store final record for retention and audit.

Configuring an online Project Time Log workflow

Common settings ensure consistency across users and systems.

Field	Configuration
Signature Field	Required \| eSignature enabled
Date Field	MM/DD/YYYY enforced
Authentication	Email or SSO with MFA
Retention Policy	Auto-archive per company policy

Technical requirements and supported platforms

Choose a platform that supports common formats, integrations, and secure signing.

File Formats: PDF | DOCX | XLSX
Integrations: NetSuite | Salesforce | Google Workspace
Authentication: SSO | SMS | Email

Ensure the solution provides audit trails, access controls, and export options for audits and payroll systems.

Typical timelines and submission expectations

Establish clear cutoffs and review cycles to align time logs with payroll and billing schedules.

Daily entry deadline:

Preferably at end of each workday to preserve accuracy.

Weekly payroll cutoff:

Set a fixed day and time for payroll submission each week.

Invoice generation:

Run billing after approvals, typically weekly or monthly.

Audit access window:

Provide final records within 3–10 business days when requested.

Retention reminder:

Automate notifications before record archival or deletion.

Key milestones from entry to archival

A compact milestone view clarifies who must act and when during the time-log lifecycle.

01

Entry Completed

Employee records time and saves the draft.

02

Manager Review

Supervisor validates project and task alignment.

03

Approval Signed

Supervisor eSigns to authorize billing or payroll.

04

Archive and Retain

Final record stored according to retention policy.

Per-user pricing and feature comparison for common eSignature providers

Pricing and core features vary by vendor and plan; signNow appears first to match comparative guidance.

	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

be ready to get more

Join over 28 million airSlate SignNow users

Sign Now