Can I use electronic signatures on hour logs?

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

What format should times be recorded in?

Use a consistent format such as MM/DD/YYYY for dates and HH:MM AM/PM or 24-hour time for timestamps. Consistent formatting prevents import errors and misinterpretation across payroll systems.

How long must I keep hour logs?

Keep payroll and time records at least three years to meet FLSA requirements (29 CFR §516.5). Certain industries or states may require longer retention periods.

Are manager corrections allowed after submission?

Corrections should be recorded with a reason, approver name, and timestamp. Maintain an auditable change log to preserve defensibility during audits or disputes.

When is notarization or RON required?

Notarization is rarely required for routine hour logs; however, specific agreements or certified payroll submissions may ask for notarization or RON—check contract terms or state rules.

What if hours are disputed by an employee?

Preserve original entries and any change logs, review supporting evidence (time stamps, geo-data, approvals), and correct payroll promptly if an error is confirmed to limit exposure.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Time Tracking Hour Log

Time Tracking Hour Log

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

TIME TRACKING HOUR LOG AND SERVICE AGREEMENT

Parties

This Agreement is entered into between Company Name: and Contractor Name: .

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Company engages Contractor to perform professional services as described herein and desires contemporaneous records of hours worked for purposes of invoicing, payroll, and audit; and

WHEREAS, Contractor agrees to maintain accurate, detailed time records using this Time Tracking Hour Log and to submit such records in accordance with the Payment Terms set forth below; and

WHEREAS, the parties intend for these time records to form the basis for invoicing and payment and to be admissible evidence of hours worked in any dispute between the parties.

SCOPE OF WORK

Describe services to be performed

TIME TRACKING INSTRUCTIONS

Contractor shall record start and end times for each work segment, account for unpaid breaks, and indicate whether time is billable. Time entries must be recorded in increments of 0.25 hours. Contractor warrants that records submitted are true and accurate.

TIME LOG (ENTER EACH WORKDAY)

Date

Project / Task

Start Time

End Time

Break (hrs)

Total (hrs)

Billable

Additional notes relating to time entries

Weekly total hours (sum of all total entries)

Total billable hours

PAYMENT TERMS

Contractor shall be compensated as follows: Hourly rate: per hour. Invoices submitted by Contractor shall be accompanied by a completed Time Tracking Hour Log for the invoiced period.

Payment schedule: . Late payment shall incur interest at per month on the outstanding balance, compounded monthly.

TERM AND TERMINATION

Term Commencement Date: . Term End Date (if applicable): .

Either party may terminate this Agreement for convenience upon days' prior written notice. Termination for cause may be immediate if the non‑breaching party provides written notice specifying a material breach and the breaching party fails to cure within seven (7) days.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Contractor acknowledges that during performance of services Contractor may receive Confidential Information. Contractor shall: (a) hold Confidential Information in strict confidence; (b) use Confidential Information solely for performance of services under this Agreement; and (c) not disclose Confidential Information to third parties without Company's prior written consent. Confidential Information does not include information that is publicly known through no fault of Contractor or independently developed by Contractor without use of Confidential Information. Upon termination, Contractor shall promptly return or destroy Confidential Information as directed by Company.

GOVERNING LAW

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of without regard to principles of conflict of laws.

RECORD CERTIFICATION

By submitting this Time Tracking Hour Log, Contractor certifies under penalty of perjury that the hours recorded are true, accurate, and performed in the timeframe indicated. Falsification of time records constitutes a material breach of this Agreement and may result in withholding of payment and other remedies permitted by law.

Name of person completing this log Preparer role / title Preparer contact information

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This Agreement, together with any written exhibits and the Time Tracking Hour Log attached or submitted hereunder, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, understandings, negotiations and discussions, whether oral or written. No amendment shall be effective unless in writing and signed by both parties.

Company:

By:

Date:

Contractor:

By:

Date:

What the Time Tracking Hour Log Is and when it’s used

A Time Tracking Hour Log is a standardized record used to capture hours worked, break periods, overtime, and job or project codes for payroll and compliance purposes. Employers and contractors use the log to document start and stop times, meal and rest breaks, and any adjusted or paid leave. Accurate logs support wage-and-hour compliance under the Fair Labor Standards Act, inform payroll processing, and supply audit-ready evidence for internal reviews, payroll audits, or government inspections. Consistent use reduces payroll errors and supports benefits and billing reconciliation across pay cycles.

Why a clear Time Tracking Hour Log matters

A precise hour log reduces wage disputes, ensures correct overtime calculation, and creates a consistent record for tax, audit, and payroll reconciliation. It supports regulatory compliance and simplifies payroll review.

Who completes and relies on the Time Tracking Hour Log

Employers, payroll teams, hourly employees, contractors, and project managers commonly prepare or review hour logs to support pay and billing accuracy.

Hourly employees tracking daily start/stop times, breaks, and job codes for payroll.
Payroll and HR staff reconciling time submissions before processing wages.
Project managers or billing admins allocating labor to client projects or cost centers.

Clear ownership—who completes, who approves, and who retains the record—reduces disputes and speeds payroll cycles.

Core elements of a professional Time Tracking Hour Log

A well-structured log combines identifiable fields, consistent time formats, and approval controls so records are accurate, auditable, and payroll-ready.

Employee and Job Info

Include employee name, ID, department, and project or job code so hours map to payroll and client billing accurately and reduce allocation errors during reconciliation.

Date and Shift Details

Record date, scheduled shift start and end, and actual clock-in/clock-out times in MM/DD/YYYY and 24-hour or AM/PM formats to avoid misinterpretation across payroll systems.

Break and Meal Tracking

Log meal and rest break start and end times and indicate paid or unpaid status to support state-specific meal break rules and overtime calculations.

Overtime and Premiums

Show regular vs overtime hours, pay rate multipliers, and reason codes for premium pay such as holiday or shift differential for correct wage computation.

Approvals and Signatures

Provide signature fields or e-sign evidence for the employee and approving manager with date/time stamps to substantiate review and authorization.

Change Log or Notes

Include a section for edits, corrections, and manager explanations so retroactive adjustments are transparent and maintain an audit trail.

Step-by-step: filling out a single day entry

Follow these steps in sequence for each workday to ensure entries are complete and ready for payroll import.

01

Step 1: Enter employee name and ID.
02

Step 2: Record clock-in and clock-out times.
03

Step 3: Log break start and end times.
04

Step 4: Employee and manager sign or e-sign the entry.

Configuring an online Time Tracking Hour Log workflow

Set fields, validation rules, and approval routing before collecting entries so data imports cleanly into payroll systems.

Field	Configuration
Date Format	MM/DD/YYYY required
Time Format	HH:MM AM/PM or 24-hour
Mandatory Fields	Name, ID, clock-in/out, approver
Approval Route	Employee → Supervisor → Payroll

Digital options for collecting and approving hour logs

Decide whether to accept paper, scanned, or fully digital submissions and which authentication level you require for approvals.

Mobile Access: Allow clocking from smartphones with time capture and GPS optional.
Audit Trail: Capture timestamp, IP, and signer identity for each approval.
Integrations: Connect to payroll or HRIS for automated import.

Standardize the chosen platform across the employer to ensure consistent data exports and reduce reconciliation effort during payroll processing.

Typical routing for a Time Tracking Hour Log

A typical electronic workflow routes entries from employee submission to managerial approval and then to payroll for processing.

Submit: Employee completes and submits the daily or weekly log.
Approve: Supervisor reviews and approves or requests corrections.
Export: Payroll exports approved entries in CSV or fixed layout.
Process: Payroll imports hours and runs wage calculations.

Key timelines for collecting and reconciling hour logs

Timely submission and approval are essential to meet payroll cutoffs and preserve compliance with wage-and-hour statutes.

Employee Submission Deadline:

Submit by the end of the workday or prior to payroll cutoff.

Manager Approval Window:

Approve within 48–72 hours to avoid payroll delays.

Payroll Import Cutoff:

Follow your payroll vendor cutoff—commonly 24–72 hours before payday.

Payroll Correction Period:

Address errors within the next pay period to minimize tax reporting issues.

Recordkeeping Minimum:

Retain records at least three years per FLSA (29 CFR §516.5).

Common mistakes when preparing a Time Tracking Hour Log

Inconsistent time formats lead to import failures and payroll corrections that delay wages.
Missing manager approvals create gaps in the audit trail and increase dispute risk.
Failing to record unpaid meal breaks can trigger state-level wage claims and penalties.
Altering entries without a documented change log undermines defensibility during audits.

Penalties and compliance risks tied to inaccurate logs

FLSA Recordkeeping: Violations risk enforcement under 29 CFR §516.5.

Wage Payment Errors: Late or incorrect pay can trigger state wage claim penalties.

I-9 and Eligibility: Incomplete onboarding forms may generate DHS fines.

Tax Withholding: Incorrect records can lead to payroll tax adjustments.

Intentional Misreporting: Deliberate falsification exposes employer and employee liability.

Backup Withholding: Missing TINs may trigger 24% backup withholding under IRS rules.

eSignature vendor comparison for Time Tracking Hour Log workflows

Select a provider that meets your security, compliance, and volume needs; this table summarizes core pricing and capability items with signNow listed first.

	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	No	No	No	No
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

Frequently asked questions about Time Tracking Hour Logs

Answers to typical questions about electronic logs, signatures, recordkeeping, and common issues encountered during payroll processing.

Need help? Contact support

Can I use electronic signatures on hour logs?
Yes. Electronic signatures are generally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted, provided intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are met.
What format should times be recorded in?
Use a consistent format such as MM/DD/YYYY for dates and HH:MM AM/PM or 24-hour time for timestamps. Consistent formatting prevents import errors and misinterpretation across payroll systems.
How long must I keep hour logs?
Keep payroll and time records at least three years to meet FLSA requirements (29 CFR §516.5). Certain industries or states may require longer retention periods.
Are manager corrections allowed after submission?
Corrections should be recorded with a reason, approver name, and timestamp. Maintain an auditable change log to preserve defensibility during audits or disputes.
When is notarization or RON required?
Notarization is rarely required for routine hour logs; however, specific agreements or certified payroll submissions may ask for notarization or RON—check contract terms or state rules.
What if hours are disputed by an employee?
Preserve original entries and any change logs, review supporting evidence (time stamps, geo-data, approvals), and correct payroll promptly if an error is confirmed to limit exposure.

be ready to get more

Join over 28 million airSlate SignNow users

Sign Now