Can a time sheet be e-signed?

Yes. Electronic signatures satisfy federal ESIGN (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted if the signature shows intent, consent, attribution, and retention. Ensure consumer disclosures when required.

What if a name or TIN is wrong?

Correct the sheet before payroll runs. Incorrect TINs can trigger IRS backup withholding at 24% and late-filing penalties; maintain corrected records for audit trails.

Do I need a notary for time sheets?

Typically no. Time tracking sheets generally do not require notarization. Use notarization only if a specific contract or local rule requires it.

How long should I keep signed sheets?

Keep for at least 3 years to meet IRS and FLSA standards; extend retention to 6 years if HIPAA applies or follow longer state-specific mandates.

Can I change entries after approval?

Post-approval edits should be avoided; if required, create an amendment or supervisor-signed correction that preserves the original and documents the change.

Which authentication level is acceptable?

Email-based links are common; stronger authentication (SMS code, knowledge-based verification, or multi-factor) is recommended for higher-risk workflows and to strengthen evidentiary value.

Time Tracking Sheet

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TIME TRACKING SHEET

Administrative Information

Employer / Company: Department:

Employee Name: Employee ID:

Position / Title:

Pay Period: From to Submission Due By:

Daily Time Entries

Record each work segment for the pay period. Enter start and end times in 24-hour or 12-hour format consistently. Round to the nearest 15 minutes if required by employer policy.

Date	Project / Task Code	Start Time	End Time	Break (hrs)	Total Hours	Billable

Additional Entries / Notes

Totals and Payment

Total Regular Hours Total Overtime Hours Hourly Rate Total Amount Due

Administrative Terms and Certification

Accuracy Certification: By signing below, Employee certifies that the hours recorded on this Time Tracking Sheet are complete, accurate, and were worked by Employee. Intentional falsification of hours is grounds for disciplinary action up to and including termination and may subject the Employee to civil or criminal liability.

Corrections and Adjustments: Any requested adjustment to recorded time must be submitted in writing and approved by the Supervisor. Employer reserves the right to audit time records, require documentation of work performed, and to correct arithmetic errors or other clerical mistakes.

Submission and Late Payment: Timesheets must be submitted by the Submission Due By date indicated above. Late submission may delay payment for the applicable pay period. Repeated late submissions may result in administrative action.

Confidentiality: Time entries and associated project codes are confidential business records. Recipient shall treat these records as confidential and shall not disclose such information except as required by law or with written consent.

Governing Law and Entire Agreement: This Time Tracking Sheet and any approvals hereunder shall be governed by the laws of the governing jurisdiction identified in Employer policies. This document constitutes the complete record of hours for the pay period and, together with Employer policies, represents the entire understanding regarding time reporting for the indicated period.

Employee:

By:

Date:

Supervisor / Approver:

By:

Date:

What a Time Tracking Sheet Is and when to use it

A Time Tracking Sheet is a structured record used to document hours worked, project codes, break times, and billable versus non-billable activity for an employee, contractor, or project team. It can be a printed form, spreadsheet, or a fillable digital file (PDF, DOCX, or online form) that supports detailed daily or weekly entries, supervisor approvals, and export for payroll or invoicing. Electronic variants often include fields for dates, start/stop times, total hours, project or client codes, notes, and a signature block; eSignature platforms such as signNow are commonly used to capture a verifiable signature and an audit trail when an electronic signature is required.

Why maintaining an accurate Time Tracking Sheet matters

Accurate time records support compliant payroll processing, proper client billing, project costing, and audit readiness. They reduce disputes, enable labor-law compliance, and provide data for resource planning and cost allocation.

Who prepares, approves, and relies on this sheet

The Time Tracking Sheet is completed by workers, supervisors, payroll staff, and project managers depending on the workflow.

Employees and contractors — enter daily hours, breaks, project codes, and notes for supervisor review.
Supervisors and project managers — verify entries, apply cost codes, and approve hours for payroll.
Payroll and accounting teams — compile approved sheets into payroll runs, tax reporting, and client invoices.

Different stakeholders use the sheet for payroll, client invoicing, labor compliance, and performance analytics; permissions and approval steps should reflect internal controls.

Step-by-step: complete and approve a Time Tracking Sheet

Follow these sequential steps to collect entries, validate accuracy, and finalize hours for payroll or billing.

01

Record daily: Enter hours and task codes at the end of each workday to minimize recall errors.
02

Review weekly: Supervisor checks totals and task allocations before payroll cutoff.
03

Approve: Supervisor signs or eSigns to certify hours are accurate.
04

Submit to payroll: Send approved sheets to payroll by your organization’s established deadline.

How to configure an online Time Tracking workflow

Typical online setups automate collection, routing, and export for payroll or billing systems; configure fields and approvals to match your internal controls.

Field	Configuration
Date and time fields	Require MM/DD/YYYY and consistent time format; set validation rules.
Project code dropdown	Use a controlled list to prevent free-text mismatches.
Supervisor approval	Add required signature field and conditional routing on approval.
Export mapping	Map fields to payroll/invoicing CSV or direct integration fields.

Where to send completed Time Tracking Sheets

Routes depend on your process: direct to payroll, to a manager for approval, or into a project billing queue; choose the destination to match business needs.

Payroll upload: Approved sheets export to payroll in CSV or integrated API format.
Project billing: Send approved billable hours to accounting for client invoicing.
HR records: Store non-billable time and leave records in HRIS for accruals.
Audit archive: Retain signed copies and audit trails for compliance and audits.

Sharing and digital signing considerations

Choose delivery and signing methods that meet your authentication and recordkeeping requirements.

File formats: PDF, DOCX, or Excel accepted
Integrations: Connectors to payroll or CRM available
Authentication: Email, SMS, or stronger methods

Use platforms that provide an audit trail, tamper-evident signed documents, and retention controls; ensure any eSignature tool complies with applicable legal and industry rules.

Common deadlines tied to time collection and reporting

Timely submission of sheets matters for payroll runs, tax reporting, and client invoicing; align internal cutoffs with external filing dates.

Payroll cutoff:

Submit approved sheets before payroll processing date each pay period.

Weekly/biweekly submission:

Many employers require timesheets within 7 days of week end.

W-2 distribution:

Employers must provide W-2 to employees by January 31.

1099-NEC reporting:

1099-NEC to recipients and IRS due January 31.

Retention for audits:

Keep signed timesheets per retention schedule for inspections.

Typical processing milestones for a pay cycle

This milestone sequence shows a common flow from entry to archived record for a single pay period.

01

Collect entries

Employees submit daily or weekly time entries for the pay period.

02

Manager review

Supervisors verify and correct entries before approval.

03

Payroll processing

Approved sheets are imported and payroll is calculated.

04

Archive and retain

Signed records and audit trails are stored for required retention.

Common mistakes to avoid when preparing time records

Late submissions that miss payroll cutoffs and delay pay or billing reconciliation.
Inconsistent time formats causing automated calculation errors or manual rework.
Incorrect project codes leading to misallocated client invoices and cost reports.
Unsigned or unapproved entries that fail internal controls and audit requirements.

Penalties and risks from incorrect time records

Payroll penalties: Wage payment errors lead to state penalties and interest

Tax form fines: $60–$330 per form (IRC §6721)

I-9 violations: $281–$2,789 per violation (DHS adjusted)

Overtime disputes: Unprotected records can produce back-pay and penalties

Client disputes: Incorrect billable hours cause invoice reversals and reputational risk

Backup withholding: 24% withholding triggered by missing/incorrect TIN

Required security and data elements on the sheet

Audit trail: Timestamp, IP address, signer identity

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit; AES-256 at rest

Access controls: Role-based access and least-privilege rules

HIPAA safeguards: BAA required if sheet contains PHI

File formats: Use PDF/A, DOCX or CSV for archival

Retention flags: Automated retention policies and disposition controls

Comparing eSignature vendor pricing and key features for time-sheet signing

Vendor choice affects per-user cost, bulk-send capability, audit trails, and HIPAA support; signNow is listed first for comparison purposes.

	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 credit card)	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor
Bulk Send	Yes (Business Premium)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Varies by plan
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes (BAA available)	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No envelope cap	100 envelopes/user/year limit	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

Frequently asked questions about Time Tracking Sheets

Answers to common operational, legal, and technical questions about creating, signing, and storing time records.

Need help? Contact support

Can a time sheet be e-signed?
Yes. Electronic signatures satisfy federal ESIGN (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted if the signature shows intent, consent, attribution, and retention. Ensure consumer disclosures when required.
What if a name or TIN is wrong?
Correct the sheet before payroll runs. Incorrect TINs can trigger IRS backup withholding at 24% and late-filing penalties; maintain corrected records for audit trails.
Do I need a notary for time sheets?
Typically no. Time tracking sheets generally do not require notarization. Use notarization only if a specific contract or local rule requires it.
How long should I keep signed sheets?
Keep for at least 3 years to meet IRS and FLSA standards; extend retention to 6 years if HIPAA applies or follow longer state-specific mandates.
Can I change entries after approval?
Post-approval edits should be avoided; if required, create an amendment or supervisor-signed correction that preserves the original and documents the change.
Which authentication level is acceptable?
Email-based links are common; stronger authentication (SMS code, knowledge-based verification, or multi-factor) is recommended for higher-risk workflows and to strengthen evidentiary value.

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