Can a timesheet be signed electronically?

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

Who must sign the timesheet?

Typically the employee and direct supervisor must sign and date. Staffing agencies or client approvers may need to sign when required by contract or billing rules.

How do I correct an approved timesheet?

Document the correction with date, reason, and approver signature. Maintain the original and corrected versions for audit purposes and follow internal change-control procedures.

How long should I keep timesheets?

Retain timesheets at least three years for payroll records (29 CFR §516.5) and follow I-9 rules (8 CFR §274a.2) and any longer state or industry retention requirements.

What if an employee disputes hours worked?

Preserve the timesheet, collect statements or supporting evidence, and follow the employer’s dispute resolution policy; having signed timesheets reduces risk and speeds resolution.

Are witness or notarization steps required?

Not typically for routine timesheets. Notarization is rarely necessary; if a signature needs notarization or remote online notarization, follow state notary rules and retention of the notarial record.

Electronic Signature
Templates
HR
Biweekly Timesheet for Temporary Employees

Biweekly Timesheet for Temporary Employees

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

What the Biweekly Timesheet for Temporary Employees Is

A Biweekly Timesheet for Temporary Employees is a standardized form used to record hours worked across a two-week pay period for contingent staff. It captures daily start/stop times, breaks, total regular and overtime hours, employee and assignment identifiers, and approval signatures. Employers, staffing agencies, and payroll providers use the completed timesheet to calculate wages, verify attendance, and support payroll tax reporting and audit trails. Accurate completion helps ensure compliance with wage-and-hour laws and internal payroll policies.

Why a Proper Biweekly Timesheet Matters

A correct, consistent timesheet reduces payroll errors, supports wage-and-hour compliance, and documents approvals for temporary assignments. It provides evidence for payroll audits, tax reporting, and dispute resolution while enabling predictable payroll processing and accurate cost allocation across projects or clients.

Who Uses This Timesheet and Why

Clear role definitions reduce errors and speed processing by ensuring the right person completes and approves each section of the form.

Temporary employees — record daily hours, breaks, and overtime for payroll.
Staffing agencies — consolidate multiple assignments and bill clients accurately.
Payroll administrators — verify entries, calculate pay, and maintain records for taxes and audits.

Step-by-Step: Completing the Biweekly Timesheet

Follow these steps in order to ensure accurate submission and timely payroll processing for the biweekly pay cycle.

01

Identify pay period: Confirm the start and end dates for the two-week period.
02

Record daily times: Enter start, stop, and unpaid break times for each day.
03

Total hours: Calculate daily totals and sum regular and overtime hours.
04

Review and sign: Employee and supervisor sign and date before submission.

How Timesheet Submission and Payroll Processing Typically Flow

A predictable routing process prevents lost forms and short paychecks. Use consistent submission methods and cutoffs.

Submit: Employee submits signed timesheet to supervisor or portal.
Approve: Supervisor reviews entries and approves or flags corrections.
Transmit: Approved timesheet is sent to payroll for processing.
Pay: Payroll calculates wages, deductions, and issues payment on pay date.

Core Elements a Professional Biweekly Timesheet Should Include

A well-designed timesheet captures identification, daily entries, totals, approvals, and metadata for payroll accuracy and audit readiness.

Employee Details

Full legal name, employer ID or partial SSN, job title, assignment code, and work location to match payroll and client billing records.

Pay Period

Clear start and end dates for the two-week window so time maps to the correct payroll period and tax reporting cycle.

Daily Time Entries

Start/stop times and unpaid breaks for each day, recorded in a consistent HH:MM AM/PM or 24-hour format to avoid interpretation errors.

Hours Breakdown

Line-item totals for regular, overtime, and paid leave, with formulas or calculated fields to prevent manual summation errors.

Approvals

Employee signature, supervisor signature, and dates; include a designated field for corrections and reason codes when adjustments are needed.

Audit Metadata

Fields for submission method, timestamp, approver ID, and version history to support audits and electronic record retention.

Security and Compliance Details to Track

Encryption in Transit: TLS 1.2/1.3

Encryption at Rest: AES-256

Audit Trail: Timestamped logs

HIPAA Support: BAA available

Authentication: Multi-factor options

Standards: SOC 2 and ISO 27001

Penalties and Risks of Incorrect or Missing Timesheets

Wage-and-Hour Violations: Potential back pay and fines

I-9 Record Fines: 8 CFR §274a.2: $281–$2,789 per violation

Payroll Tax Errors: Federal penalties and interest

Backup Withholding: 24% for incorrect TIN

Audit Exposure: Documentation gaps increase risk

Dispute Costs: Time and legal expense

Common Errors to Avoid When Preparing Timesheets

Missing supervisor approval or signature delays payroll and may require manual checks.
Inconsistent time formats or handwritten entries lead to transcription errors and incorrect pay.
Failure to record unpaid breaks or meal periods can cause overtime miscalculations and compliance issues.
Late submissions after payroll cutoff create off-cycle payments and additional processing costs.

Key Deadlines and Typical Processing Expectations

Biweekly payroll schedules require internal cutoffs so payroll can calculate taxes, deductions, and issue payments on time.

Employee Submission Deadline:

Typically 24–48 hours after period end for biweekly runs

Supervisor Approval Deadline:

Often within 24 hours of employee submission to meet payroll cutoffs

Payroll Processing Window:

Processing usually begins 1–3 business days before pay date

Pay Date:

Employer-determined date when employees receive wages

W-2/1099 Reporting Deadlines:

Employer reporting to employees and IRS generally due Jan 31

Milestones in a Typical Biweekly Timesheet Cycle

A short milestone list helps coordinate employees, supervisors, and payroll to keep the biweekly cycle on schedule.

01

Period End

Employees finish entering hours for the two-week cycle.

02

Submission

Employees submit signed timesheets by the internal cutoff.

03

Approval

Supervisors review, correct, and approve entries.

04

Payroll Run

Payroll ingests approved timesheets and finalizes payments.

Typical Digital Workflow Settings for Online Timesheets

Configure these fields when setting up an online timesheet template or automation for consistent routing and calculation.

Field	Configuration
Pay Period Field	Auto-fill start/end from schedule
Hours Calculation	Formula field sums daily totals
Approval Routing	Route to direct supervisor by employee ID
Signature Method	Allow typed or e-signature with audit trail

eSignature Vendor Comparison for Timesheet eSubmission

Common vendor features for e-signing and routing timesheets vary by plan; signNow is listed first for parity in comparison.

	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)	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Frequently Asked Questions About Biweekly Timesheets

Answers to common questions on e-signing, corrections, retention, and dispute handling for temporary employee timesheets.

Need help? Contact support

Can a timesheet be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures meet legal standards under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted, provided intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements are met.
Who must sign the timesheet?
Typically the employee and direct supervisor must sign and date. Staffing agencies or client approvers may need to sign when required by contract or billing rules.
How do I correct an approved timesheet?
Document the correction with date, reason, and approver signature. Maintain the original and corrected versions for audit purposes and follow internal change-control procedures.
How long should I keep timesheets?
Retain timesheets at least three years for payroll records (29 CFR §516.5) and follow I-9 rules (8 CFR §274a.2) and any longer state or industry retention requirements.
What if an employee disputes hours worked?
Preserve the timesheet, collect statements or supporting evidence, and follow the employer’s dispute resolution policy; having signed timesheets reduces risk and speeds resolution.
Are witness or notarization steps required?
Not typically for routine timesheets. Notarization is rarely necessary; if a signature needs notarization or remote online notarization, follow state notary rules and retention of the notarial record.

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