a bit dumb question about "signing off" a document
S Claus
when in a corporation they say that a document needs to be "signed-
off" by someone such as a project head or something like that?
I mean this for documents that are made by people working for the same
company as the person signing the document. So I am not talking about
a situation where an external company is providing a proposal of some
sort.
As an example I am talking about a situation where a developer at Dept
XYZ is asked to put together a proposal for integrating two systems at
the company.
Does this "signing off" actually have some benefit to it in the
company you work for? Is it supposed to mean that the person signing
it agrees with what-ever is stated in it? And in what kind of
situations would you ask to get a document signed-off?
thanks in advance,
Charles Calvert
<sa...@temporaryinbox.com> wrote in
<92b0e4ef-f3c9-4530...@n7g2000prc.googlegroups.com>:
>sorry folks for this question. But I wanted to know, what does it mean
>when in a corporation they say that a document needs to be "signed-
>off" by someone such as a project head or something like that?
Basically, it means that the person has approved the task to be
performed. Depending on the formality of the organization's culture,
the form of the approval may range from a verbal discussion to a
formal statement of work signed by both parties.
>I mean this for documents that are made by people working for the same
>company as the person signing the document. So I am not talking about
>a situation where an external company is providing a proposal of some
>sort.
The fact that they both work for the same company may be relevant to
the form (e.g. a less formal method may be used), but not the fact of
getting it.
>As an example I am talking about a situation where a developer at Dept
>XYZ is asked to put together a proposal for integrating two systems at
>the company.
>
>Does this "signing off" actually have some benefit to it in the
>company you work for?
It provides a couple of benefits:
1. The requestor has to supply whatever arguments or data are required
to convince the person in authority to sign off on it.
2. It provides a record of the decision to proceed.
>Is it supposed to mean that the person signing it agrees with
>what-ever is stated in it?
Yes.
>And in what kind of situations would you ask to get a document
>signed-off?
There are a number, and which ones apply depend on the organization's
culture. Those organizations that are more formal or in which there
is a need to c.y.a. will require more documentation.
1. Payment for goods or services to a vendor will result from the
task.
2. A significant amount of labor will be required from the
organization's staff.
3. Other tasks will be interrupted or preempted in order to accomplish
the task at hand.
--
Charles Calvert
Moderator - alt.computer.consultants.moderated
Submission Address: ac...@celticwolf.net
Contact Address: accm...@celticwolf.net
Jerry Stuckle
A sign-off typically means someone with more authority must agree to
whatever the document says. This might be a department manager, for
instance, or someone in accounting (with budget authority).
A typical example is my wife - she's Director of Communications for a
Fortune 500 company. Any time her department issues a press release, it
must be signed off by all of the vice presidents and the president of
the company. If they have any objections, this is the time for them to
express those objections and then everyone needs to negotiate a
solution. Nothing goes out the door until it has been approved by every
person.
It's the person who's making the request's responsibility to know who
has the authority to approve or disapprove and get the appropriate
sign-offs, if necessary.
--
==================
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstu...@attglobal.net
==================
S Claus
> ==================
Thank you for your informative answers Jerry and Charles.