# Lesson 5: Internal Signoff Documents

**Formalizing alignment for internal company projects**

**Time:** 10 minutes

---

## When You Need Internal Signoff

**Internal signoff is for:**
- **Manager/Employee**: Seeking approval for an internal project
- **Internal Stakeholders**: Getting buy-in from departments, executives, or teams
- **Company Projects**: Building something within your organization

**These documents:**
- Formalize internal agreements
- Document approval and commitment
- Set expectations for internal teams
- May follow company-specific formats

---

## Internal Signoff vs. External Contracts

**Key Differences:**

| Aspect | External Contracts | Internal Signoff |
|--------|-------------------|-----------------|
| **Parties** | Separate entities (consultant/client) | Same organization (internal) |
| **Legal Framework** | Governing law, jurisdiction required | Usually not needed |
| **Payment Terms** | External payment, invoices | Internal budget allocation |
| **IP Ownership** | Transfer of ownership | Usually stays within company |
| **Format** | Standard contract format | May follow company format |
| **Approval** | Signatures from both parties | Internal approval workflow |

---

## Internal Signoff Document Structure

**Internal signoff focuses on approval, ownership, and outcomes rather than detailed scope:**

### 1. Project Overview
- The Realization
- Recommended Solution
- Why It Matters

### 2. Goals and Success Metrics
- **What are we trying to accomplish?**
- **How will we measure success?**
- **What does success look like?**
- **Key performance indicators (KPIs)**
- **Success criteria**

**Focus**: Clear outcomes and measurable results, not detailed deliverables.

### 3. Budget and Resources
- **Budget allocation**: Total budget estimate
- **Budget breakdown**: How budget will be allocated (if applicable)
- **Resources needed**: Team, tools, external services (high-level)
- **Not-to-Exceed**: Budget cap (if applicable)

**Focus**: Budget estimates and resource allocation, not hourly rates or time tracking.

### 4. Ownership and Responsibility
- **Project Owner**: Who owns this project?
- **Process Owner**: Who is responsible for execution?
- **Key Stakeholders**: Who is involved/affected?
- **Decision-Making Authority**: Who makes key decisions?

**Focus**: Clear ownership and accountability, not detailed work breakdown.

### 5. Approval and Sign-Off
- **Who needs to approve**: List of approvers
- **Approval stages**: Multi-stage approval process (if applicable)
- **Sign-off process**: How approval is documented
- **Timeline for approval**: When approval is needed

**Focus**: Clear approval workflow and sign-off process.

### 6. Timeline and Milestones
- **Key milestones**: Major project milestones
- **Delivery dates**: When outcomes are expected
- **Critical deadlines**: Important dates

**Focus**: High-level timeline, not detailed task schedules.

### 7. Optional Sections
- **Confidentiality**: If sensitive information involved
- **Risks and Considerations**: Potential challenges or risks
- **The Path Forward**: High-level approach (brief overview)

---

## Company Signoff Format (Optional)

**If your company has a standard signoff format:**

### Upload Your Format
- Upload or paste your company's signoff document template
- Saga will adapt it to match your format
- Preserve company-specific sections and language
- Incorporate alignment document content

### Benefits
- Follows internal processes
- Matches company expectations
- Easier approval workflow
- Familiar format for stakeholders

**This ensures** the signoff follows your internal processes and approval workflows.

---

## Approval Workflow

**Internal signoff typically involves:**

1. **Initial Review**: Share with immediate stakeholders
2. **Department Approval**: Get buy-in from affected departments
3. **Budget Approval**: Secure budget allocation
4. **Executive Sign-off**: Final approval from decision-makers
5. **Documentation**: File signed document for records

**Saga will help you:**
- Identify who needs to approve
- Structure the approval workflow
- Create appropriate sign-off sections

---

## Best Practices

**For Internal Signoff:**

### Focus on Outcomes
- Emphasize goals and success metrics
- Show what value will be created
- Define clear success criteria
- Avoid getting lost in detailed scope

### Clear Ownership
- Identify project owner clearly
- Define who owns the process
- Clarify decision-making authority
- Set accountability expectations

### Budget Clarity
- Provide realistic budget estimates
- Show how budget will be allocated
- Include not-to-exceed cap if needed
- Focus on budget, not hours or rates

### Approval Workflow
- Identify all approvers early
- Understand approval stages
- Follow company sign-off process
- Get buy-in before formal sign-off

### Follow Company Process
- Use company format if available
- Follow internal approval workflows
- Match company documentation standards
- Document everything properly

---

## After Signoff Document

**Once signoff document is approved:**
- ✅ Internal alignment achieved
- ✅ Budget/resources committed
- ✅ Stakeholders on board
- ✅ Ready to proceed to Project Brief

**Next:** [Module 04: Create Project Brief](../module-04-project-brief/tutorial-04.md)

---

## Key Takeaway

**Internal signoff documents formalize** internal agreements and secure commitment from stakeholders within your organization. They may follow company-specific formats and focus on approval workflows rather than legal protections.

---

**Next:** [Tutorial: Alignment & Signoff →](tutorial-03.md)

[← Back to Module Overview](module-03-overview.md) | [Previous: Lesson 4: External Contracts →](lesson-04-external-contracts.md)

