What does "sign off" mean at work?

"Has the client signed off on the designs?" = Has the client given formal approval? "Sign-off" as a noun means the formal approval: "We need sign-off before we proceed." You will hear this constantly in meetings and status updates. For example: "The budget still needs sign-off from finance," or "Once my manager signs off on the report, I'll send it to you." Notice the small grammar point here: as a verb it is two words, "sign off," but as a noun or adjective it is usually hyphenated, "sign-off." So you sign off on something, but you wait for the sign-off.

"I'll sign off here" at the end of an email or message means "I'll stop writing now." Common in email sign-offs: "Signing off - Alex." You might also see it in longer team messages or newsletters: "That's all from me this week, signing off." This use has a slightly warm, personal tone, so it fits casual work chats better than very formal emails to clients you don't know.

"I'm signing off at 5pm today." = I'm finishing work and leaving. Also used for going on sick leave: "He's signed off sick for two weeks." In British workplaces a doctor can "sign someone off" work, meaning they officially certify that the person should rest. American speakers rarely use "sign off" this way and would more likely say "clocking out," "logging off," or "out sick," so this is a useful difference to remember if you work across both regions.

In project management and business, getting "sign-off" is a formal step. Without it, you can't proceed. "We're waiting on client sign-off" is a very common phrase. Think of it as a gate that blocks the next stage of work until the right person approves. Other natural examples: "Design is done, but we can't launch without legal sign-off," and "Who has sign-off authority on this project?" Because it marks a clear checkpoint, teams often track it in project plans and emails so everyone knows exactly who needs to approve what.

Learners often mix up "sign off" and "sign up." They look similar but mean opposite things. "Sign up" means to register or join, as in "Sign up for the newsletter" or "I signed up for the training course." "Sign off" means to approve or to finish. So "I signed off the project" means you approved it, while "I signed up for the project" means you volunteered to take part. Keep them separate in your mind, because using the wrong one can completely change your meaning in a work email.

Picture a manager putting their signature at the bottom, or "off," the end of a document to approve it. Signing at the foot of the page equals sign-off equals approval. That image also helps with the "ending a message" meaning, because you sign your name at the end when you finish writing.

"Green light" is a useful partner phrase. To "give something the green light" also means to approve it, as in "The client gave us the green light to start." It is slightly more casual than "sign-off," which sounds a bit more formal and official. Both are common in workplaces, so knowing both gives you flexibility depending on the tone you want.

Professional. All three uses are standard in workplaces. The approval meaning works in both formal and casual settings, the email meaning is a little more relaxed, and the "leaving work" meaning is mainly British.