How do I generate an electronic signature

TL;DR

Generate an electronic signature by using an eSignature platform like signNow to upload or create a document, add signature fields, set signer authentication, and send for signature. signNow supports web, mobile, and API workflows, provides audit trails and compliance with ESIGN and UETA, and reduces turnaround times while preserving legal validity for most U.S. transactions.

What an electronic signature is

An electronic signature is a digital way to show someone agreed to a document, much like signing with a pen but done on a screen or device. It can be a typed name, a drawn mark, or a cryptographic action tied to a document; platforms like signNow let you place signature fields, secure the signer, and record who signed and when. Using signNow, users can fill and sign forms online, request signatures from others, and store completed files with an audit trail that supports legal proof under U.S. law.

When to use eSignatures

Use signNow when closing remote sales contracts or collecting employee onboarding signatures at scale. Electronic signatures speed approvals, reduce paper handling, and maintain tamper-evident audit trails while complying with ESIGN and UETA for most commercial and HR transactions.

Common challenges to anticipate

• Misconfigured signer authentication can produce weak evidence and increase repudiation risk; ensure two-factor options when identity matters.
• Failing to collect complete form data leads to invalid or incomplete transactions; use required fields and validation rules.
• Poor storage practices may expose sensitive records; apply encrypted storage and role-based access controls.
• Inconsistent workflow ordering can delay approvals; design sequential signing when sign order matters and test workflows.

Who typically uses electronic signatures

Organizations across sectors—real estate, healthcare, finance, and education—use eSignatures to speed approvals and reduce paper handling.

• Real Estate: lease signing, tenant applications on mobile or web.
• Healthcare: patient intake and consent forms with HIPAA controls.
• Finance: account opening, loan documents, and tax forms online.

Representative user profiles

Sales Manager

A sales manager prepares proposals and contracts, uploads them to signNow, assigns signature roles, and monitors completions to shorten sales cycles. They rely on templates and reminders to keep deals moving and use integrations to update CRM records automatically after signing.

HR Director

An HR director uses signNow to collect onboarding documentation, tax forms, and NDAs. They configure required fields, enable authentication for sensitive forms, and store completed documents in encrypted cloud storage to meet retention and privacy policies.

Security and compliance essentials

Encryption in transit: TLS 1.2/1.3

Encryption at rest: AES-256 encryption

Audit and controls: Tamper-evident audit

Regulatory standards: SOC 2 Type II

Health data: HIPAA (BAA required)

International: GDPR compliant

Real-world examples

Two customer stories show common, practical uses of electronic signatures and how signNow supported those workflows.

Optica Ventures (COO)

Optica Ventures needed a simple signing process for customers and agents

• signNow provided an intuitive interface and mobile-friendly signing
• Customers completed agreements faster with fewer questions

Resulting in faster turnaround and higher customer satisfaction for remote transactions.

Xerox (NetSuite Director)

Xerox required integrated signature capability inside NetSuite to automate order approvals

• signNow’s API and NetSuite integration allowed automated document generation and send-for-signature workflows
• This ensured signatures landed in the right ERP records and reduced manual entry

Leading to streamlined operations and fewer billing delays across workflows.

Step-by-step eSignature process

Follow these clear steps in signNow to create, send, and complete an electronic signature transaction from start to finish.

• 01
  Upload Document: Open signNow, click Upload, and choose a PDF or Word document from your computer or cloud storage.
• 02
  Add Fields: Enter the document editor, drag signature, initial, and text fields where each signer must act.
• 03
  Set Signers: Assign signer names and email addresses, and set signing order or make signatures parallel as needed.
• 04
  Send for Signature: Click Send, optionally add message and reminders, and monitor status from the dashboard until completion.

Sending and signing methods

signNow supports multiple sending and signing approaches; choose the method that matches your workflow and signer preferences.

• Email Send: Send a signing link via email to specified recipients using the signNow send flow.
• Bulk Send: Use bulk send to deliver the same document to many recipients with individualized tracking and results.
• Mobile Signing: Signers open the document on iOS or Android app and tap fields to eSign on their device.
• Embedded Signing: Embed signing in your website or app using signNow API to keep users in your interface.

Core signNow capabilities

Key features help organizations generate, collect, and manage electronic signatures while maintaining security and workflow control across teams and devices.

Templates

Create reusable templates for contracts and forms to accelerate repeat transactions and reduce manual field placement across similar documents.

Audit Trail

Automatic, tamper-evident audit logs record signer identity, timestamps, IP address, and document history for legal evidentiary support.

Bulk Send

Send a single document to many recipients at once with individualized tracking; bulk send is included on Business Premium plans.

Mobile Apps

Full signing and document management support on iOS and Android apps so users can collect signatures in the field or offline.

Advanced capabilities and integrations

Additional features and integrations extend signNow’s functionality for enterprise automation, security, and system-to-system workflows.

API Access

Full REST API for embedding, document generation, and automated send-for-signature flows in internal apps.

Advanced Auth

Two-factor and knowledge-based authentication options to strengthen signer identity verification when required.

Conditional Fields

Show or hide fields based on prior answers to create dynamic, smarter forms with fewer errors.

Payments

Collect payments inside signature workflows on Enterprise plans to combine contract execution with payment capture.

SSO & Directory

Single sign-on and directory integrations for centralized user management in enterprise accounts.

Cloud Integrations

Prebuilt connectors for Salesforce, NetSuite, Google Workspace, Box, and other systems to sync documents and data.

Typical workflow settings

Configure these settings in signNow to match your business process and ensure consistent, auditable signature flows.

Setting Name	Configuration
Signing Order	Sequential or parallel
Reminder Frequency	48 hours
Authentication Method	Email, 2FA, KBA
Document Retention	Custom retention policy
API Key Rotation	Rotate quarterly

Pricing and plan comparison (data as of May 2026)

High-level pricing and feature availability across common eSignature vendors. Values reflect typical plan entry points and core capabilities as of May 2026.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$8/user/mo	$13/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial, no card	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan
Bulk Send	Included on Premium plans	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Yes, paid plans	Varies by plan
Audit Trail	Yes, full audit trail	Yes, full audit trail	Yes, full audit trail	Yes, audit logs	Yes, audit logs
HIPAA Compliant	Yes, BAA required	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan
Envelope Cap	No envelope cap	100 envelopes/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

Feature comparison snapshot

A quick availability and capability snapshot comparing signNow with two widely used alternatives for common decision criteria.

Feature Availability and Technical Detail Summary	signNow (Recommended)	DocuSign	Adobe Sign
Starting monthly price per user	$8/user/mo	$8/user/mo	$13/user/mo
Bulk send availability on plans	yes, premium plan	yes, select plans	varies by plan
Audit trail presence and details	yes, full trail	yes, full trail	yes, full trail
Envelope cap limits per user per year	no cap	100 per year	varies by plan

FAQs About generating electronic signatures

Common questions and troubleshooting steps for generating eSignatures with signNow, addressing setup, authentication, and completed document handling.

• How do I set signer authentication?
  In the document editor, assign a signer, open Authentication settings, and choose email, two-factor, or knowledge-based verification. Two-factor adds an SMS or authenticator step that strengthens identity assertions for high-risk documents and is configurable per envelope.
• Why won't my signer receive the link?
  Check the recipient email for typos, spam filters, and domain blocks. Confirm send status in signNow activity logs and resend from the envelope detail if necessary; also verify webhook or SMTP settings if sending via API.
• Can I sign offline on mobile?
  Yes; signNow mobile apps support offline signing. Download the document to the device while online, collect signatures offline, and allow the app to sync completed documents back to the cloud when connectivity returns.
• How do I access the audit trail?
  Open the completed document in signNow, select Document History or Audit Trail, and review signer events, timestamps, IP addresses, and actions for legal evidentiary records and dispute resolution.
• What if I need HIPAA compliance?
  signNow supports HIPAA workflows with a signed BAA and appropriate plan features. Contact your account admin to enable HIPAA controls and ensure PHI handling follows internal policies.
• How do I integrate with CRM or ERP?
  Use prebuilt connectors for Salesforce or NetSuite, or use signNow API to automate document creation, send-for-signature, and status callbacks to update CRM/ERP records programmatically.

Best practices for reliable eSignatures

Follow these practical guidelines to improve acceptance, legal defensibility, and operational efficiency when generating electronic signatures.

Design clear, complete forms

Use required fields, validation rules, and clear labeling so signers cannot submit incomplete or ambiguous information that could invalidate the intent to sign.

Choose proper signer authentication

Match authentication strength to transaction risk: email-only for low-risk items, two-factor or ID verification for regulated or high-value documents.

Maintain audit and retention policies

Keep tamper-evident audit logs with retention periods aligned to legal and company document retention policies to support disputes and regulatory requests.

Use templates and automation

Standardize recurring forms with templates, conditional fields, and bulk send to reduce errors, speed turnaround, and improve consistency across teams.

Device and platform requirements

signNow works from modern web browsers, native mobile apps, and via APIs to support diverse signing environments.

• Web Browser: Chrome, Edge, Safari
• iOS App: iOS 14+ supported
• Android App: Android 8+ supported

For embedded or automated workflows use the signNow REST API; ensure TLS 1.2+ support on client systems and verify mobile app updates to maintain security and compatibility.

Managing audit trails and records

Maintain clear audit and retention processes in signNow to preserve evidentiary value and support compliance and internal governance.

01

Enable Audit:

Turn on automatic audit logging per account or document.

02

Review Logs:

Check signer events and timestamps regularly for discrepancies.

03

Export Records:

Export audit logs for legal review or archival purposes.

04

Retention Rules:

Apply document retention policies by folder or tag.

05

Associate Evidence:

Attach audit exports to signed PDFs for recordkeeping.

06

Verify Certificates:

Confirm signature certificates and metadata when required.