How do I make my electronic signature (using signNow)

TL;DR

Create, sign, and manage legally binding electronic signatures with signNow by uploading a document, placing signature fields, authenticating signers, and sending the file for eSignature. signNow supports web, mobile, and API workflows, offers strong compliance and encryption, and is cost-competitive for teams of any size.

What an electronic signature is

An electronic signature is a digital way to show you agree to a document, like signing a paper with a pen but online. Think of it as clicking or drawing your name on a form using a computer or phone; the platform records who signed and when. signNow provides eSign and eSignature tools to place signature fields, collect signatures, and keep an audit trail so documents are legally enforceable under ESIGN and UETA.

Step-by-step eSignature process

Follow these clear steps to make an electronic signature using signNow on a typical contract or form.

• 01
  Upload Your Document: Open signNow, click Upload, and select your file from computer or cloud storage.
• 02
  Add Signature Fields: Open the editor, choose Signature field, and drag it to the signer line.
• 03
  Assign Signers: Enter signer names and emails, set signing order or roles if needed.
• 04
  Send for Signing: Click Send, choose authentication options, and dispatch the signing invite.

Accessing signNow on devices

Use signNow in a browser, native mobile app, or via API to handle eSignatures wherever you work.

• Web Browser: Modern browsers supported
• Mobile Apps: iOS and Android apps
• API Access: REST API available

Signers can complete documents on desktops or phones; admins can integrate signNow with CRMs and storage systems for automated workflows and centralized management.

Legal standing and business reasons

Electronic signatures shorten turnaround time, reduce paper handling costs, and provide a verifiable audit trail for legal and regulatory needs in the United States under ESIGN and UETA.

Security and compliance overview

Encryption in transit: TLS 1.2 and TLS 1.3

Encryption at rest: AES-256 encryption

Certifications: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001

Privacy frameworks: GDPR, CCPA compliance

Healthcare compliance: HIPAA with BAA

Regulated requirements: 21 CFR Part 11 support

Preparing a document for eSignature

Prepare files to collect electronic signatures efficiently by structuring fields, setting signer order, and choosing authentication methods before sending.

• Choose File: Upload PDF, DOCX, or image files
• Add Fields: Place Signature, Date, and Text fields
• Set Authentication: Select email, phone, or SSO verification
• Send: Dispatch invites and monitor status

Core eSignature features

signNow provides essential features for creating and managing electronic signatures across routine business workflows, with options for templates, mobile signing, offline completion, and cloud storage connections.

Templates

Save frequently used documents as reusable templates with predefined fields to speed recurring signature collection across teams and departments.

Mobile Signing

Native iOS and Android apps let signers fill and sign documents on the go, including options for drawing signatures or using typed signatures.

Offline Mode

Download documents to the mobile app, complete required fields offline, and sync the completed file once internet connectivity is restored.

Cloud Integrations

Connect to Google Drive, Box, or Dropbox to import files directly and save signed documents to your preferred cloud storage automatically.

Advanced capabilities for complex workflows

For larger teams and regulated industries signNow offers advanced features such as bulk sending, conditional fields, payments, and enhanced signer authentication to automate end-to-end processes.

Bulk Send

Send a single document to many recipients with unique signing links and track responses centrally for mass distribution.

Conditional Fields

Show or hide fields dynamically based on earlier responses to simplify forms and reduce signer errors.

Payment Collection

Collect payments during signing via integrated payment options to close transactions and receive funds securely.

Advanced Auth

Use phone verification, access codes, or SSO to increase signer identity assurance for sensitive documents.

Kiosk Mode

Enable in-person signing on a shared device for events, retail, or onsite onboarding with simplified UI.

API & SSO

Integrate signNow into enterprise systems and enable single sign-on for centralized user management.

Typical signing workflow settings

Recommended default settings help administrators configure consistent signing workflows while allowing customization for specific documents and teams.

Setting Name	Configuration
Signing Order	Sequential or parallel
Reminder Frequency	48 hours
Authentication Method	Email or phone
Audit Trail Retention	7 years
Storage Location	Cloud or SSO storage

Pricing and feature comparison

Prices and plan highlights for signNow and common competitors, current as of the data provided; compare starting costs, trials, and key capabilities for small and mid-size teams.

	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	Free trial avail.	Free trial avail.	Free trial avail.	Free trial avail.
Bulk Send	Available on Premium	Limited or add-on	Limited or add-on	Included	Add-on or limited
Audit Trail	Yes, full audit trail	Yes, audit trail	Yes, audit trail	Yes	Yes
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

Real-world signNow examples

Practical use cases show how teams complete and manage electronic signatures with signNow across industries.

Optica Ventures

Optica used signNow to digitize investor and vendor agreements for faster processing

• Template reuse and mobile signing reduced turnaround
• Improved compliance with audit trails and secure storage

Resulting in faster deal cycles and reduced administrative overhead across multiple transactions.

Xerox NetSuite Integration

Xerox integrated signNow with NetSuite to automate contract workflows across departments

• API-driven signature requests removed manual handoffs
• Centralized signed documents improved recordkeeping and retrieval

Leading to quicker approvals, better audit readiness, and streamlined order-to-cash processing.

FAQ and troubleshooting tips

Common problems and straightforward solutions for creating and managing electronic signatures on signNow, including account, signing, and delivery issues.

• Why can't I sign my document?
  Check that the document has an active Signature field and that you received the correct link. Ensure you are opening the link in a modern browser or the signNow mobile app, and clear cache if the editor does not load.
• Recipient didn't receive invite
  Confirm the email address for typos, check spam or quarantine folders, and verify that your sending limits are not reached. Resend the invite or generate a direct signing link if email delivery fails.
• How to verify signer identity
  Use phone verification, access codes, or SSO where available. For higher assurance, enable multi-factor authentication for signers and request government ID verification outside the platform when required.
• Document format issues
  Convert Word files to PDF before adding fields when formatting breaks. Use the signNow editor to realign fields and save a template for consistent results.
• API integration errors
  Check API keys, permissions, and request payloads. Refer to signNow API documentation for endpoint details and ensure your environment uses TLS 1.2+.
• Accessing signed copies
  Signed documents appear in your signNow account; download, export to cloud storage, or set up automated save-to-cloud to ensure retention and backups.

Best practices for electronic signatures

Adopt consistent procedures and security measures to ensure signatures are collected reliably and remain legally defensible across your organization.

Standardize templates and fields

Create and maintain a library of approved templates with pre-positioned signature and data fields to reduce signer confusion and speed completion across repeated processes.

Enforce signer authentication

Select appropriate authentication levels based on document sensitivity, using phone verification, access codes, or SSO to improve identity verification and reduce fraud risk.

Maintain clear audit trails

Ensure Audit Trail recording is enabled for each document to capture timestamps, IP addresses, and event history that support enforceability and regulatory review.

Train users and monitor usage

Provide role-based training for admins and business users, review usage reports, and periodically audit templates and access controls to maintain security and compliance.

Typical processing timeframes

Common timeframes help teams plan signature collection and define SLA targets for different document types and urgency levels.

Immediate signatures:

Within minutes

Standard contract turnaround:

24 to 72 hours

Bulk send completion:

1 to 7 days

Regulatory retention review:

7 to 30 days

Long-term archiving:

Years, per policy

Managing audit trails and records

Maintain complete records by enabling audit trails, exporting signed documents, and using retention settings for legal defensibility and compliance.

01

Enable Audit Trail:

Turn on per-document logging

02

Export Signed PDF:

Download final PDF with history

03

Store Securely:

Save to encrypted cloud

04

Set Retention:

Configure retention policies

05

Access Logs:

Review activity records

06

Legal Hold:

Apply holds when required

Who benefits from eSignatures

Teams across real estate, healthcare, finance, legal, education, and construction use electronic signatures to accelerate approvals and reduce paper workflows.

• Real Estate agents closing leases remotely and processing rental applications quickly.
• Healthcare providers collecting patient consent forms while meeting HIPAA requirements.
• Finance departments approving invoices and tax forms with secure audit logs.

Organizations of all sizes use signNow to standardize signature processes, reduce manual steps, and improve document turnaround times.

Typical user roles

HR Manager

HR Managers use signNow to distribute offer letters, onboarding forms, and policy acknowledgements. They create templates for recurring new-hire packets, automate reminder schedules, and monitor completion rates to ensure new employees complete paperwork before start dates.

IT Administrator

IT Administrators configure SSO, manage user permissions, and integrate signNow with existing systems. They also set retention policies, enforce authentication rules, and control API access for automated document flows.

Feature availability at a glance

Compare common capabilities across signNow, DocuSign, and Adobe Sign to determine fit for business requirements and technical constraints.

Feature	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign
Mobile App Available
Bulk Send	yes (premium)	limited	limited
Advanced Auth Options	phone, sso	phone, idv	sso, idv
API & Integrations	full rest api	full rest api	full rest api