How to Get an Electronic Signature

TL;DR

Get an electronic signature by using an eSignature service to upload or create a document, add required fields, and send it for eSign. signNow is a secure, ESIGN- and UETA-compliant option that supports web, mobile, templates, bulk send, audit trails, and API integration for automated workflows.

What an Electronic Signature Is

An electronic signature is a digital equivalent of a handwritten signature that shows a person agreed to a document. Think of it like signing a paper with a pen, but the pen is replaced by a secure online click or drawn signature on a screen. eSignatures are legally recognized under ESIGN and UETA in the United States and can include typed names, drawn marks, or cryptographic signatures. They speed transactions, reduce paper handling, and let people sign remotely with identity checks and audit records for proof and compliance.

Legal Validity and Practical Uses

Electronic signatures are legally binding under ESIGN and UETA when intent and consent are present. Use signNow when closing remote sales contracts or collecting employee onboarding signatures at scale. It matters because eSignatures cut processing time, reduce manual errors, and create a verifiable audit trail that supports compliance and recordkeeping.

Common Challenges When Getting eSignatures

• Signers lacking internet access or modern devices can delay completion; consider kiosks or mobile-friendly flows as alternatives.
• Confusion over required fields or form layout often causes incomplete submissions; use clear templates and required-field flags.
• Regulatory or industry rules sometimes require additional authentication or retention policies, increasing setup complexity for high-risk documents.
• Integrations with internal systems can be slow to implement; plan mapping of fields, triggers, and error handling before launch.

Who Uses Electronic Signatures

Organizations across industries use eSignatures to accelerate approvals, reduce paper, and maintain compliance while working remotely.

• Real Estate: lease and purchase agreements handled remotely, enabling faster closings.
• Healthcare: patient intake, consent forms, and records processed with HIPAA controls.
• Finance & Legal: loan documents, tax forms, and contracts signed with audit trails.

User Roles and Personas

HR Manager

An HR Manager uses eSignatures to collect onboarding forms, tax documents, and policy acknowledgements from new hires. They rely on templates, conditional fields, and reminders to keep new-employee workflows moving while maintaining retention and compliance requirements.

Sales Representative

A Sales Rep sends proposals and contracts for signature from the field, tracks status in CRM, and uses mobile signing and bulk-send features to close deals faster while keeping a timestamped audit trail for sales records.

Security and Compliance Controls

Encryption in Transit: TLS 1.2/1.3

Encryption at Rest: AES-256

Data Protection: GDPR compliant

Operational Security: SOC 2 Type II

Regulatory Standards: PCI DSS certified

Health Records: HIPAA with BAA

Risks of Improper eSignature Use

Invalid Consent: Signatures may be contested

Data Breach: Leads to regulatory fines

Noncompliance: Triggers legal exposure

Poor Audit Trail: Complicates dispute resolution

Retention Failures: Violates recordkeeping rules

Integration Errors: Causes process gaps

Real-World Examples

These brief case notes show how organizations used signNow to digitize signature workflows and improve efficiency.

Tech Data — Faster Revenue

Tech Data improved internal and external customer service by adopting signNow's integrated workflows

• Bulk signature processing and templates reduced manual tasks
• Quicker contract turnaround and fewer errors

Resulting in faster speed to revenue and smoother partner interactions.

Fertility Centers of Illinois — Clinical Efficiency

Fertility Centers of Illinois moved patient forms and consent capture online with signNow

• Mobile-friendly forms and HIPAA controls ensured secure patient intake
• API integration allowed form data to populate EMR fields automatically

Leading to reduced paper, faster patient processing, and improved record accuracy.

Quick Steps to Get an Electronic Signature

Follow these straightforward actions to upload, prepare, and send a document for eSignature using signNow.

• 01
  Upload Document: Open your signNow account and upload the document from desktop or cloud storage into the editor.
• 02
  Place Fields: Drag signature, date, and text fields onto the document where each signer must complete information.
• 03
  Set Signers: Add signer names and email addresses, specify signing order, and choose authentication requirements.
• 04
  Send for Signature: Click Send, configure reminders and expiration, then monitor responses from the dashboard until completion.

Sending and Signing Methods

Electronic signing supports multiple sender and signer paths to match business needs, from single-sign flows to automated API-driven processes.

• Web Send: Upload, add fields, and email the signing link to recipients.
• Mobile Sign: Signers use the signNow iOS or Android app to review and sign documents.
• Bulk Send: Send identical documents to many recipients using the bulk-send feature.
• API Automation: Trigger document creation and send-for-signature from internal systems via signNow API.

Core Features to Get an eSignature

Key features streamline getting signatures and managing signed files across devices and systems while maintaining compliance and auditability.

Templates

Create reusable templates for contracts, onboarding forms, and consent documents to reduce preparation time and ensure consistent field placement and guidance for signers.

Bulk Send

Send the same document to many recipients with individualized tracking and reminders, useful for HR forms, mass agreements, or consumer disclosures.

Mobile Apps

Native iOS and Android apps let field teams capture signatures offline or online and sync completed documents back to central storage once connected.

Audit Trail

Every signed document includes timestamps, IP addresses, and signer actions to support legal validity and simplify dispute resolution.

Best Practices for Getting eSignatures

Use proven practices to increase completion rates, reduce errors, and keep signed files defensible and well organized.

Design Clear, Short Documents

Break long forms into concise sections, label required fields clearly, and use conditional fields to show only relevant questions for each signer to minimize abandonment.

Require Minimal Authentication Needed

Choose the lowest friction authentication that meets legal and organizational needs, reserving multi-factor or certificate-based methods for high-risk or regulated documents.

Use Templates and Prepopulation

Pre-fill known data via integrations or templates to reduce signer effort, maintain data consistency, and speed up completion across repeated processes.

Maintain Clear Retention Policies

Store signed documents with searchable metadata, apply retention schedules aligned to legal requirements, and back up records to trusted cloud storage for long-term access.

Advanced eSignature Capabilities

Advanced capabilities support complex flows, integrations, and security controls needed by mid-size and enterprise teams.

Conditional Fields

Show or hide fields dynamically based on prior answers to simplify forms and enforce correct data collection across variable document paths.

Payments Collection

Embed payment requests within signing flows to collect fees, deposits, or service charges as part of document completion, reducing follow-up work.

Advanced Authentication

Use SMS, knowledge-based authentication, or certificate-based signatures for higher-assurance verification on regulated or high-value transactions.

SSO and SAML

Enable single sign-on and centralized user provisioning for enterprise user management and stronger access control tied to corporate identity systems.

Role-Based Routing

Route documents through a specified order of signers and approvers with role assignments and conditional branching to enforce business rules.

Full API Access

Automate document generation, prefill fields, and trigger sends programmatically to embed eSignatures into existing applications and backend workflows.

Managing Audit Trails and Records

Maintain an auditable record for each signed document to support compliance, dispute resolution, and internal tracking.

01

Enable Audit Logging:

Turn on detailed event logging for signer actions and system changes.

02

Capture Signer Metadata:

Record IP addresses, timestamps, and device details for evidence.

03

Export Audit Reports:

Generate downloadable reports for legal or compliance reviews.

04

Lock Completed Files:

Apply tamper-evident seals after final signature completion.

05

Archive Per Policy:

Move records to long-term storage based on retention schedules.

06

Integrate with DMS:

Push final PDFs and metadata to document management systems.

FAQs About Getting an Electronic Signature

Answers to common questions when preparing, sending, or troubleshooting eSignature workflows with signNow and comparable platforms.

• My signer did not receive the email
  Check spam and bulk folders first and confirm the email was typed correctly when sending. Resend the signing link from the document's activity panel, or generate a shareable signing link if email delivery fails.
• How do I request stronger signer ID verification
  Choose available authentication options in the send settings such as SMS verification or knowledge-based checks; use Enterprise plans for certificate-based authentication when higher assurance is required.
• Can I create reusable form templates
  Yes. signNow supports saving documents as templates with preplaced fields, conditional logic, and prefilled data to speed repeated tasks across teams.
• What if I need HIPAA compliance
  signNow supports HIPAA when a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) is in place. Enable required access controls and ensure HIPAA-related retention and audit settings are configured.
• How are signed documents secured and stored
  Signed PDFs are encrypted at rest with AES-256, transmitted over TLS, and include tamper-evident audit records; integrate with cloud storage for centralized retention.
• Which plan fits high-volume sending
  Business Premium supports bulk send; Site License offers usage-based pricing and full API access for very high volumes and enterprise integration needs.

Device and Platform Requirements

Access eSignature features from modern browsers, mobile apps, or APIs depending on your workflow and signer needs.

• Web Browser: Chrome, Edge, Safari supported
• Mobile Apps: iOS and Android apps
• API Access: API key and SDKs required

For field agents and offline use, mobile apps allow signing without constant connectivity and sync when online; for automated workflows use API integrations and ensure proper authentication and rate limits are configured.

Typical Workflow Setup Settings

Standard configuration items to set when deploying eSignature workflows to ensure reliability and tracking.

Setting Name	Configuration
Reminder Frequency	48 hours
Signing Order	Sequential or Parallel
Authentication Level	Email or SMS
Retention Period	7 years
Audit Log Export	Enabled

Pricing and Feature Comparison (Data current as of 2026)

At-a-glance comparison of starting price, trial availability, bulk send, audit trail, HIPAA support, and envelope caps among common eSignature providers.

	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	Yes, trial avail.	Yes, trial avail.	Yes, trial avail.	Yes, trial avail.
Bulk Send	Yes, Business Premium	Yes, bulk send	Yes, bulk send	Yes, bulk send	Yes, bulk send
Audit Trail	Yes, full audit trail	Yes, audit trail	Yes, audit trail	Yes, audit trail	Yes, audit trail
HIPAA Compliant	Yes, BAA required	Yes, BAA required	Yes, BAA required	Yes, BAA required	Yes, BAA required
Envelope Cap	No envelope cap	100 envelopes/user/year	No public cap noted	No public cap noted	No public cap noted