How to Include an Electronic Signature

TL;DR

Including an electronic signature means preparing a document, adding signature and data fields, sending it for signature, and storing the signed copy with an audit trail. signNow supports web, mobile, and API-driven eSign workflows, provides strong security (TLS 1.2/1.3, AES-256), and meets U.S. legal standards (ESIGN, UETA). Use signNow to collect notarized-style signatures, handle bulk sends, integrate with CRMs, and retain compliant records. For most business needs, the process takes minutes to set up and speeds approvals while preserving legal defensibility.

What Electronic Signing Is

An electronic signature is a digital action that shows a person agreed to a document, similar to signing a paper contract but done online. It replaces pen-and-paper by letting signers type, draw, or use a saved signature image, and platforms attach a timestamp and signer authentication to prove intent. For legal and business workflows, eSignatures shorten turnaround times, reduce printing and mailing, and keep a secure audit trail. signNow enables sending, signing, filling, and storing signed documents across web, mobile, and API integrations with compliance measures in place.

Legal Validity and Use Cases

Electronic signatures are enforceable in the U.S. under ESIGN and UETA and are practical for remote contracting, HR onboarding, and healthcare consent collection. Use signNow when closing remote sales contracts or collecting employee onboarding signatures at scale.

Common Implementation Challenges

• Incorrect field placement can cause incomplete contracts; always preview and test signature and data fields before sending final copies.
• Signer authentication gaps increase legal risk; require appropriate verification such as email, SMS, or two-factor methods for sensitive documents.
• Managing multiple versions creates confusion; use templates, versioning, and an audit trail to record changes and approvals.
• Integration mismatches slow adoption; plan mapping of fields and workflows before connecting signNow to CRMs or ERPs.

Who Uses eSignatures

Businesses across sectors use electronic signatures for contracts, HR, healthcare forms, and real estate closings.

• Real estate agents speeding lease and purchase agreements.
• Healthcare providers collecting HIPAA-compliant patient consent forms.
• Finance teams closing loan documents and approvals.

User Roles and Tasks

IT Administrator

Sets up account security, SSO, and API keys for signNow. Responsible for provisioning users, defining permission roles, and ensuring integrations (CRM, storage) follow corporate security policies.

Business User

Creates templates, places signature and data fields, and sends documents for signature. Tracks status, sends reminders, and downloads completed PDF copies with the audit trail for recordkeeping.

Security and Compliance Overview

In-transit Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3

At-rest Encryption: AES-256

Certifications: SOC 2 Type II

Regulatory Compliance: ESIGN and UETA

Healthcare Standard: HIPAA (BAA)

International Standards: ISO 27001

Risks of Poor eSignature Use

Invalid Agreements: Legal challenge risk

Data Breach: Exposure of PII

Regulatory Fines: HIPAA penalties possible

Operational Delays: Lost revenue

Audit Failures: Noncompliant records

Reputational Harm: Customer trust loss

Real-World signNow Examples

Two concise case examples show how signNow fits into everyday business workflows and integration scenarios.

Optica Ventures LLC

The team simplified customer signing and improved turnarounds.

• They used signNow templates and mobile signing.
• This reduced in-person meetings and manual follow-up.

Resulting in faster investor and partner agreement processing.

Xerox NetSuite Integration

NetSuite operations automated signature collection with signNow.

• The integration pushed signed documents back into NetSuite.
• Finance and legal gained consistent records and faster approvals.

Leading to more reliable contract lifecycle management and fewer manual uploads.

Step-by-Step eSignature Workflow

Follow these clear steps to include an electronic signature in a document using signNow, from upload to secure storage.

• 01
  Upload Document: Open signNow, click Upload, and select the file from your computer or cloud storage, then confirm the upload.
• 02
  Add Fields: Open the editor, choose Signature and Data fields, and drag them to the correct lines where signer input is required.
• 03
  Set Recipients: Enter signer emails, assign signing order if needed, and add authentication options such as SMS or access codes.
• 04
  Send for Signature: Review the document, add message and reminders, then click Send to initiate the signing workflow and track status.

Preparing Documents for eSignatures

Proper preparation reduces errors and speeds signer completion; follow these preparatory actions before sending for signature.

• Use Templates: Create reusable templates with fixed fields and signer roles to avoid repetitive setup and ensure consistency.
• Validate Fields: Check that required fields are set and formatted correctly to prevent incomplete submissions and signer confusion.
• Apply Conditional Logic: Use conditional fields where available to show or hide sections based on previous answers or role.
• Attach Supporting Files: Include exhibits or ID requirements so signers have all necessary information with the signing request.

Core eSignature Capabilities

signNow offers a focused set of features to support end-to-end signing: field placement, authentication, templates, and mobile signing.

Signing Fields

Add signature, initials, text, date, checkboxes and other data fields. Fields are drag-and-drop, support conditional logic, and ensure required inputs before completion to reduce errors.

Authentication

Choose email, SMS code, or two-factor authentication for signers. Authentication options help verify identity and increase legal defensibility for sensitive agreements and regulated workflows.

Templates

Save commonly used documents as templates that include fields, prefilled content, and signing order. Templates speed repetitive processes like NDAs, HR forms, and contract renewals.

Mobile Signing

signNow supports signing on iOS and Android apps and mobile browsers so signers can complete documents while traveling or on-site.

Practical Best Practices

Follow these pragmatic best practices to ensure smooth inclusion of electronic signatures across teams and systems.

Standardize Templates and Fields

Establish approved templates and consistent field labels to reduce signer confusion, prevent missing information, and simplify audit review across departments.

Choose Appropriate Authentication Levels

Match authentication methods to document sensitivity; use SMS or two-factor authentication for high-risk documents like health records or large-value contracts.

Document Retention and Access Control

Define retention schedules and role-based access so signed documents remain available to stakeholders while limiting exposure and meeting regulatory needs.

Train and Pilot Workflows

Run a small pilot with typical users to identify friction, then create short guides and training sessions to encourage consistent adoption across teams.

Common Signing Deadlines

Typical business processes have predictable deadlines; configure reminders and expiration dates to keep workflows on schedule.

01

Contract Acceptance

7–14 days standard timeframe for counterparty review.

02

Employment Onboarding

Complete within 48–72 hours of hire notification.

03

Invoice Approval

3–10 days depending on payment cycles.

04

Healthcare Consent

Complete before treatment or appointment check-in.

Retention and Processing Timeframes

Retention and processing timelines vary by industry and regulation; map your document types to required retention policies and automated actions.

Employment Records Retention:

Retain signed onboarding documents for at least 3 years.

Tax Documents:

Keep signed tax forms for seven years where required.

HIPAA-related Documents:

Follow HIPAA retention policies relevant to medical records.

Contract Archives:

Store executed contracts for the duration of the agreement plus recommended legal period.

Audit Logs:

Preserve audit trails for a minimum compliance period determined by policy.

Advanced signNow Features

Beyond basic signing, signNow offers advanced capabilities for automation, integrations, and signer control to support enterprise workflows.

Bulk Send

Send one document to many recipients with individualized fields, useful for mass acknowledgments, vendor agreements, and HR distribution.

Kiosk Mode

Allow onsite signings using a shared device while preserving signer session separation and capturing signatures securely.

Payments Integration

Collect payments during signing workflows when agreements require a fee or deposit as part of completion.

Conditional Fields

Show or hide fields based on prior answers to create adaptive forms and reduce signer confusion.

Single Sign-On

Integrate with SSO providers so users authenticate with corporate credentials and administrators manage access centrally.

API Access

Use signNow API for custom integrations, document generation, and embedding signing flows into applications.

Audit Trail and Recordkeeping Steps

Maintain detailed records by following these steps to capture and preserve audit trails for each signed document.

01

Capture Metadata:

Record timestamp and IP for each signer action.

02

Store Signed PDF:

Save completed, flattened PDF with embedded audit data.

03

Preserve Versions:

Keep pre-sign and post-sign versions for dispute resolution.

04

Export Audit Logs:

Export logs for legal review or compliance checks.

05

Restrict Access:

Apply role permissions to view or download signed files.

06

Automated Backups:

Schedule backups to cloud storage or enterprise repositories.

FAQs About Including eSignatures

Answers to frequent questions about common problems when adding electronic signatures and working with signNow.

• How do I fix a missing signature field?
  If signers report a missing signature field, reopen the document in the editor, place a required Signature field on the correct line, save a new version, and resend. Test the template once using a test signer account to validate placement before bulk sending, ensuring all required fields are visible on mobile and desktop.
• Why won’t a recipient receive my invite?
  Confirm the recipient email is correct, check spam folders, and verify domain allowlists. If issues persist, resend the invite and provide a direct signing link. For enterprise email controls, coordinate with your IT team to allow signNow sending domains.
• How to verify signer identity?
  Require stronger authentication such as SMS codes, access codes, or two-factor methods in signNow. For regulated documents, enable phone or ID verification and document the chosen method in the audit trail to maintain legal defensibility.
• What if a signer needs to change information?
  If a signer enters incorrect data, create a corrected version, add an annotation explaining the change, and resend for a fresh signature. Preserve the prior signed copy in records and note the reason for correction for audit purposes.
• Why is my PDF not rendering correctly?
  Complex PDFs with layers or nonstandard fonts can misrender. Flatten PDFs, convert problematic elements to standard formats, or upload as a fresh PDF. Use signNow’s PDF editor to reposition fields after upload.
• How do I get help with advanced integration?
  For API or enterprise SSO issues consult signNow developer documentation, generate API keys, and test in a sandbox. For complex setups, contact signNow support or professional services to map workflows and ensure secure integration.

Supported Devices and Platforms

signNow supports modern browsers, mobile apps on iOS and Android, and API access for programmatic integration.

• Web Browsers: Chrome, Edge, Safari
• Mobile Apps: iOS, Android
• APIs and SDKs: REST API

Ensure operating systems and browsers are kept up to date and test embedded signing flows across devices for consistent signer experience.

Typical Workflow Settings

Common configuration settings help standardize how documents are sent, tracked, and retained when using signNow.

Setting Name	Configuration
Reminder Frequency	48 hours
Signature Order	Sequential
Authentication Method	Email or SMS
Audit Log Retention	7 years
Storage Location	Cloud or S3

Feature Comparison Snapshot

A concise comparison of core availability and limits across signNow, DocuSign, and Adobe Sign for quick evaluation.

Plan / Product	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign
Bulk Send Availability	yes, paid	varies by plan	varies by plan
Audit Trail
API Access	yes, full	yes, full	yes, full
Envelope/Usage Limits	no cap	100 envelopes/yr	varies by plan

Pricing and Feature Comparison

Data current as of May 2026. The table compares starting prices, trial availability, bulk send support, audit trails, HIPAA compliance, and envelope caps across signNow and other popular vendors.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo, no cap	$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	Yes, Business Premium	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan
Audit Trail	Yes, built-in audit trail	Yes	Yes	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/user/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan