Digicert Digital Signature for Secure signNow Workflows

Award-winning eSignature solution

What digicert digital signature means

A digicert digital signature is a cryptographic signature that verifies who signed a document and whether the file changed after signing. It works by creating a unique hash of the document, then binding that hash to the signer’s identity with public key infrastructure. When the recipient opens the file, the system checks the certificate, signature, and document hash together. In U.S. business workflows, this helps preserve integrity, attribution, and evidence of intent across contracts, approvals, and regulated records.

Why it matters under U.S. law

A digicert digital signature helps businesses reduce disputes, speed approvals, and keep a stronger record of who signed what and when. Under ESIGN and UETA, electronic signatures can be enforceable when intent, consent, and attribution are documented, and a reliable audit trail supports that outcome.

Why teams look for DocuSign alternatives

Common digicert signing issues

Signer identity can be weak if authentication relies only on email access or reused passwords.
Documents can lose evidentiary value when audit trails do not capture timestamps, IP data, and action history.
Certificate or trust-chain issues can cause validation warnings when recipients open signed PDFs.
Retention gaps can create problems when signed records must be produced for audits or disputes.

Real estate

Real estate teams use it for leases, disclosures, and closing documents that need fast turnaround.

Healthcare

Healthcare organizations use it for patient forms, consent records, and HIPAA workflows with audit trails.

People who benefit most

Property operations leaders at firms like Martin Properties use digital signatures to move leases, disclosures, and approvals online while keeping mobile access and document history available for review. The workflow fits teams that need speed, compliance evidence, and fewer in-person handoffs across multiple locations.
NetSuite operations managers at enterprises like Xerox use signNow to route the right documents to the right people in the right format. That matters when approvals depend on system data, role-based routing, and records that must stay aligned with internal controls and audit expectations.

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Scales with your use cases. From SMBs to mid-market, airSlate SignNow delivers results for businesses of all sizes.
Intuitive UI and API. Sign and send documents from your apps in minutes.

Document integrity

Creates a tamper-evident record that helps show the document stayed intact after signing and supports later verification.

Signer attribution

Links the signature to the signer through certificate-based identity checks and recorded signing events.

Audit evidence

Captures timestamps, IP details, and action history for a defensible record of the signing process.

Cross-device signing

Supports mobile and desktop signing so users can complete approvals without printing or scanning.

Access control

Works with controlled access and authentication steps to reduce unauthorized signing and document exposure.

Record retention

Helps preserve signed records for review, audit, and retention needs across regulated workflows.

Connected systems and workflows

Connected systems move documents from records, sales, and project tools into signing workflows without manual reentry or file juggling.

How the signing flow works

The signing process follows a simple sequence from document delivery to cryptographic sealing and record retention.

Send: The signer receives a document with identity checks and signing instructions.
Verify: The signer authenticates and reviews the document before applying the signature.
Sign: The system creates a cryptographic signature and seals the file.
Record: The completed record stores timestamps, history, and validation data.

Quick setup steps

Use a short setup sequence to prepare, send, and retain signed documents in signNow.

Prepare:
Upload the document and assign the signer roles.
Configure:
Choose the authentication method and signing order.
Send:
Send the request and monitor completion status.
Archive:
Download the completed file and store the audit trail.

Setting	Recommendation
Authentication method	SMS OTP with ID verification
Signature type	PKI-backed digital signature
Audit trail	Full timestamped event log
Document retention	6 years for HIPAA records
Encryption	TLS 1.2/1.3 and AES-256

Platform and device requirements

Digicert digital signature workflows in signNow run in modern browsers and on mobile devices with secure connections.

Browsers Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge
Operating systems Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android
Devices Mobile apps available for iOS and Android

For enterprise use, managed devices, current browser versions, and controlled access policies help keep signing workflows consistent. Mobile signing is supported on iOS and Android, while desktop users can work in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge.

Security and compliance controls

Encryption:

TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

Data protection:

AES-256 at rest

Certification:

SOC 2 Type II available

Security management:

ISO 27001 certified

Healthcare compliance:

HIPAA support with BAA

Regulated records:

21 CFR Part 11 controls

Real estate operations

A property team needed faster lease execution without losing compliance records.

Martin Properties used mobile signing and built-in security.
The team kept documents moving across office and field staff.

The workflow supported online execution, mobile access, and a clear record of completed documents for later review.

Enterprise operations

An operations leader needed better routing between systems and document formats.

Xerox connected signNow with NetSuite for document routing.
The team matched signatures to the right forms and formats.

The integration helped align approvals with system data and kept the signing process tied to internal business records.

Best practices for secure signing

A careful setup reduces disputes, improves record quality, and keeps signing workflows easier to manage across teams.

Match authentication to document risk

Use stronger authentication for contracts, healthcare forms, and financial approvals. Pair email access with SMS OTP or ID verification when the document needs stronger attribution and a clearer evidentiary record.

Preserve a complete audit trail

Keep the audit trail complete. Make sure timestamps, signer identity, IP data, and action history are preserved so the signed file can support internal review, audits, and dispute resolution.

Define retention before sending

Set retention rules before rollout. Align storage periods with HIPAA, corporate policy, or contract recordkeeping requirements so signed documents remain available for the full retention window.

Restrict access by role

Limit signing access by role. Use user provisioning, approval routing, and controlled permissions so only authorized staff can send, sign, or manage sensitive documents.

FAQ and troubleshooting

These answers focus on plan limits, compliance requirements, and validation issues that affect digicert digital signature workflows in signNow.

signNow Business includes legally binding eSignatures, audit trails, templates, and mobile apps. If a document needs HIPAA support, use a BAA and confirm the workflow meets 45 CFR 164.312 controls.

signNow supports bulk send in Business Premium. If you only have Business, upgrade to a plan that includes bulk send before sending the same document to many recipients.

For U.S. enforceability, ESIGN and UETA require intent, consent, and attribution. Use a clear audit trail, signer authentication, and retained records to support those requirements.

If a signed PDF shows validation warnings, check certificate status, document integrity, and whether the file was altered after signing. A tamper-evident seal should fail if the file changed.

For healthcare records, retain signed documents for 6 years under HIPAA 45 CFR 164.530(j)(2). If your policy is longer, keep the longer period.

For regulated records, use audit trails, unique user identification, and time-stamped history. 21 CFR Part 11 also expects validated systems and unique electronic signatures for covered records.

signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Acrobat Sign	PandaDoc
ESIGN and UETA	Yes	Yes	Yes
Audit trail	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA support	Yes	Yes	Yes
Envelope limit	No cap	100/user/year	Not verified

Setup day:

Create the workspace, set permissions, and confirm authentication rules.

First send:

Send the first document after template and routing review.

Team onboarding:

Train senders and reviewers during the first week.

HIPAA retention:

Keep signed PHI records 6 years per 45 CFR 164.530(j)(2).

Business trial:

signNow offers a 7-day free trial with no credit card.

Part 11 records:

Use validated controls and retain time-stamped history for covered records.

UETA adoption:

UETA is adopted in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Annual review:

Review access, retention, and certificate settings every 12 months.

Risks of poor setup

Weak attribution

Document may be harder to defend in court.

Missing trail

Audit evidence may be incomplete.

Retention failure

HIPAA records may fail retention review.

Tamper issue

Signed file may be rejected after validation.

Signer authentication:

Verifies the signer before the signing event is logged.

Timestamp capture:

Records the exact UTC time of each action.

Document hashing:

Calculates a hash for the signed document.

Tamper sealing:

Applies a tamper-evident seal after completion.

Audit storage:

Stores the event history with the signed file.

Retrieval and export:

Exports the log for review or evidence.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free trial	7-day free trial	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified
Bulk send	Business Premium	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified
Audit trail	Included	Included	Included	Included	Included
HIPAA compliance	BAA required	BAA available	BAA available	Not verified	Not verified

28M+Documents signed

13+Years in business

4.6/5Average G2 rating