Digital or Wet Signature for SignNow
Award-winning eSignature solution
What a digital or wet signature is
A digital or wet signature is a way to sign a document electronically or by hand, depending on the workflow and legal need. In U.S. business use, a digital signature usually means a cryptographic signature that verifies identity and document integrity, while a wet signature is ink on paper. Both can support consent, approval, and recordkeeping. In signNow, the signer reviews the document, confirms intent, and signs, while the system records the event for later review.
Why it matters legally
Digital or wet signature helps organizations move documents faster while preserving enforceability under ESIGN and UETA. It reduces printing, scanning, and shipping, and it can support admissible records when identity, intent, and audit evidence are retained.
Common signing challenges
Paper signatures slow turnaround when documents must be printed, signed, scanned, and returned across multiple locations. Weak signer authentication can make it harder to prove who actually signed the record. Missing audit details can create disputes about timing, intent, or document integrity. Poor retention practices can leave signed records incomplete when a regulator or court requests them.
Who uses signatures
Real estate
Real estate teams use lease agreements, disclosures, and rental applications that need quick turnaround and clear consent.
Healthcare
Healthcare organizations collect patient forms, authorizations, and intake records while keeping HIPAA workflows documented.
Typical users and roles
A director of NetSuite operations at a large distributor uses signNow to route approvals through connected business systems. The workflow matters when signatures must match the right document format, preserve order, and support internal controls across finance, operations, and customer service teams. A founder in real estate uses signNow to complete lease and property documents online, including mobile signing when parties are off-site. The value is practical: fewer delays, better recordkeeping, and a cleaner path from draft to signed agreement without paper handling.
Best ROI. Our customers achieve an average 7x ROI within the first six months.
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.
Core features and benefits
signNow supports document signing, tracking, and storage in workflows that need clear evidence, faster turnaround, and easier review.
Signature capture
Capture signatures electronically with a clear record of who signed, when they signed, and what they approved. This reduces manual handling and supports document traceability across teams.
Audit trail
Track each signing event in a tamper-evident history that helps explain document status later. The audit record supports internal review, dispute handling, and compliance evidence.
Mobile signing
Send documents from desktop or mobile so signers can review and sign without printing. That shortens turnaround and helps distributed teams finish work faster.
Templates
Use reusable templates for recurring forms, approvals, and agreements. Templates reduce setup time and help teams keep document language consistent across repeated workflows.
Routing
Route documents in the right order so each person signs only when their step is ready. This helps preserve approval sequence and reduces rework.
Record storage
Store signed files with a record of changes and completed actions. Centralized storage makes retrieval easier for audits, customer service, and internal controls.
How the signing flow works
The signing process follows a simple sequence from document delivery to completed record, with evidence captured along the way.
Open document: The signer opens the document and reviews the request. Verify signer: Identity is confirmed through the selected authentication method. Sign record: The signer applies a digital or wet signature. Save evidence: The system stores the completed file and audit history.
Quick setup steps
Use a short setup sequence to prepare a document for signing and keep the process easy to repeat.
Upload file:
Upload the document you need signed. Set recipients:
Add signer names and signing order. Add fields:
Place signature fields where needed. Send request:
Send the document for signature. Save copy:
Download the completed record after signing.
Recommended workflow settings
A practical setup balances identity proof, record integrity, and retention needs for U.S. business and regulated workflows.
| Setting | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Authentication method | SMS OTP |
| Signature type | SES for routine contracts |
| Audit trail | Enable full event logging |
| Document retention | 6 years for HIPAA records |
| Encryption | TLS 1.2/1.3 and AES-256 |
Browser and device support
signNow works across major desktop and mobile environments, so signers can review and sign documents on supported browsers and devices.
Browser support Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge Operating systems Windows 10+, macOS, iOS, Android Mobile devices iPhone, iPad, and Android phones
For regulated workflows, managed devices, current browser versions, and secure network settings help preserve access, identity controls, and record integrity.
Security and compliance
Transport security:
Data encryption:
Independent controls:
Security management:
Healthcare compliance:
Regulated records:
Real-world use cases
Customer stories show how teams use signNow to handle signing, routing, and recordkeeping in day-to-day operations.
Enterprise operations
A large distributor needed faster internal and external approvals across connected systems.
- Tech Data used signNow with business workflows.
- The team linked signatures to operational systems.
The result was faster customer service and a smoother path to revenue-related approvals, with document handling tied to existing business processes rather than separate manual steps.
Real estate
A real estate founder needed online execution for property documents with strong recordkeeping.
- Martin Properties processed documents online.
- Mobile and offline signing supported field work.
The workflow reduced paper handling and helped keep transactions moving, while preserving compliance-focused records for later review and follow-up.
Practical signing practices
A disciplined workflow reduces disputes, speeds review, and makes signed records easier to defend in business or compliance settings.
Match authentication to risk
Prepare fields before sending
Set retention by record type
Review audit evidence
Rollout and retention timeline
This timeline combines early rollout milestones with retention and policy points that matter in U.S. signing workflows.
Day 1:
Day 2:
Week 1:
7-day trial:
HIPAA retention:
Part 11 records:
UETA coverage:
Annual review:
Risks of poor signing controls
Enforceability risk
Proof gap
Retention failure
Authentication gap
What the audit trail records
The audit trail captures the technical evidence that supports attribution, integrity, and later review of the signed record.
Signer authentication:
Timestamp capture:
Document hashing:
Tamper sealing:
Audit storage:
Audit export:
Vendor comparison
The table below compares core signing capabilities and limits across leading vendors used in U.S. workflows.
| Recommended | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESIGN and UETA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Audit trail | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Starting price | $8/user/mo | $15/user/mo | $14/user/mo |
| Envelope cap | No cap | 100/user/year | Not verified |
Pricing and plan snapshot
Pricing is shown for annual billing where verified, with plan features kept short for quick comparison.
| 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 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 | Available | Available | Not verified | Not verified |
FAQ and troubleshooting
These answers focus on plan limits, compliance needs, and signing issues that affect real U.S. workflows.
signNow Business includes legally binding eSignatures, audit trails, templates, and mobile apps. For HIPAA use, a BAA is required, and retention should follow 45 CFR §164.530(j)(2) for signed PHI records.
signNow supports ESIGN and UETA compliant signing workflows. If a document needs stronger evidence, use signer authentication, a complete audit trail, and clear consent records to show intent and attribution.
HIPAA workflows require a signed BAA and controls for user identification, integrity, person authentication, and audit logging under 45 CFR §164.312. signNow’s compliance support is tied to those safeguards, not to paper handling.
The Business Premium plan adds bulk send. If you need higher-volume routing, compare that plan with Enterprise or Site License, depending on whether you need advanced authentication, API access, or usage-based pricing.
For 21 CFR Part 11 use, the workflow needs validated controls, secure audit trails, unique user IDs, and two-component signatures. signNow’s regulated-use support should be matched to your validation and recordkeeping process.
If a signer cannot access the document on mobile, check browser support, device permissions, and network access. signNow supports Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS for signing workflows.
Key performance indicators that demonstrate SignNow's proven track record.