Electronic Signature Policy and Procedure for SignNow
Award-winning eSignature solution
What electronic signature policy and procedure is
Electronic signature policy and procedure is the set of rules, roles, and steps an organization uses to send, sign, store, and prove signed electronic records. It defines who can sign, what authentication is required, how consent is captured, what audit trail data is kept, and how long records are retained. In the U.S., it helps teams follow ESIGN and UETA while keeping workflows consistent, defensible, and easier to manage across departments, vendors, and regulated document types.
Why this policy matters
Electronic signature policy and procedure helps organizations standardize consent, attribution, and record retention. Under ESIGN and UETA, an electronic signature can be legally enforceable when the signer intends to sign and the record is retained with reliable evidence.
Recommended policy setup
Choose settings that match transaction risk, retention rules, and the evidence you may need to preserve later.
| Setting | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Authentication method | Two-factor authentication |
| Signature type | SES with audit trail |
| Audit trail | Enable full event logging |
| Document retention | 6 years for HIPAA records |
| Encryption | TLS 1.2/1.3 and AES-256 |
Quick steps for policy setup
Use a simple rollout sequence to align signers, administrators, records, and compliance controls before sending electronic signature requests.
Define scope:
Map the signing process, required approvals, and retention rules before rollout. Set access:
Choose authentication that matches risk, records, and industry obligations. Configure records:
Add audit trail controls and retention dates to every workflow. Onboard teams:
Train senders to use approved templates, reminders, and signer guidance.
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How the workflow moves
The workflow moves from document preparation to delivery, signing, and archival in a clear sequence.
Prepare: Create the document and define the required fields. Deliver: Send the request to the intended signer. Sign: The signer reviews, signs, and completes consent. Archive: Store the completed file with its audit trail.
What the audit trail records
An audit trail shows how each signature event was verified, time-stamped, sealed, and preserved for later review.
Signer authentication:
Timestamp capture:
Document hashing:
Tamper-evident sealing:
Event history:
Audit export:
Security and data protection
Encryption in transit:
Encryption at rest:
SOC 2 Type II:
ISO 27001:
HIPAA support:
EU privacy standards:
Privacy and disclosure pitfalls
Personal data can remain visible in attachments, comments, or merged fields after the document is shared outside the intended audience. Consent records can be incomplete when electronic delivery preference and signer agreement are not captured before sending. Access control mistakes can expose signing links, completed files, or audit trails to unauthorized users. Template reuse can carry forward outdated disclosures, retention language, or approval steps into new transactions.
Risks of poor execution
Consent gap
Signer dispute
Evidence gap
Invalid execution
Audit failure
Record-keeping and retention best practices
Retention rules matter most when records need to stay searchable, defensible, and tied to the original signing event.
Keep signed records and audit trails together
Export audit trails for every completed document
Tag records by retention rule
Archive finalized files in secured storage
Pricing and plan features
Verified pricing and feature notes help compare signNow with leading vendors for policy, signer control, and compliance planning.
| Features | SignNow | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc | HelloSign |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $8/user/mo, Business annual | $15/user/mo, entry tier | $14/user/mo, entry tier | $19/user/mo, entry tier | $15/user/mo, entry tier |
| Free trial | 7 days, no card | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
| Bulk send | Business Premium only | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
| Audit trail | Included on paid plans | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA compliance | BAA required | BAA available | BAA available | Not verified | Not verified |
Feature comparison across vendors
A short vendor check table helps compare policy controls, signing features, and compliance support across leading eSignature tools.
| SignNow | DocuSign | Adobe Acrobat Sign | PandaDoc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audit trail included | Recommended | Yes | Yes |
| Bulk send available | Recommended | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA support | Recommended | Yes | Yes |
| Envelope cap disclosed | Recommended | No | No |
Processing timeframes
This timeline shows the main signing stages from preparation through archival without repeating policy or retention rules.
Document preparation
Delivery to signers
Signer turnaround
Completion and archival
Retention schedule for signed records
Different record classes can follow different legal retention schedules, so map each document type to the right rule before archiving.
6 years for HIPAA records
IRS record retention
6 years for FINRA records
SEC recordkeeping
FERPA record access
Rollout and retention timeline
Use one timeline to track rollout milestones, trial timing, and record-retention obligations together.
Week 1:
Week 2:
Week 3:
7-day trial:
HIPAA records:
IRS records:
FINRA records:
Archive review:
Business types that benefit most
Different organizations use eSignature workflows in different ways, but the same policy foundations help each team stay organized and auditable.
Solo legal practices can send NDAs, engagement letters, and intake forms quickly while preserving a clear record of consent, identity, and completion for later reference. Mid-sized healthcare groups can route patient forms and authorizations with HIPAA-aware controls, BAA coverage, and role-based sending for front desk and clinical staff. Enterprise operations teams can manage high-volume approvals, shared templates, and delegated sends across departments, with centralized permissions and a consistent audit trail for every transaction.
These tasks are executed by both individual contributors and centralized administrators depending on organizational policy and required controls.
Document types and audiences
Business documents
Contracts, NDAs, invoice approvals, and consent forms move faster when teams need signed records with clear consent and searchable completion history.
HR and onboarding
HR teams use eSignature workflows for offer letters, onboarding forms, policy acknowledgments, and benefits paperwork across distributed workforces.
FAQ and troubleshooting
These answers focus on signNow features and U.S. compliance requirements that affect attribution, storage, and signer control.
If you need HIPAA-ready signing, use a plan that supports BAA coverage, encrypted storage, and audit trails. signNow’s compliance set includes HIPAA support, but the BAA must be in place before PHI is processed.
If your document needs stronger signer assurance, use two-factor authentication or ID verification instead of email-only approval. signNow supports secure workflows aligned with ESIGN, UETA, and higher-assurance controls where needed.
If a completed file is missing activity history, confirm the workflow used a plan with audit trail logging and that the file was not exported without its record package. Audit details are central for legal defensibility.
If bulk sending is unavailable, check whether the account is on Business Premium or a higher plan. signNow lists bulk send in Business Premium, while the Business plan focuses on core signing and templates.
If a recipient cannot open a signing request, verify the link was sent to the correct email and that the document is still active. Completed or declined requests can no longer be signed.
If you need records to satisfy a regulated workflow, confirm retention settings match the rule, such as HIPAA’s 6-year requirement or your organization’s IRS and FINRA schedules. Retention must be set intentionally.
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