How to Put a Signature on a Document with signNow

Award-winning eSignature solution

What it means to put a signature on a document

Putting a signature on a document means attaching a person’s electronic signature to a record so they can show intent to sign and approve its contents. In practice, the signer reviews the document, confirms identity, and applies a signature through a browser, mobile app, or signing link. The system then records the action, time, and document state. In the U.S., this process is generally supported by ESIGN and UETA when consent, attribution, and record retention requirements are met.

Why electronic signing matters in the U.S.

It reduces paper handling, speeds approvals, and creates a record that can support enforceability under ESIGN and UETA when the signer’s intent and attribution are clear.

Why teams look for DocuSign alternatives

Common signing pain points

Signers may abandon the process when the document is hard to open, review, or complete on mobile.
Weak identity checks can make it harder to attribute the signature to the correct person later.
Missing audit details can leave gaps in evidence about who signed, when they signed, and what changed.
Poor retention practices can make signed records difficult to retrieve during disputes, audits, or compliance reviews.

Real estate

Real estate teams use it for lease agreements, rental applications, and closing documents.

Healthcare

Healthcare teams use it for intake forms, consent forms, and HIPAA workflows.

Real users and workflows

A director of NetSuite operations at Xerox uses signNow to route the right signatures on the right documents in the right formats through a NetSuite-connected workflow. That matters when approvals depend on document type, department, or transaction stage, and when teams need consistent execution across internal and external processes.
A founder at Martin Properties uses signNow to execute documents online with compliance and built-in security, including mobile and offline signing. That fits property teams that need lease and transaction documents signed quickly without in-person meetings, while still keeping a clear record for review and retention.

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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.

Mobile signing

Reviewers can sign on desktop or mobile, which helps reduce delays when people are away from a desk.

Templates

Templates keep repeated documents consistent, so teams can prepare the same forms with fewer manual edits.

Audit trail

Audit trails record signer actions and timestamps, which helps support internal review and dispute evidence.

Routing

Role-based routing sends documents in order, which is useful when approvals must happen step by step.

Signing links

Reusable links let teams send the same document flow to different recipients without rebuilding the process.

Unlimited users

Unlimited users on paid plans help larger teams add signers and reviewers without extra seat planning.

Connected systems for signing workflows

Connected systems move documents, signer data, and completed files between the tools teams already use.

How the signing process works

The flow is simple: review, verify, sign, and store the record with supporting evidence.

Open document: The signer opens the document and reviews the requested fields.
Verify identity: Identity checks confirm the signer before the signature is accepted.
Apply signature: The signature is applied and linked to the document record.
Record evidence: The system stores timestamps and history for later review.

Quick steps to get a signature

Use a short workflow to prepare, send, and complete a signed document without extra manual steps.

Prepare file:
Upload the document and add signature fields.
Set order:
Choose who needs to sign first.
Send request:
Send the signing request by email or link.
Finish and save:
Track completion and download the signed copy.

Setting	Recommendation
Authentication method	SMS OTP
Signature type	Electronic signature
Audit trail	Enabled for every signing event
Document retention	6 years for HIPAA records
Encryption	TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit, AES-256 at rest

Browser and device requirements

signNow works in modern browsers and mobile apps, so users can sign from office desktops, laptops, phones, and tablets.

Desktop browsers Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge on Windows and macOS.
Mobile devices iOS and Android apps for mobile signing.
Connection security TLS 1.2 or later required for secure access.

For enterprise use, managed devices, SSO, and API access help standardize access across teams. Regulated deployments may also require retention controls, certificate handling, and documented authentication policies.

Security and compliance snapshot

Transport security:

TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

Data encryption:

AES-256 at rest

Control assurance:

SOC 2 Type II available

Security management:

ISO 27001 certified

Healthcare compliance:

HIPAA support with BAA

Signature legality:

ESIGN and UETA aligned

NetSuite operations

A NetSuite operations leader needed the right signatures on the right documents in the right formats.

Xerox used signNow with NetSuite integration.

The workflow helped route documents by format and approval path, which reduced manual sorting and supported more consistent execution across internal and external transactions.

Real estate founder

A property founder needed online execution for leases and related forms without losing control of compliance.

Martin Properties signed documents online.
Mobile and offline signing mattered.

The process supported faster turnaround for property documents while keeping a clear record for compliance review, which is useful when parties are not in the same location.

Best practices for signing documents

A good workflow keeps signing simple for users while preserving the evidence and controls needed for review, retention, and compliance.

Match approval order

Use a signer order that matches your approval process, especially when legal, finance, or operations review comes first.

Keep fields minimal

Add only the fields each signer needs, because extra fields slow completion and increase errors on mobile devices.

Set retention rules

Store completed files in a retention policy that matches your industry rules, such as HIPAA or financial recordkeeping.

Choose the right authentication

Use authentication that fits the document risk, such as SMS OTP for routine approvals or stronger verification for sensitive records.

FAQ about signing documents

These answers focus on access, compliance, plan limits, and recordkeeping issues that affect signing workflows in U.S. environments.

If a signer says the document won’t open, check browser support in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge, then resend the link. signNow mobile apps also help when desktop access is limited.

If HIPAA records are involved, use a signNow workflow with a BAA and keep signed records for 6 years under 45 CFR 164.530(j)(2). HIPAA also requires audit controls and unique user identification.

If you need stronger proof of identity, use SMS OTP or ID verification instead of weaker methods. signNow supports authentication controls that help support ESIGN and UETA attribution requirements.

If the audit trail looks incomplete, confirm that the workflow captured signer name, timestamp, and document history. signNow audit records help preserve the evidence needed for disputes and internal review.

If your team needs bulk sending or advanced routing, check the Business Premium or Enterprise plan. Business includes core eSignatures, while higher tiers add bulk send and advanced authentication options.

If a signed file must be retained for regulated review, export the completed PDF and store it under your policy. For FDA-regulated records, 21 CFR Part 11 requires secure audit trails and validated systems.

signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	HelloSign
ESIGN and UETA	Yes	Yes	Yes
Audit trail	Yes	Yes	Yes
Signer authentication	SMS OTP	SMS OTP	SMS OTP
Starting price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo
Envelope cap	No cap	100 envelopes/year	Not verified

Setup day:

Create the workflow, add fields, and set signer order.

First send:

Send the first document after testing the signing link.

Team onboarding:

Train reviewers and senders during the first week.

Free trial:

7-day free trial, no credit card required.

HIPAA retention:

6 years from creation or last effective date, whichever is later.

Business plan:

$8/user/month billed annually.

Enterprise rollout:

Advanced authentication and integrations are available on higher tiers.

Regulated records:

Use policy-based retention for FDA, HIPAA, and financial records.

Risks of improper signing

Weak attribution

Document may be harder to enforce.

Missing audit trail

Audit evidence may be challenged.

Recordkeeping gap

Retention failure may trigger findings.

BAA missing

HIPAA records may be noncompliant.

Authenticate signer:

Verify the signer through the selected authentication method.

Record timestamp:

Capture the signing time in UTC.

Create document hash:

Hash the document before and after signing.

Seal record:

Apply a tamper-evident seal to the final file.

Write audit events:

Log signer activity and document events.

Retrieve audit trail:

Export the audit trail 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 days	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified
Bulk send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Not verified
Audit trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA compliance	BAA available	BAA available	BAA available	Not verified	Not verified

28M+Documents signed

13+Years in business

4.6/5Average G2 rating