Make Your Digital Signature with SignNow
Award-winning eSignature solution
What make your digital signature means
Make your digital signature means creating a legally recognized electronic signing process for U.S. documents with SignNow. It lets a signer review a file, confirm intent, and apply a signature from a browser or mobile device. The system records timestamps, signer activity, and document history so the signed record can be stored, reviewed, and used as evidence under ESIGN and UETA.
Why it matters for U.S. business
Make your digital signature helps teams replace paper routing with a signed electronic record that is easier to track, store, and retrieve. Under ESIGN and UETA, it can support enforceable business transactions when intent, consent, and attribution are documented in the audit trail and related records.
Core signing features
The main value of SignNow comes from faster routing, controlled access, and records that are easier to verify later.
Templates
Create repeatable signing paths that keep documents moving in the right order. Templates reduce setup time and help teams standardize fields, signer roles, and approvals across recurring agreements, forms, and consent records.
Cross-device signing
Collect signatures from desktop and mobile devices without changing the document format. Signers can review, sign, and return files across browsers and apps while completed records stay tied to the same workflow.
Audit trail
Record signer activity, timestamps, and document changes in a tamper-evident history. The audit trail supports ESIGN and UETA evidence needs and gives teams a clearer record for review, audits, or disputes.
Routing controls
Use controlled routing so documents reach the right signer or reviewer in the correct sequence. This helps departments manage approvals, reduce misdirected documents, and maintain a clear record of who handled each step.
Retention control
Store completed documents with retention rules that match industry requirements. HIPAA, FINRA, and IRS-related records may require different retention periods, so policy settings should reflect the governing rule for the file type.
Integrations
Connect signing workflows with business systems such as Salesforce, NetSuite, Google Workspace, Box, and Procore. Integrations reduce re-entry, keep records aligned, and move documents into existing operational and storage processes.
Best ROI. Our customers achieve an average 7x ROI within the first six months.
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Intuitive UI and API. Sign and send documents from your apps in minutes.
How SignNow works
The signing flow is straightforward: prepare the file, send it, collect the signature, and store the finished record for later review.
Prepare: A sender uploads a document and prepares fields. Deliver: The signer receives the request and reviews the file. Sign: The signer confirms identity and applies the signature. Archive: SignNow stores the finished record with the audit trail.
Security and compliance basics
Encryption:
Storage protection:
Security report:
Information security:
Privacy framework:
Healthcare records:
Recommended workflow settings
A practical setup uses stronger authentication, a clear signature record, and retention rules that match the document category.
| Setting | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Authentication method | SMS OTP |
| Signature type | SES with audit trail |
| Audit trail | Enable by default |
| Document retention | 6 years for HIPAA records |
| Encryption | TLS 1.2/1.3 and AES-256 |
Document retention rules for signed records
Signed records should follow the governing industry rule, because retention periods vary by document type and legal framework.
PHI records retention
Financial records retention
Tax records retention
Broker-dealer records retention
General signed agreements
Documents and audiences
Real estate
Real estate teams send leases, rental applications, and closing forms to tenants and buyers who need a simple signing path on desktop or mobile devices.
Healthcare
Healthcare offices complete consent forms, patient intake, and treatment acknowledgments for patients while protecting PHI and keeping record handling aligned with HIPAA workflows.
Business types that benefit most
Different organizations use SignNow for different document volumes, compliance needs, and approval structures, but the core signing workflow stays the same.
Solo professionals and small firms use SignNow to send contracts, NDAs, invoices, and consent forms without adding heavy admin overhead. They benefit from simple templates, mobile signing, and controlled access for a small team. Mid-market operations teams use SignNow to route HR forms, approvals, and service agreements across departments. They need reusable workflows, integration with business systems, and clear audit trails for recurring internal or customer-facing records. Large enterprises use SignNow for regulated workflows that require role controls, delegated sending, and broader system integration. These teams often handle high volumes of lease, finance, healthcare, or procurement records with defined retention and oversight requirements.
These tasks are executed by both individual contributors and centralized administrators depending on organizational policy and required controls.
User roles and permissions
Administrators define roles, assign templates, and control delegated sending for regional teams. Shared templates keep recurring approvals standardized, while permission settings limit who can invite signers, edit fields, or manage completed documents. Operations managers use delegated sending to let local staff route documents without changing account ownership. Admin controls keep payment, HR, and compliance templates separated, which supports cleaner oversight and fewer accidental permission changes.
Real-world signing examples
These examples show how SignNow supports routed approvals, mobile access, and secure document handling across different business environments.
Enterprise operations
A NetSuite-connected operations team needed a flexible signing flow across document formats and business units.
- Kodi-Marie Evans, Director of NetSuite Operations at Xerox
- Flexible routing matched the document type and signer order.
The team used SignNow to route the right signatures to the right documents in the right formats. That reduced manual rework and supported structured approvals across connected enterprise systems without changing the underlying compliance process.
Real estate
A property management founder needed to execute lease documents online while keeping mobile and offline access available.
- Tim Martin, Founder of Martin Properties
- Online execution worked across mobile and offline workflows.
SignNow helped the team process leases and related forms online with 100% compliance and built-in security. The workflow kept signers moving on office and mobile devices, which reduced paper handling and delayed handoffs.
Pricing and feature comparison
Pricing here reflects verified annual-entry information and plan notes from the supplied source data, with SignNow listed first.
| Features | 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 | Business Premium | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
| Audit trail | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| HIPAA compliance | BAA required | BAA required | BAA required | Not verified | Not verified |
Risks of poor signature handling
Wrong form type
Missing audit trail
No electronic notice
Shared credentials
Retention gap
Privacy and disclosure pitfalls
Signed PDFs can expose PHI, PII, or account details if teams share completed files without redacting unnecessary fields or restricting download access. Consent records can be lost when teams send documents without clear electronic notice, which weakens the proof that the signer agreed to sign online. Overly broad permissions can let the wrong user view completed forms, edit templates, or resend documents, increasing internal disclosure risk. Incomplete retention plans can leave signed records scattered across inboxes, folders, and exports, making later retrieval hard during audits or disputes.
FAQ and troubleshooting
These questions cover setup limits, compliance requirements, and evidence handling for SignNow workflows.
SignNow Business includes legally binding eSignatures, templates, mobile apps, audit trails, ISO 27001, SOC 2, and GDPR support. If a workflow needs HIPAA, a BAA is required before handling PHI. Business Premium adds bulk send and kiosk mode, while Enterprise adds advanced signer authentication.
The 7-day free trial does not require a credit card, but enterprise controls, SSO, and some compliance add-ons are tied to paid plans. If you need HIPAA workflows or 21 CFR Part 11 controls, verify the selected plan and add-on coverage before rollout.
Completed documents can include an audit trail, timestamps, and signing history that support ESIGN and UETA evidence. For court use, keep the final PDF and audit trail together, and export them before retention windows close or team permissions change.
HIPAA workflows require a signed BAA and controls for unique user identification, access logging, and integrity. SignNow supports HIPAA compliance, but the covered entity must confirm the configured workflow and retention policy match 45 CFR 164.312 and 164.530(j)(2).
For 21 CFR Part 11, use unique credentials, time-stamped audit trails, and documented validation. The regulation also expects secure records, reason for changes where relevant, and account controls that prevent signature reuse across individuals.
If a signer says the signature was not theirs, the audit trail, authentication method, and consent record become the main evidence. Stronger identity checks, such as SMS OTP or ID verification, help support attribution more than basic email delivery alone.
Key performance indicators that demonstrate SignNow's proven track record.