What to Include in a Contract for Secure eSignatures

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What to include in a contract

What to include in a contract is the set of terms, obligations, and supporting details that define each party’s rights and responsibilities. In U.S. business use, a contract usually covers the parties, scope of work, payment terms, deadlines, signatures, and any required notices or compliance language. With signNow, teams can prepare, send, sign, and store these agreements electronically while keeping a clear record of who signed, when they signed, and what version they approved.

Why contract contents matter

Clear contract terms reduce disputes, speed approvals, and support consistent execution across teams. Under ESIGN and UETA, properly attributed electronic signatures and records can be legally enforceable, provided consent, intent, and record integrity are preserved.

Why teams look for DocuSign alternatives

Frequent contract drafting issues

Missing scope details can create disagreements about deliverables, timing, and acceptance criteria.
Unclear payment terms often lead to late invoices, billing disputes, and collection delays.
Weak signature records can make it harder to prove who signed and when.
Omitting compliance language may create problems in healthcare, education, finance, or real estate workflows.

Business contracts

Used for lease agreements, service contracts, purchase orders, and approvals that need a clear signing record.

Regulated records

Used for patient forms, student records, and regulated documents that require consent and auditability.

People who benefit most

Real estate operations teams use signNow to send lease packets, rental applications, and closing documents that need fast turnaround and a clear audit trail across office and mobile workflows.
Healthcare administrators use signNow for patient intake, consent forms, and internal approvals where HIPAA-aligned handling, signer identification, and document history matter for daily operations.

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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.

Structured terms

Build complete agreements with fields for parties, dates, payment terms, and signatures, so key obligations stay visible and easy to review before sending.

Audit trail

Track every action in a tamper-evident record that shows document views, signer activity, and completion details for later review.

Templates

Reuse approved contract layouts to keep language consistent across teams, locations, and recurring transactions.

Mobile signing

Collect signatures on desktop or mobile without changing the legal record, which helps remote teams finish agreements faster.

Signing order

Route contracts in the right order so each reviewer or signer receives the document at the correct stage.

Document storage

Store signed files in one place so teams can retrieve executed contracts without searching through email threads.

Connected systems for contract workflows

Connected systems move contract data into the tools teams already use, reducing reentry, delays, and version confusion across departments.

How the workflow moves

The contract workflow follows a simple sequence from preparation to storage, with each step captured in the record.

Prepare: Add contract details and required signers.
Route: Send the document to the right parties.
Sign: Collect signatures and record activity.
Archive: Store the completed agreement for later use.

Quick steps to build a contract

Use a short drafting sequence to make the agreement easier to review, sign, and store.

Identify parties:
List the parties and their legal names.
Set obligations:
Define the scope, deliverables, and deadlines.
Cover terms:
Add payment, renewal, and termination terms.
Finalize signing:
Insert signature fields and send for review.

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

Platform and device support

signNow works across major browsers and mobile devices, with secure transport and app-based signing on iOS and Android.

Desktop browsers Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari current versions.
Operating systems Windows 11, macOS, iOS, and Android supported.
Mobile access signNow mobile apps on iOS and Android.

For regulated deployments, confirm browser policy, device management, and retention controls before rollout. Enterprise teams often pair browser access with SSO, API access, and managed mobile devices to keep signing consistent across departments and locations.

Security and compliance controls

Encryption:

TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

Storage protection:

AES-256 at rest

Security report:

SOC 2 Type II available

Management system:

ISO 27001 certified

Healthcare compliance:

HIPAA support with BAA

EU compliance:

eIDAS and GDPR aligned

Operations workflow

A Xerox operations leader needed flexible routing for documents tied to NetSuite workflows and multiple signature formats.

Right signatures on the right documents
NetSuite integration kept records aligned

The team could match document routing to business rules while keeping the signing record organized and easier to audit across systems.

Healthcare intake

A fertility care founder needed responsive API support for patient-facing forms and internal approvals with strong document handling.

API support simplified form handling
Patient records stayed easier to manage

The workflow supported faster document turnaround while preserving a clearer record of consent, approvals, and completed forms in a regulated setting.

Practical drafting habits

Good contract drafting keeps the agreement readable, enforceable, and easier to sign electronically across teams and devices.

Verify party names and authority

Use the exact legal names of all parties, and confirm signer authority before sending. This reduces ambiguity if the agreement is reviewed later or used as evidence in a dispute.

Define scope clearly

Write scope and deliverables in plain language, then attach exhibits or schedules when the work is detailed. Clear definitions make it easier to measure performance and avoid later disagreements.

Place key terms in the contract

State payment timing, renewal terms, and termination rights in the body of the contract. Put key dates where signers can see them before approval, not in separate email threads.

Maintain controlled templates

Keep a versioned template library for recurring agreements, and review it after policy, pricing, or compliance changes. That helps teams avoid outdated clauses and inconsistent language across departments.

FAQ about contract contents

These answers focus on plan features, compliance needs, and record handling that matter when contracts are signed electronically.

signNow Business includes legally binding eSignatures, audit trails, templates, and mobile apps. If a contract needs HIPAA handling, use a BAA and keep signed records encrypted at rest.

signNow Business Premium adds bulk send, while Enterprise adds advanced signer authentication and formula fields. Choose the plan that matches the document volume and control level you need.

For HIPAA workflows, signNow supports BAA-based handling of PHI. Keep unique user identification, access controls, and audit controls enabled to align with 45 CFR §164.312.

If a signer disputes a document, the audit trail helps show identity, timestamps, and document activity. That record supports ESIGN and UETA attribution when the signing process is reviewed.

For FDA-regulated records, use validation, secure audit trails, and unique signer credentials. 21 CFR Part 11 also expects two-component signatures for many electronic signature workflows.

If a document must be retained for healthcare records, keep it for 6 years under HIPAA 45 CFR §164.530(j)(2). signNow storage and export tools help preserve the file history.

Recommended	DocuSign	Adobe Acrobat Sign	PandaDoc
ESIGN and UETA	Yes	Yes	Yes
Audit trail	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mobile signing	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA support	Yes	Yes	Yes
Envelope cap	No cap	100/year	Not verified

Day 0:

Set up the workspace and document templates.

Day 1:

Send the first contract for signature.

Week 1:

Onboard the full team and review routing rules.

7-day trial:

Free trial ends after 7 days.

HIPAA retention:

Keep signed PHI records for 6 years.

ESIGN consent:

Capture electronic consent before first send.

UETA adoption:

Available in 49 states plus D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Post-sign storage:

Export completed PDFs for internal retention policy.

Risks of incomplete contract terms

Unclear scope

Contract terms may be disputed.

Weak audit trail

Signature attribution may weaken.

Missing BAA

HIPAA records may fail review.

Poor record integrity

Evidence may be challenged in court.

Authenticate signer:

Verify signer identity before the record is sealed.

Capture timestamps:

Record UTC timestamps for each signing event.

Create hash:

Hash the document after each completed action.

Seal record:

Apply a tamper-evident seal to the final PDF.

Bind evidence:

Store the audit log with the signed file.

Retrieve audit trail:

Export the trail for review or litigation support.

	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	Not verified	Yes	Not verified
Audit trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA compliance	BAA required	BAA available	BAA available	Not verified	Not verified

28M+Documents signed

13+Years in business

4.6/5Average G2 rating