Templates
Reusable templates reduce preparation time and ensure consistent field placement for consent forms, investigator agreements, and protocol amendments across studies.
Life sciences teams must balance compliance, speed, and cost; comparing signNow and Close CRM helps teams choose a combination of eSignature and CRM that meets regulatory documentation needs while controlling licensing and integration expenses.
Manages study documentation, approvals, and compliance workflows; requires reliable audit trails, role-based access, and integration with the CRM to link signed documents to study records and participant files.
Coordinates participant consent and case report forms; needs mobile signing, clear retention policies, and easy retrieval of signed documents for inspections and monitoring.
Operational and clinical teams adopt combined eSignature and CRM workflows to accelerate approvals, track consent, and centralize records without sacrificing compliance.
Cross-functional use reduces manual handoffs and provides a single reference for audit evidence across study, commercial, and clinical operations.
Reusable templates reduce preparation time and ensure consistent field placement for consent forms, investigator agreements, and protocol amendments across studies.
Options include email verification, SMS codes, and compatible SSO that help align signer identity checks with institutional policies and regulatory requirements.
Detailed event logs capture time-stamped actions, IP addresses, and signature events needed for inspections and legal recordkeeping.
Bulk Send enables distributing identical documents to many recipients while maintaining individualized audit records and signature evidence.
Native or API-driven connectors link signed documents to Close CRM records, cloud storage, and clinical document repositories for centralized access.
Configurable retention and export capabilities support records retention schedules required by regulatory bodies and internal policies.
Connector options vary from simple file attachments to API-based two-way syncing; deeper integrations reduce manual steps but may require developer time and higher-tier plans from either vendor.
Template creation from Google Docs streamlines document authoring and keeps version control with familiar editing tools while enabling quick sends for signature.
Automatic archiving to Dropbox or other cloud providers provides redundant backups and aligns with organizational document retention strategies.
Field validation, conditional logic, and prefilled fields reduce signer errors and speed approvals, lowering downstream operational costs and review cycles.
| Feature | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Reminder Frequency | 48 hours |
| Signer Authentication Method | Email + SMS |
| Document Storage Location | Cloud folder |
| Signature Certificate Retention | Permanent |
| Integration Sync Interval | Real-time |
signNow and Close CRM both support modern browsers and provide mobile clients that accommodate signing and CRM access on common devices.
Validate device policies, browser versions, and mobile OS requirements against institutional IT policies before wide deployment to ensure compatibility and security.
A clinical site needed an auditable way to capture participant consent and attach signed forms to study records
Resulting in clearer inspections and faster study start-up documentation readiness.
A market access team used Close CRM for deal tracking and contact follow-up
Leading to fewer lost contracts and improved sales compliance documentation.
| Feature | signNow (Recommended) | Close CRM |
|---|---|---|
| Legally binding eSignatures (US standards) | Limited | |
| HIPAA support and controls | Configurable | No native support |
| API for automated document workflows | Yes, robust | Yes, CRM-focused |
| Bulk Send for mass documents |
Map to study and regulatory timelines
Schedule periodic exports to GxP storage
PDF/A and signed PDFs
Annual permission audits recommended
Follow documented retention rules
| Tier | signNow (Recommended) | Close CRM | Billing Model | Suitable For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level plan | Basic eSignature seat with templates | CRM starter seat with lead management | Per-user monthly | Small teams and startups |
| Mid-tier plan | Advanced signing, Bulk Send, and integrations | Automation and reporting features enabled | Per-user monthly | Growing teams with integrations |
| Enterprise plan | SAML SSO, advanced security, dedicated support | Enterprise CRM features and API limits | Custom billing | Large orgs and regulated deployments |
| Per-user billing specifics | SignNow charges per eSignature seat, volume discounts possible | Close charges per CRM user with tiered features | Per-user | Teams mixing roles |
| Support and onboarding | Standard to premium support tiers, paid onboarding available | Onboarding and success plans at higher tiers | Add-on fees | Regulated implementations |