Can an IO be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures on IOs are enforceable under the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and state UETA statutes where adopted; ensure the record meets the four ESIGN elements: intent, consent, attribution, and retention reproducibility.

Who should sign the IO?

An authorized representative of the advertiser or agency and an authorized representative of the publisher should sign. Authority to bind an entity should be established in internal delegation records or corporate resolution to avoid contract disputes.

How do I amend an executed IO?

Issue a written amendment or replacement IO signed by the same authorizing parties. For minor changes, attach a signed addendum referencing the original IO number; for material changes, create a new IO to avoid ambiguity.

What if creative specs change after signing?

Document the change in a signed addendum that lists the modified specifications and effective dates. Without a signed amendment, the publisher may not be contractually obligated to accept new creative or altered delivery expectations.

How long should I keep executed IOs?

Retain executed IOs for the campaign term plus several years depending on audit and tax needs; federal tax records generally require a minimum three‑year retention (IRC §6501(a)), and HIPAA imposes six years for covered health information (45 CFR §164.530(j)).

What if a signer disputes their signature?

Preserve the audit trail (timestamps, IP addresses, authentication steps) and any email consent records. An audit trail showing intent and attribution strengthens enforceability under ESIGN; consider legal counsel if a dispute escalates.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Advertising Insertion Order Form

Advertising Insertion Order Form

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

ADVERTISING INSERTION ORDER

Recitals

WHEREAS, Advertiser Name: is a party seeking to purchase advertising inventory; and

WHEREAS, Publisher Name: operates the advertising medium and agrees to sell space or impressions to Advertiser under the terms set forth in this Insertion Order; and

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows.

Insertion Order Details

Insertion Order Number Campaign Name

Advertiser Contact

Publisher Contact

Advertiser Billing Address Publisher Billing Address

Scope of Work

The Publisher shall provide advertising placement(s) as described below in accordance with the schedule, creative specifications, and delivery requirements set forth in this Insertion Order. Publisher's obligations are limited to insertion of creative assets supplied by Advertiser and compliance with the placement and reporting obligations below.

Placement Description and Specifications Ad Sizes / Creative Formats

Run Start Date:

Run End Date:

Material Delivery Deadline:

Rates, Payment and Billing

Advertiser agrees to pay Publisher the sums specified below for the placement of advertising. All fees are non-refundable except as expressly provided in this Insertion Order.

Number of Impressions/Units:

Rate per Unit:

Gross Amount:

Payment Schedule and Terms

Late Payment Fee: . If payment is not received by the due date, Publisher may suspend delivery and charge the stated late fee on overdue balances.

Billing Contact / PO Number

Materials, Cancellation and Makegoods

Advertiser is responsible for providing all creative materials in the required formats and by the Material Delivery Deadline. Publisher is not liable for failures caused by late or non-conforming materials.

Cancellation: Either party may cancel this Insertion Order by providing written notice to the other party at least days prior to the scheduled Run Start Date. Advertiser remains liable for any non-recoverable costs incurred by Publisher prior to cancellation.

Makegoods: Publisher will provide reasonable makegood placements for material Publisher errors within the run period. Makegoods do not extend the Run End Date unless expressly agreed in writing.

Term and Termination

Term Start Date: Term End Date:

Either party may terminate this Insertion Order for material breach of its terms, provided that the non-breaching party gives written notice and a cure period of days. Termination for convenience by Advertiser prior to the run start is subject to cancellation provisions above.

Confidentiality

Each party shall keep confidential all non-public terms, pricing, performance data, and creative materials provided in connection with this Insertion Order. Confidential information shall not be disclosed to any third party except as required by law or as necessary to perform the obligations hereunder, and then only under a duty of confidentiality no less protective than this clause. Confidential obligations survive termination for a period of two (2) years.

Representations and Indemnification

Each party represents that it has full authority to enter into this Insertion Order. Advertiser shall indemnify and hold Publisher harmless from claims arising out of Advertiser's materials, including but not limited to claims of trademark, copyright, or defamation, except to the extent such claims arise from Publisher's gross negligence or willful misconduct.

Governing Law

This Insertion Order and any disputes arising under it shall be governed by the laws of: , excluding conflict of law rules.

Entire Agreement

This Insertion Order, together with any incorporated schedules or insertion order terms, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements, negotiations, and communications. Any amendment must be in writing and signed by both parties.

Acceptance and Authorization

The undersigned represent and warrant they are authorized to bind the party for whom they sign. By signing below, Advertiser and Publisher agree to the terms of this Insertion Order.

Advertiser - Print Name:

By:

Date:

Publisher - Print Name:

By:

Date:

What an Advertising Insertion Order Form Is

An Advertising Insertion Order Form (IO) is a contractual document that records the agreement between an advertiser (or advertising agency) and a media publisher or platform. It specifies campaign identifiers, creative specs, placement details, schedule and flight dates, unit counts or impressions, pricing and discounts, payment terms, cancellation rules, and performance KPIs. The IO functions as the media buy authorization and billing basis; signed IOs create a dated record of consent and acceptance. Many organizations capture IO approvals electronically using secure eSignature platforms such as signNow to retain audit trails consistent with ESIGN and state e-signature laws.

Why a Clear IO Matters for Campaigns

A well-prepared IO reduces disputes by documenting scope, delivery expectations, and payment obligations; assigns responsibility for creative delivery and approvals; and preserves an auditable record for financial, legal, and compliance reviews under ESIGN and UETA.

Stepwise process to complete and approve an IO

Follow these sequential steps to prepare, approve, and execute a compliant insertion order.

01

Gather assets: Collect creative specs, rates, and PO references.
02

Populate IO: Complete all required fields and attach specs.
03

Internal approval: Obtain agency or advertiser signoff before sending.
04

Execute signature: Send for signatures and archive executed copy.

How an IO moves from draft to executed

A typical IO workflow involves creation, review, signature, and distribution; track each stage for reconciliation and compliance.

Create draft: Author prepares IO with campaign details.
Agency review: Agency and advertiser confirm terms.
Publisher acceptance: Publisher reviews inventory and confirms delivery.
Sign and archive: Final signatories execute and retain record.

Common workflow settings for electronic IOs

Configure your digital workflow to enforce required fields, signer order, and authentication to reduce manual follow-up.

Field	Configuration
Authentication	Email link or SMS code; consider stronger KBA for high-value buys.
Signature type	Electronic signature with audit trail; consider PKI for regulated records.
Template fields	Lock required fields and use conditional logic for optional addenda.
Delivery method	Send signed PDF to all parties and to finance systems.

Technical considerations for sharing and submitting IOs

Choose file formats, integrations, and signer authentication to match internal systems and publisher requirements.

File formats: PDF, DOCX, HTML supported
Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Google Workspace
Authentication options: Email, SMS code, SSO

Ensure the platform you use can export ISO‑compliant signed PDFs, deliver copies to CRM or billing systems, and integrate with your finance and ad-ops stack for automated reconciliation.

Essential fields every professional IO should include

Advertiser Name: Full legal entity name

Agency Contact: Name, phone, and email

IO Number: Unique internal reference

Campaign Dates: Start and end dates

Ad Units and Rates: Placements, sizes, CPM/CPC

Billing Instructions: Invoice recipient and PO

Penalties and risks from incorrect or unsigned IOs

Late or missing IO: Delayed delivery or lost spots

Unsigned IO: Enforceability disputes possible

Incorrect billing info: Payment delays and reconciliation errors

Spec mismatch: Creative rejected; makegoods required

Regulatory breach: FTC or industry fines risk

Tax reporting issues: Incorrect 1099 records

Frequent mistakes when preparing an IO

Using ambiguous delivery metrics (for example, stating 'deliver best efforts' without defining impressions, clicks, or viewability) leads to disagreement on fulfillment and makes reconciliation difficult for finance and ad-ops teams.
Failing to attach creative specifications or file names causes publishers to reject creative on upload, which delays campaign start dates and may trigger credit or makegood negotiations.
Entering inconsistent dates or omitting the timezone (for example, leaving out daylight saving adjustments) can shift flight windows and produce missed placements or billing errors.
Neglecting to include purchase order references or billing contact details prevents automated invoice matching and often results in delayed payments or additional inquiries.

Practical tips for accurate, efficient IO completion

Adopt consistent templates, require mandatory fields, and standardize approvals to reduce cycle time and billing friction.

Require a single canonical IO template

Use one standardized insertion order template across all campaigns. Standard templates should include locked required fields for IO number, campaign dates, billing recipient, and creative attachments. A canonical template reduces errors and supports automated import into ad-ops and billing systems, lowering reconciliation time and reducing manual data entry.

Enforce signer order and verification

Set the signing workflow so that the advertiser or agency signs before the publisher accepts. Use email or SMS verification for low-risk buys and stronger authentication for high-value contracts. Clear signer order prevents circular approvals and documents who accepted pricing and liability.

Attach technical spec sheets

Append a technical specifications exhibit for each placement, including accepted file types, pixel dimensions, max file size, click-through requirements, and third-party tracking tags. Publishers can then validate creative automatically and reduce rejections that delay flights.

Keep a consolidated archive for audits

Store executed IOs, creative approvals, insertion reports, and invoices together in a searchable archive. Consolidated records make internal and external audits faster and support tax and regulatory requests without manual retrieval.

eSignature vendor pricing reference for IO execution

Compare basic vendor pricing and high-level feature availability for executing and storing insertion orders; signNow is listed first per platform ordering conventions.

	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-day free trial, no credit card	Varies by vendor; verify	Varies by vendor; verify	Varies by vendor; verify	Varies by vendor; verify
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

Common questions about using an IO and eSignatures

Answers to frequent questions about execution, revisions, legal validity, and recordkeeping for insertion orders.

Need help? Contact support

Can an IO be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures on IOs are enforceable under the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and state UETA statutes where adopted; ensure the record meets the four ESIGN elements: intent, consent, attribution, and retention reproducibility.
Who should sign the IO?
An authorized representative of the advertiser or agency and an authorized representative of the publisher should sign. Authority to bind an entity should be established in internal delegation records or corporate resolution to avoid contract disputes.
How do I amend an executed IO?
Issue a written amendment or replacement IO signed by the same authorizing parties. For minor changes, attach a signed addendum referencing the original IO number; for material changes, create a new IO to avoid ambiguity.
What if creative specs change after signing?
Document the change in a signed addendum that lists the modified specifications and effective dates. Without a signed amendment, the publisher may not be contractually obligated to accept new creative or altered delivery expectations.
How long should I keep executed IOs?
Retain executed IOs for the campaign term plus several years depending on audit and tax needs; federal tax records generally require a minimum three‑year retention (IRC §6501(a)), and HIPAA imposes six years for covered health information (45 CFR §164.530(j)).
What if a signer disputes their signature?
Preserve the audit trail (timestamps, IP addresses, authentication steps) and any email consent records. An audit trail showing intent and attribution strengthens enforceability under ESIGN; consider legal counsel if a dispute escalates.

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