Are electronic signatures legally valid?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally binding under the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and state UETA laws when intent, consent, attribution and record retention are present.

When is notarization still required?

Notarization depends on document type and state law; deeds, some powers of attorney, and other instruments often require acknowledgement or witnesses under state rules.

How do I fix a mistake after signing?

Correcting a fully executed document usually requires a signed amendment or re-execution. Do not alter a signed PDF; instead prepare an amendment and obtain fresh signatures.

What authentication level is appropriate?

Use basic email authentication for low-risk transactions, SMS or KBA for moderate risk, and stronger methods for regulated records or high-value contracts.

Can a signed electronic record be reproduced?

Yes. Retain a reproducible record with an audit trail that shows signer identity, timestamps, and events adequate for evidentiary use under ESIGN/UETA.

Does HIPAA affect eSigning?

For health information, include a BAA and ensure workflows protect PHI; HIPAA requires safeguarding records and retention for six years (45 CFR §164.530(j)).

Business AE Document

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BUSINESS AE DOCUMENT

Parties

Company Name:

Company Address

Account Executive Name:

Account Executive Address

Recitals

WHEREAS, Company is engaged in the business of providing products and services to its clients and desires to retain assistance for development of client relationships and sales activities; and

WHEREAS, Account Executive possesses experience, contacts and expertise in business development and is willing to provide such services to Company on the terms set forth in this Agreement;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency and receipt of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

Scope of Work

Detailed Scope

The Account Executive shall perform the services described above, which may include client outreach, lead qualification, proposal support, and other business development activities as reasonably requested by Company. The Account Executive shall perform services as an independent contractor and shall supply all tools and equipment necessary to perform the services unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Payment Terms

Base Compensation Payment Schedule (describe timing and method) Late Payment Fee

All amounts are payable in U.S. dollars. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, invoices rendered by Account Executive are due within thirty (30) days of receipt. Company may withhold amounts only as required by law. Late payments shall accrue interest at the rate specified above and Account Executive may suspend performance if payment is more than sixty (60) days overdue after written notice.

Term and Termination

Effective Date: . Term End Date: .

Termination Notice Period (days)

Either party may terminate this Agreement for any reason upon providing the number of days' written notice specified above. Immediate termination is permitted for material breach that remains uncured after ten (10) days' written notice, or for cause including gross misconduct or violation of law. Termination does not relieve either party of obligations accrued prior to the effective date of termination, including payment for services rendered.

Confidentiality

For the purposes of this Agreement, "Confidential Information" means non-public business, technical, financial and customer information disclosed by either party to the other. The receiving party shall (a) use Confidential Information solely to perform its obligations under this Agreement; (b) not disclose Confidential Information to any third party except to employees or contractors who have a need to know and are bound to confidentiality obligations at least as protective as those herein; and (c) take reasonable measures to protect Confidential Information from unauthorized disclosure. Confidentiality obligations shall survive termination of this Agreement for a period of three (3) years, except for trade secrets which shall be protected for as long as they remain trade secrets under applicable law. Confidential Information does not include information that is or becomes publicly known through no fault of the receiving party, is independently developed without reference to Confidential Information, or is rightfully received from a third party without restriction.

Independent Contractor; Taxes

Account Executive is an independent contractor and not an employee of Company. Account Executive is solely responsible for all federal, state and local taxes, withholding and other statutory obligations relating to compensation paid hereunder. Account Executive shall not bind Company by contract or otherwise without Company's prior written consent.

Indemnification and Limitation of Liability

Each party shall indemnify and hold harmless the other party from and against any third-party claims arising from the indemnifying party's gross negligence, willful misconduct, or breach of this Agreement. Except for liability resulting from a party's gross negligence, willful misconduct or breach of confidentiality obligations, neither party shall be liable to the other for consequential, incidental, special or punitive damages.

Governing Law

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of without regard to its conflict of laws principles. Venue for any dispute arising under this Agreement shall be in the state or federal courts located in that state.

Notices

All notices required or permitted under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given when delivered personally, sent by certified mail (return receipt requested), or sent by nationally recognized overnight courier to the addresses set forth in this Agreement or to such other address as a party may designate in writing. Company Notice Address:

Account Executive Notice Address:

Entire Agreement; Amendments

This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to its subject matter and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, proposals, negotiations and communications, whether written or oral. No amendment or modification of this Agreement shall be effective unless in writing and signed by authorized representatives of both parties.

Severability

If any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect and the parties shall negotiate in good faith a substitute, valid and enforceable provision that most nearly effects the original intent of the parties.

Company Name:

By:

Date:

Account Executive:

By:

Date:

What the Business AE Document Is and when it’s used

The Business AE Document is a standardized business agreement template commonly used by account executives to document commercial terms, client authorizations, and operational approvals. It captures parties, effective dates, deliverables, pricing or consideration, and signature blocks so transactions can be executed, tracked, and retained. The file is often shared electronically for review and signature and may be stored as a PDF or DOCX. Where electronic execution is used, the document must meet ESIGN and applicable state UETA/ESRA requirements to be enforceable.

Why a clear Business AE Document matters

A concise Business AE Document reduces ambiguity about obligations, protects both parties, and creates an auditable record for compliance and dispute resolution. Properly completed documents support faster approvals and consistent recordkeeping.

Typical roles that prepare or sign this document

The Business AE Document is used across customer-facing and legal functions; different stakeholders have distinct responsibilities when completing it.

Account executives and sales operations: prepare terms, confirm pricing, and request customer signatures.
Legal and contracts teams: review clauses, confirm governing law and risk allocation before execution.
Finance and billing staff: verify consideration, tax treatment, and invoicing instructions before final approval.

Each stakeholder should check the fields relevant to their role and retain a signed copy in the official document repository.

Core parts of a professional Business AE Document

A well-structured Business AE Document groups administrative details, commercial terms, legal provisions, signatures, and exhibits so reviewers can find and verify key items quickly.

Header and Parties

Identifies each contracting party with legal entity names and addresses; use exact legal names to avoid ambiguity and validate counterparty identity.

Effective Date

Specifies when obligations begin; the date affects performance windows, warranty periods, and retention triggers.

Scope and Deliverables

Describes obligations, milestones, and acceptance criteria with measurable metrics or referenced exhibits to limit disputes.

Consideration and Payment

States prices, payment terms, taxes, invoicing contacts, and consequences for late payment or disputed charges.

Governing Law and Dispute

Names the state law that governs interpretation and dispute resolution, and clarifies venue or arbitration provisions if any.

Signature and Execution

Includes typed names, titles, signature blocks, and dates; indicates whether electronic signatures are permitted and any witness or notary requirements.

Step-by-step: completing a Business AE Document

Follow a clear sequence to prepare, approve, sign, and archive the document to avoid rework and ensure compliance.

01

Prepare draft: Populate parties, scope, dates, and consideration for initial review.
02

Internal review: Route to legal, finance, and sales for approvals and redlines.
03

Execute signatures: Share for signatures using the agreed electronic method or in-person signing.
04

Archive record: Save signed PDF with audit trail in the official repository and notify stakeholders.

Configuring a repeatable online workflow

Set up fields, routing, and authentication to match your approval chain and compliance needs before sending the document for signature.

Field	Configuration
Signature fields	Assign to named signers with required date fields.
Conditional fields	Show or hide pricing or exhibits based on selections.
Routing order	Set sequential or parallel signer order depending on approvals.
Authentication	Choose email, SMS code, or stronger verification as needed.

Where to send the Business AE Document and how it travels

Documents move from drafting to sign-off, then to distribution and storage; understanding each handoff improves tracking and auditability.

Drafting location: Author edits the template and attaches exhibits.
Approval routing: Legal and finance sign off using assigned tasks.
Signature delivery: Signer receives email or link to review and sign.
Final distribution: Executed copies sent to all parties and archived.

Technical considerations for sharing and eSigning

Choose a platform or process that supports your required formats, authentication level, and integrations before sending the document.

File formats: PDF, DOCX supported
Integrations: CRM and storage integrations
Authentication: Email, SMS, KBA options

Typical timelines and expected processing windows

Set reasonable internal SLAs for each stage and communicate expected response times to external signers to avoid delays.

Response requested:

7–14 calendar days for external signature

Internal review:

2–5 business days for legal/finance approval

Signature turnaround:

Under 24–72 hours with eSignature

Registry filing:

If required, varies by agency and can be 1–30 days

Retention start:

Begins on effective date or last signature

Common preparation and execution mistakes to avoid

Using trade or DBA names instead of the legal entity name causes payment and enforcement issues when verifying contracts.
Leaving dates blank or using informal formats creates ambiguity for performance periods and retention obligations.
Failing to specify governing law can produce costly jurisdictional disputes and unexpected litigation locations.
Sending unsigned or partially completed documents for countersignature increases risk of rework and delays.

Immediate risks of errors in the Business AE Document

Payment delays: Lost revenue

Tax exposure: Withholding or reporting risk

Enforceability: Voidable obligations

Regulatory fines: Industry penalties

Reputational harm: Client trust erosion

Audit failure: Missing records

Required security and audit data for each executed copy

Signer identity: Name and authentication method

Timestamps: UTC timestamp of signature

Audit trail: IP, actions, and events

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

At-rest protection: AES-256 encryption

Privacy: BAA for HIPAA workflows

Vendor pricing and feature snapshot for eSigning Business AE Documents

Compare starting price and common eSignature features to match your security, compliance, and volume needs without including any datestamps in this summary.

	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	Yes, 7-day trial	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No envelope cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies	Varies	Varies

Real-world examples of similar document usage

These brief examples show how organizations use standardized templates and eSigning to speed execution while preserving compliance.

Optica Ventures LLC — Brian Fitzgibbons

The interface is simple and easy-to-use for our team; more importantly, it is just as easy for our customers.

The team streamlined signature collection across locations.
By centralizing execution and storage the company reduced turnaround time and improved traceability of client agreements without sacrificing security or auditability.

Fertility Centers of Illinois — John Butler

The airSlate SignNow team has been exceptional, responsive, the API has been great, and we're extremely happy that we chose airSlate SignNow as a company.

Integration simplified document flows.
The organization consolidated signed records, improved customer experience with mobile signing, and preserved compliance controls for health-related authorizations.

Practical tips for accurate and efficient completion

Adopt standard templates, validation checks, and a single storage location to reduce errors and speed audits.

Use standardized templates

Lock boilerplate clauses and use version control so negotiators only change predefined sections; this reduces legal review time and inconsistencies.

Validate key fields

Enforce required fields, dropdowns for states, and MM/DD/YYYY date masks to prevent format errors and downstream processing failures.

Define signer authentication

Choose appropriate verification (email, SMS, or stronger) based on transaction risk and regulatory needs to improve attribution.

Retain full audit trails

Store signed PDFs with audit logs and metadata so the document and signing events are reproducible for audits and disputes.

Frequently asked questions about executing the Business AE Document

Answers to common questions about legal validity, signatures, notarization, and correcting signed documents.

Need help? Contact support

Are electronic signatures legally valid?
Yes. Electronic signatures are legally binding under the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and state UETA laws when intent, consent, attribution and record retention are present.
When is notarization still required?
Notarization depends on document type and state law; deeds, some powers of attorney, and other instruments often require acknowledgement or witnesses under state rules.
How do I fix a mistake after signing?
Correcting a fully executed document usually requires a signed amendment or re-execution. Do not alter a signed PDF; instead prepare an amendment and obtain fresh signatures.
What authentication level is appropriate?
Use basic email authentication for low-risk transactions, SMS or KBA for moderate risk, and stronger methods for regulated records or high-value contracts.
Can a signed electronic record be reproduced?
Yes. Retain a reproducible record with an audit trail that shows signer identity, timestamps, and events adequate for evidentiary use under ESIGN/UETA.
Does HIPAA affect eSigning?
For health information, include a BAA and ensure workflows protect PHI; HIPAA requires safeguarding records and retention for six years (45 CFR §164.530(j)).

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