Can the CO1 be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures on the CO1 are generally valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted, provided intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are satisfied.

When is notarization required?

Most commercial contracts do not require notarization, but specific instruments (deeds, certain powers of attorney) do. Check state law for requirements and use RON where accepted for remote notarization.

What makes an e-signature legally valid?

Four core elements: demonstrable intent to sign, consent to electronic records (consumer disclosures where required), attribution to the signer, and reliable record retention and reproduction.

Who can sign on behalf of a company?

Only individuals with actual authority (officers, persons granted signatory power by corporate resolution or POA) may bind an entity. Verify signer authority in a board resolution or officer certificate where necessary.

How do I correct an error after signing?

Execute an amendment or correction document signed by all parties. Do not alter the original executed CO1 unilaterally; changes must be documented to preserve chain-of-title and auditability.

How long should I keep the CO1?

Retain executed agreements for the contract term plus minimum federal or industry-required periods; follow IRS (IRC §6501(a)) and HIPAA (45 CFR §164.530(j)) retention rules when applicable.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Business Agreement CO1

Business Agreement CO1

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

Business Agreement CO1

This Business Agreement (the "Agreement") is made and entered into as of by and between:

Client Name: , Address:

Service Provider Name: , Address:

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Client is engaged in the business of providing products or services to its customers and desires to retain the Service Provider to perform certain services on the terms and conditions set forth herein; and

WHEREAS, Service Provider represents that it has the experience, personnel, and technical capability to perform the services described in this Agreement and is willing to provide such services to Client under the terms and conditions set forth herein.

WHEREAS, the parties desire to set forth the terms and conditions under which Service Provider will perform services for Client and under which Client will compensate Service Provider.

SCOPE OF WORK

Description of Services

Service Provider shall perform the services described above (the "Services") in a professional and workmanlike manner consistent with industry standards. Services shall include the deliverables, milestones, and timelines set forth in the Description of Services. Any modification to the Scope of Work must be agreed in writing by authorized representatives of both parties.

PAYMENT TERMS

Contract Amount Payment Schedule

Client shall pay Service Provider the Contract Amount in accordance with the Payment Schedule. All amounts are payable in lawful currency of the United States unless otherwise specified in writing. Service Provider shall submit invoices in accordance with the Payment Schedule and Client shall remit payment within the number of days specified in the Payment Schedule following invoice receipt.

Late Payment Fee

Any undisputed invoiced amount not paid when due shall accrue interest at the rate set forth above, or if no rate is specified, at the lesser of 1.5% per month or the maximum rate permitted by applicable law. Client shall be responsible for all reasonable costs of collection, including attorneys' fees, for overdue payments.

TERM AND TERMINATION

This Agreement shall commence on and shall continue in effect until unless earlier terminated as provided herein.

Termination Notice Period (days)

Either party may terminate this Agreement without cause by providing the other party with written notice at least the number of days set forth above prior to the effective date of termination. Either party may terminate immediately for cause if the other party materially breaches this Agreement and fails to cure such breach within thirty (30) days after receipt of written notice of the breach. Termination shall not relieve Client of its obligation to pay for Services performed and expenses incurred prior to the effective date of termination.

CONFIDENTIALITY

For the purposes of this Agreement, "Confidential Information" means all non-public information disclosed by one party to the other, whether oral, written, electronic or other form, that is designated as confidential or that reasonably should be understood to be confidential given the nature of the information and the circumstances of disclosure. Confidential Information excludes information that is or becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a breach of this Agreement, was in the receiving party's lawful possession prior to receipt, is independently developed by the receiving party without use of the disclosing party's Confidential Information, or is rightfully obtained by the receiving party from a third party without restriction.

The receiving party shall: (a) protect the disclosing party's Confidential Information with the same degree of care it uses to protect its own confidential information, but in no event less than reasonable care; (b) not use Confidential Information for any purpose except to perform its obligations or exercise its rights under this Agreement; and (c) not disclose Confidential Information to any third party except to its employees, agents or contractors who have a need to know and are bound by confidentiality obligations at least as protective as those in this Agreement. The obligations in this Section shall survive termination of this Agreement for a period of three (3) years, except with respect to trade secrets, for which the obligation shall survive for so long as such information remains a trade secret under applicable law.

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. Any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located within that State, and the parties hereby submit to the jurisdiction of such courts.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT; AMENDMENT

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

INDEMNIFICATION; LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

Each party shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the other party from and against any claims, losses, liabilities, damages and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of the indemnifying party's gross negligence, willful misconduct or material breach of this Agreement. Except for a party's indemnification obligations or willful misconduct, neither party shall be liable to the other for consequential, incidental, special or punitive damages, and each party's aggregate liability for direct damages shall be limited to the total amount paid or payable by Client to Service Provider under this Agreement in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.

NOTICES

Client Notice Contact Service Provider Notice Contact

All notices under this Agreement must be in writing and delivered to the addresses set forth above (or to such other address as either party may specify by notice) by hand delivery, nationally recognized overnight courier, certified mail return receipt requested, or electronic mail with confirmation of receipt.

MISCELLANEOUS

If any provision of this Agreement is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. No waiver of any breach shall be deemed a waiver of any subsequent breach. The parties acknowledge that they have had the opportunity to consult legal counsel and that the terms of this Agreement are the result of negotiation between the parties.

Client Printed Name:

By:

Date:

Service Provider Printed Name:

By:

Date:

What the Business Agreement CO1 Is and when it applies

The Business Agreement CO1 is a standardized commercial contract template used to document terms between two or more business entities for the sale of goods, services, or collaboration. It sets out parties, scope of work, payment terms, deliverables, duration, confidentiality, termination rights, and dispute resolution. The CO1 form is commonly used where a clear written record reduces operational risk and supports enforceability; it may be executed electronically under U.S. e-signature law when parties demonstrate intent, consent, attribution, and retention capability.

Why using a clear Business Agreement CO1 matters

A complete Business Agreement CO1 reduces ambiguity about obligations and payment, sets measurable milestones, and creates a record for audit or regulatory review. Clear contractual terms minimize disputes and help both parties comply with tax, privacy, and industry rules.

Who commonly completes the Business Agreement CO1

The CO1 is used by contracting parties across departments — procurement, sales, legal, and operations — when a written commercial commitment is required.

Procurement teams and purchasing managers who need standardized terms and vendor comparison records.
Sales or account managers who finalize pricing, deliverables, and timelines with customers.
In-house legal or outside counsel who review governing law, liability, and IP assignment clauses.

Core sections to include in a professional Business Agreement CO1

A robust CO1 includes clauses that define rights, obligations, timing, financial terms, confidentiality, and how to resolve disputes so both operational and legal risks are addressed.

Parties

Identify each legal entity by full legal name, entity type (LLC, corporation), and primary business address to ensure enforceability and correct counterparty identification.

Scope of Work

Describe services or goods in measurable terms, include milestones or deliverables, and attach exhibits for specifications, acceptance criteria, and delivery schedules.

Payment Terms

Specify currency, amounts, due dates, late fees, invoicing procedure, and whether taxes or withholding apply to reduce payment disputes.

Term and Termination

State effective date, contract length, renewal mechanics, and termination rights for convenience and for cause, including notice periods and cure opportunities.

Confidentiality

Define confidential information, permitted disclosures, duration of confidentiality, and remedies for unauthorized use or disclosure.

Governing Law & Remedies

Specify governing state law, venue for disputes, and whether arbitration or injunctive relief is allowed to limit forum uncertainty and litigation costs.

Step-by-step: completing and executing the Business Agreement CO1

Follow these sequential steps to prepare, approve, and execute the CO1 so the document is complete and legally sound.

01

Prepare: Draft or select the CO1 template and populate core fields.
02

Review: Have legal and finance review payment, liability, and tax language.
03

Authorize: Obtain internal approvals and confirm signer authority.
04

Execute: Sign electronically or on paper and distribute copies to all parties.

How to configure a digital CO1 workflow for consistent execution

Use these workflow settings to reduce errors, ensure approvals, and capture a reliable audit trail when exchanging the CO1 electronically.

Field	Configuration
Signer Authentication	Require email verification or SMS code; use KBA where higher assurance is needed
Conditional Fields	Show or hide payment and termination fields based on contract type
Template Library	Save approved CO1 versions as templates to ensure consistent legal language
Notifications	Enable reminders and completion emails to reduce signing delays

Typical routing and submission steps for a completed CO1

After finalization, the CO1 typically follows a routing path that captures approvals, signatures, and distributed copies for recordkeeping.

Send to Counterparty: Deliver for signature via secure link or signed PDF
Internal Approval: Route to finance or legal for countersignature where required
Return Executed Copy: Ensure each party receives the fully executed agreement
Archive: Store final PDF and audit trail in records management

Technology and platform considerations for e-signing and sharing

Choose a platform that supports secure signatures, audit trails, and the integrations your business relies on.

Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace
Formats: PDF, DOCX, HTML, Excel supported
Security: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit, AES-256 at rest

Key timing items and notice periods to include in the CO1

Define dates and notice windows clearly to avoid disputes about performance, renewal, and termination timing.

Negotiation Period:

Specify how long offers remain open before expiration

Effective Date:

Enter the exact start date in MM/DD/YYYY format

Payment Due Date:

Include net terms (Net 30, Net 45) and invoice timing

Renewal Notice:

State number of days required for non-renewal notice

Termination Notice:

Specify written notice period and cure window

Common legal and operational risks if the CO1 is incorrect

Contract Voidance: Missing essential terms can undermine enforceability

Monetary Damages: Breach can result in compensatory or consequential damages

Tax Exposure: Incorrect party or payment terms may trigger reporting errors

Regulatory Noncompliance: Industry rules (HIPAA, SEC) can impose penalties

Signature Disputes: Improper e-signature process may raise authenticity challenges

Recordkeeping Failures: Insufficient retention can hamper audits or litigation defense

eSignature vendor comparison for executing Business Agreement CO1

Comparison of common vendor attributes relevant to signing and storing the CO1. SignNow is listed first as the baseline option.

	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 trial	Available	Available	Available	Available
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	Varies	Varies

Real-world examples using signNow for agreements like CO1

Organizations across sizes use electronic signing and templates to speed contract execution while maintaining compliance and audit trails.

Optica Ventures — COO

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

Quick adoption across remote teams kept deals moving.
As a result, Optica reduced turnaround time on partner agreements and improved internal handoff reliability while preserving complete audit trails and security controls.

Tech Data — CEO

Tech Data uses airSlate SignNow to improve our internal and external customer service while increasing our speed to revenue.

Integration with ERP streamlined approvals.
This centralized approach removed manual bottlenecks, shortened approval cycles, and ensured consistent contract language across thousands of vendor and reseller agreements.

Frequently asked questions about completing and signing the Business Agreement CO1

Answers to common questions about electronic execution, validity, notarization, signer authority, and recordkeeping for the CO1.

Need help? Contact support

Can the CO1 be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures on the CO1 are generally valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted, provided intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are satisfied.
When is notarization required?
Most commercial contracts do not require notarization, but specific instruments (deeds, certain powers of attorney) do. Check state law for requirements and use RON where accepted for remote notarization.
What makes an e-signature legally valid?
Four core elements: demonstrable intent to sign, consent to electronic records (consumer disclosures where required), attribution to the signer, and reliable record retention and reproduction.
Who can sign on behalf of a company?
Only individuals with actual authority (officers, persons granted signatory power by corporate resolution or POA) may bind an entity. Verify signer authority in a board resolution or officer certificate where necessary.
How do I correct an error after signing?
Execute an amendment or correction document signed by all parties. Do not alter the original executed CO1 unilaterally; changes must be documented to preserve chain-of-title and auditability.
How long should I keep the CO1?
Retain executed agreements for the contract term plus minimum federal or industry-required periods; follow IRS (IRC §6501(a)) and HIPAA (45 CFR §164.530(j)) retention rules when applicable.

be ready to get more

Join over 28 million airSlate SignNow users

Sign Now