Is an electronic signature legally valid?

Yes. Electronic signatures meet federal legal equivalence standards under the ESIGN Act and state electronic transaction laws when the signature process shows signer intent, consent, attribution, and reliable record retention; exceptions for certain documents may apply.

Do I need a notary or witnesses?

Not always. Notarization or witnesses are required for some document types and for certain state-specific filings; verify local law or the receiving party’s requirements to determine whether a notary or witnesses are necessary.

How long must I keep the signed document?

Retain according to applicable statutes: IRS-related records generally three years, HIPAA-covered documents six years, and many corporate records for seven years; industry or state rules may require longer retention.

What if the signer name does not match records?

A name mismatch can trigger bank holds, requests for reexecution, or rejected filings; update the record to match legal documents or attach proof linking the signer to the entity before finalizing.

Is remote online notarization acceptable?

Many states permit remote online notarization with identity-proofing and audio-video recording; confirm the receiving party and the state notary rules to ensure acceptance of RON.

How can I revoke or cancel an authorization?

Document revocation in writing, execute a formal revocation notice, and notify affected third parties. Preserve proof of revocation delivery and update internal records and banks to prevent reliance on superseded authority.

Business GO Document

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

BUSINESS GO DOCUMENT

This Business GO Document (the Agreement) is made effective as of by and between:

Client Name:

Client Address

Service Provider:

Service Provider Address

WHEREAS

WHEREAS, Client requires certain business services and deliverables as set forth in this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, Service Provider has represented that it possesses the qualifications, experience, and ability to provide the services described herein and agrees to provide such services to Client under the terms and conditions of this Agreement;

WHEREAS, the parties desire to set forth their respective rights and obligations with respect to the scope of services, payment, confidentiality and other matters as set forth below.

SCOPE OF WORK

Service Provider shall perform professional services and deliverables as agreed by the parties. The specific tasks, milestones, and acceptance criteria shall be described below. Service Provider will perform the services in a professional and workmanlike manner in accordance with industry standards.

Detailed Scope of Work Deliverables Schedule (if applicable)

PAYMENT TERMS

In consideration for the services performed by Service Provider, Client shall pay Service Provider the fees and expenses set forth below. All payments are due in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated.

Total Fee Payment Schedule Invoice Frequency / Billing Instructions

Late Payment: Any undisputed amount not paid when due shall accrue interest at the lesser of percent per month (compounded monthly) or the maximum rate permitted by applicable law. Client shall also reimburse reasonable collection costs and attorneys' fees incurred by Service Provider to collect overdue amounts.

Payment Method

TERM AND TERMINATION

Term: This Agreement shall commence on and continue until unless earlier terminated in accordance with this Agreement.

Either party may terminate this Agreement without cause upon written notice to the other party delivered at least prior to the effective date of termination. Either party may terminate immediately for cause upon material breach by the other party that remains uncured for thirty (30) days following written notice of such breach. Termination shall not relieve Client of its obligation to pay for services performed and expenses incurred prior to termination.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Definition: "Confidential Information" means any non-public information disclosed by either party to the other, whether written, oral or electronic, 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.

Obligations: Each receiving party shall (i) maintain the confidentiality of Confidential Information of the disclosing party using at least the same degree of care it uses to protect its own confidential information, but no less than reasonable care; (ii) not use such information except to perform its obligations under this Agreement; and (iii) not disclose such information to any third party without the prior written consent of the disclosing party, except to its employees, agents or contractors who have a need to know and who are bound by confidentiality obligations no less protective than those contained herein.

Duration: Confidentiality obligations shall survive termination of this Agreement for unless a longer period is required by law for specific trade secrets, in which case such information shall remain protected for as long as it qualifies as a trade secret.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY; INDEMNITY

Limitation: Except for liability arising from gross negligence, willful misconduct, or breach of confidentiality, neither party shall be liable to the other for indirect, incidental, consequential, special or punitive damages, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. The aggregate liability of either party for any claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall not exceed the total fees paid by Client to Service Provider under this Agreement during the twelve (12) month period preceding the event giving rise to the claim.

Indemnity: Each party shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the other party from and against any third-party claims arising from the indemnifying party's gross negligence, willful misconduct, or material breach of this Agreement, subject to the limitations of liability set forth above.

GOVERNING LAW; DISPUTE RESOLUTION

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of without regard to conflict of law principles. The parties shall attempt in good faith to resolve disputes by negotiation. If the parties are unable to resolve a dispute within forty-five (45) days, either party may pursue any available remedies in the courts of the chosen jurisdiction.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT; AMENDMENT

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

MISCELLANEOUS

Assignment: Neither party may assign its rights or delegate its obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party, except that Service Provider may assign this Agreement in connection with a merger, acquisition or sale of substantially all of its assets.

Independent Contractor: Service Provider is an independent contractor and nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to create an employer-employee, partnership or joint venture relationship between the parties.

Notices to Client Notices to Service Provider

Survival: The provisions of this Agreement that by their nature are intended to survive termination or expiration shall so survive, including but not limited to confidentiality, indemnity, limitation of liability and payment obligations.

Client:

By:

Date:

Service Provider:

By:

Date:

What the Business GO Document Is and When It Applies

The Business GO Document is a standardized corporate governance and authorization form used to record managerial decisions, grant operational authorities, or document approvals for transactions and internal processes. It typically captures parties, scope of authority, effective dates, and any conditions or limitations. Organizations use it to create a clear, auditable record that governs who may act on behalf of the business and under what circumstances, reducing ambiguity for auditors, banks, and counterparties while supporting compliance with internal controls and external reporting obligations.

Why a Formal Business GO Document Matters

A Business GO Document creates an explicit record of authority and decision-making that supports internal controls, simplifies third-party verification, and reduces operational risk. It also documents approvals for auditors and regulators, improving transparency for financial, legal, and compliance reviews.

Who completes and relies on the Business GO Document

The document serves internal approvers and external parties (banks, auditors, vendors) that require an auditable record of delegated authority.

Company officers and board members responsible for approvals and delegations.
Finance and treasury teams verifying signatory authority for banking and payments.
Legal and compliance staff who review limits, conditions, and retention requirements.

Primary signers and document owners

Chief Financial Officer

The CFO typically signs or approves Business GO Documents for financial delegations, treasury actions, banking signatories, and budget-related authority. Their role ensures consistency with corporate financial controls and audit trails.

Authorized Officer

An authorized officer (CEO, COO, or other delegate) completes the document when assigning operational authorities such as contract execution, vendor onboarding, or project approvals; they confirm scope and any limitations in writing.

Step-by-step completion process

Follow these steps to complete the Business GO Document accurately and preserve enforceability.

01

Gather records: Collect formation documents, bylaws, and board resolutions.
02

Populate fields: Enter entity, signer, scope, and effective date using required formats.
03

Obtain approvals: Secure any needed board or officer approvals in writing.
04

Execute and archive: Sign, date, and store the completed document with retention metadata.

How eSubmission and routing typically work

A standardized e-workflow streamlines creation, routing, signing, and storage while preserving a searchable audit trail for later review.

Upload document: Sender uploads the Business GO Document to the e-sign platform.
Place fields: Add signature, date, and conditional fields as required.
Route to signers: Specify signer order and authentication methods.
Complete and store: Signed copies and an audit certificate are saved in the system.

Core parts to include in a professional Business GO Document

A complete document contains standardized elements that clarify authority, duration, and limits while enabling reliable verification by third parties and internal teams.

Header and identification

Include the document title, business legal name, entity type, and jurisdiction to make the record self-contained and immediately identifiable for auditors and banks.

Authority language

State clearly who is authorized, the precise actions permitted, any monetary limits, and whether authority is exclusive or shared among signatories.

Effective and expiration dates

Specify the effective date and either a clear expiration date or event-based termination to avoid open-ended delegations that complicate governance.

Signatures and authentication

Provide lines for printed name, title, signature, and date; note acceptable signature methods (electronic, notarized) and authentication requirements.

Approvals and references

Reference supporting board resolutions, meeting minutes, or power-of-attorney documents to establish the source of delegated authority.

Retention and distribution

Record who keeps the original, how copies are distributed, and where the document will be retained for compliance and audit purposes.

Security and compliance items to record

Encryption in transit: TLS 1.2/1.3

Encryption at rest: AES-256

Audit trail required: Timestamp and IP

Authentication options: Email, SMS, KBA

HIPAA readiness: BAA available

Regulatory frameworks: ESIGN and UETA

Immediate risks and common penalty ranges

1099 Late (≤30d): $60 per form

1099 Late (≤Aug1): $130 per form

1099 Late (>Aug1): $330 per form

Intentional disregard: $660+ per form

I-9 paperwork: $281–$2,789 per violation

Backup withholding: 24% withholding rate

Common preparation errors to avoid

Using trade or DBA names instead of the entity’s legal name, which can lead to bank or vendor rejection and delays in execution.
Leaving the scope vague (for example, granting 'general authority' without monetary or action limits) which increases legal exposure and audit findings.
Failing to record the effective or expiration date, which can create open-ended authority and governance disputes later.
Not matching signer names to bank or formation records, triggering reauthentication requests or rejected transactions.

Time-sensitive dates and deadlines to track

Certain deadlines and retention triggers are statutory or tax-driven; track them in your internal calendar to avoid penalties.

W-9 delivery:

Provide upon payer request; no fixed IRS filing date

1099-NEC filing:

Recipient and IRS deadline: January 31

Individual tax return:

Form 1040 due April 15; extension to October 15 with Form 4868

I-9 retention:

Retain 3 years after hire or 1 year after termination, whichever is later (8 CFR §274a.2)

FBAR filing:

April 15 with automatic extension to October 15

Electronic signature versus cryptographic digital signature

Choose the appropriate signature type by weighing legal sufficiency, industry rules, and non-repudiation needs.

Criteria	Electronic Signature	Digital Signature
Legal status	accepted under esign/ueta	accepted, cryptographic proof
Technology	audit trail, timestamps	pki, certificate-based
Non-repudiation	moderate via audit trail	strong via certificate chain
Typical use	contracts, approvals	regulated records, high-assurance needs

Sample eSignature pricing and capability comparison

High-level vendor starting prices and common feature availability for organizations evaluating eSignature options; signNow is listed first in the vendor column per comparison 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	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies
Bulk Send	Yes (premium)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes (BAA)	Yes	Yes	No	No

Practical steps to improve accuracy and reduce rework

Implement consistent conventions and verification steps to reduce execution errors and support third-party acceptance.

Confirm legal names and taxpayer identification

Cross-check the entity name and EIN/TIN against formation documents and IRS records before executing to prevent bank holds or backup withholding triggers.

Standardize date and currency formats

Use MM/DD/YYYY for dates and specify currency with ISO code (USD) or symbol to prevent ambiguity in multi-jurisdictional transactions.

Require supporting board resolutions

Attach or reference the authorizing board resolution or minutes to establish provenance of delegated authority and simplify bank verification processes.

Use signer authentication and audit trails

Require at least email verification or stronger methods for material delegations and preserve the audit trail, including IP, timestamp, and authentication method.

Frequently asked questions about the Business GO Document

Answers to common legal, procedural, and technical questions encountered when preparing, signing, and storing Business GO Documents.

Need help? Contact support

Is an electronic signature legally valid?
Yes. Electronic signatures meet federal legal equivalence standards under the ESIGN Act and state electronic transaction laws when the signature process shows signer intent, consent, attribution, and reliable record retention; exceptions for certain documents may apply.
Do I need a notary or witnesses?
Not always. Notarization or witnesses are required for some document types and for certain state-specific filings; verify local law or the receiving party’s requirements to determine whether a notary or witnesses are necessary.
How long must I keep the signed document?
Retain according to applicable statutes: IRS-related records generally three years, HIPAA-covered documents six years, and many corporate records for seven years; industry or state rules may require longer retention.
What if the signer name does not match records?
A name mismatch can trigger bank holds, requests for reexecution, or rejected filings; update the record to match legal documents or attach proof linking the signer to the entity before finalizing.
Is remote online notarization acceptable?
Many states permit remote online notarization with identity-proofing and audio-video recording; confirm the receiving party and the state notary rules to ensure acceptance of RON.
How can I revoke or cancel an authorization?
Document revocation in writing, execute a formal revocation notice, and notify affected third parties. Preserve proof of revocation delivery and update internal records and banks to prevent reliance on superseded authority.

be ready to get more

Join over 28 million airSlate SignNow users

Sign Now