Formation Filing
Articles of Organization or Articles of Incorporation filed with the Secretary of State to create the legal entity and establish state-level registration.
Completing setup online centralizes documents, shortens processing cycles, and reduces travel and mailing costs. Electronic workflows support reproducible audit trails and can improve accuracy when combined with guided field validation and conditional fields.
Different roles run or request online setups depending on business size and stage.
Use these profiles to match documents, signer authority, and required supporting records.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Signer order | Set sequential or parallel signing to match approval needs. |
| Authentication | Choose email, SMS code, or knowledge-based checks where required. |
| Reminders | Enable automatic reminders and define send cadence. |
| Retention | Save signed PDFs and export audit trails to storage. |
Confirm platform compatibility, authentication strength, and storage before starting the setup.
Articles of Organization or Articles of Incorporation filed with the Secretary of State to create the legal entity and establish state-level registration.
IRS Employer Identification Number (EIN) issued for tax reporting, hiring employees, and opening business bank accounts.
Operating agreement or corporate bylaws that define ownership, management duties, voting rights, and procedures for major actions.
State and local business licenses, professional permits, and special registrations required to lawfully operate in specific industries or jurisdictions.
Bank resolutions and signature cards prepared and signed to enable business banking, merchant services, and payment processing.
Retention schedules, tax election paperwork, and any required privacy or security addenda for regulated industries.
Jan 31 for distribution
Jan 31 to IRS and recipient
Apr 15 filing deadline
Typically 1–6 weeks depending on state
$25–$100 per session typical
Decide LLC, corporation, or other entity type.
File articles or certificate with Secretary of State.
Obtain EIN and register for state taxes.
Open accounts and secure required permits.
| Criteria | Online Setup | Paper Filing |
|---|---|---|
| Processing time | faster | slower |
| Cost | lower fees | higher fees |
| Tracking | detailed audit | limited visibility |
| Notary | ron/remote optional | often in-person |
| 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 | Varies by plan | Varies by plan | Varies by plan | Varies by plan |
| Bulk Send | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Audit Trail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA Compliant | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Small-office integration with digital signatures streamlined closings and client handoffs.
Property managers processed tenancy and lease documents remotely during showings.
Often signs formation documents, bank resolutions, and governance agreements. Responsible for providing accurate personal ID and confirming authority to bind the business on filings.
Prepares filings, coordinates with legal and finance, and manages digital workflow configuration and storage. Ensures necessary attachments and permissions are included for account openings.