Establishing secure connection…Loading editor…Preparing document…

Business Policy and Procedure

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

BUSINESS POLICY AND PROCEDURE

THIS POLICY AND PROCEDURE AGREEMENT (the Policy) is made effective as of by and between Company Name: with principal address at and Recipient Name: with principal address at .

WHEREAS

WHEREAS, Company Name: is engaged in the business of providing goods and/or services described herein and desires to establish binding policies and procedures governing performance, payment, confidentiality and related matters; and

WHEREAS, Recipient Name: acknowledges receipt of and agrees to abide by the terms of this Policy in connection with the Scope of Work set forth below; and

WHEREAS, the parties intend that this Policy set forth the complete administrative and contractual obligations between the parties with respect to the subject matter herein.

SCOPE OF POLICY AND PROCEDURE

The following describes the scope of services, responsibilities and procedural standards that govern performance under this Policy. The recipient shall perform work in accordance with the descriptions, quality standards, timelines and deliverables set forth below.

PAYMENT TERMS

The Company shall compensate Recipient in accordance with the schedule and amounts set forth. All amounts are denominated in legal currency unless otherwise stated. Recipient shall submit invoices that conform to Company billing requirements and supporting documentation where applicable.

TERM AND TERMINATION

The Policy commences and terminates as set forth below unless earlier terminated in accordance with this Section.

Commencement:

Termination:

CONFIDENTIALITY

Each party shall maintain in strict confidence all non-public information disclosed by the other party 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"). Confidential Information shall not include information that is publicly known through no breach hereof, rightfully received from a third party without restriction, or independently developed by the receiving party without use of the disclosing party's Confidential Information.

The receiving party shall use Confidential Information solely for the purposes of performing its obligations under this Policy and shall limit access to employees, contractors or agents who have a need to know and who are bound by confidentiality obligations at least as protective as those set forth herein.

GOVERNING LAW

This Policy shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of without regard to conflict of laws principles.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT; AMENDMENT

This Policy, including all schedules and attachments incorporated 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 written or oral. No amendment, modification or waiver shall be effective unless made in a writing signed by authorized representatives of both parties.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Assignment: Neither party may assign its rights or delegate its duties under this Policy without the prior written consent of the other party, except that Company may assign to an affiliate or in connection with a merger or sale of substantially all its assets.

Notices: All notices required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and delivered to the addresses set forth at the beginning of this Policy or to such other address as a party may designate by notice in accordance with this section.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Each party represents and warrants that the person signing below has the authority to execute this Policy and to bind the party to the terms set forth herein. By signing below, the parties acknowledge that they have read, understood and agree to be bound by this Policy.

Company Name:

By:

Date:

Recipient Name:

By:

Date:

Enter text✕

What a Business Policy and Procedure Document Is

A Business Policy and Procedure is a formal written document that defines an organization’s policy statements, step-by-step procedures, roles and responsibilities, and controls for performing recurring activities. It sets scope, who is affected, escalation paths, approval authorities, and references to applicable laws and regulations, creating a single source of operational expectations and compliance requirements across the company.

Why a Clear Policy and Procedure Matters

A well-drafted Business Policy and Procedure promotes consistent decision-making, reduces operational risk, documents controls for audits, and helps meet legal and regulatory obligations such as record retention rules and privacy safeguards.

Why a Clear Policy and Procedure Matters

Who Typically Creates and Uses These Documents

Several teams collaborate to develop, approve, and use Business Policy and Procedure documents.

  • Compliance and legal teams: draft policy language, map controls, and ensure regulatory alignment across federal and state requirements.
  • HR and operations: translate policy into operational steps, assign responsibilities, and manage employee acknowledgements and training records.
  • Finance and procurement: apply policy to vendor onboarding, purchasing controls, and contract approval workflows.

Final ownership is usually assigned to a policy owner or governance committee that is responsible for updates, enforcement, and periodic review.

Core Elements Every Professional Policy Should Include

A Business Policy and Procedure should combine high-level policy statements with actionable procedures, measurable roles, and enforcement mechanisms to be useful in practice and defensible in audit.

Purpose & Scope

Describe the policy objective, who it affects, the operational scope, and any exclusions so applicability is clear and limited.

Roles & Duties

Identify responsible parties, approvers, reviewers, and escalation contacts with titles or job codes to avoid ambiguity during execution.

Step-by-Step Procedure

Provide a sequenced procedure with decision points, required inputs, outputs, and forms or templates that staff must use.

Compliance & Enforcement

State disciplinary measures, audit controls, reporting obligations, and references to governing statutes or internal controls.

Recordkeeping & Retention

Specify which records to retain, retention periods, storage location, and legal bases such as IRS or HIPAA retention rules.

Review & Revision

Include a scheduled review cadence, versioning, and an amendment approval process to keep the document current and auditable.

Essential Security and Compliance Data Points

Confidentiality: Classify data sensitivity
Access Controls: Role-based permissions
Audit Trail: Timestamped activity logs
Encryption: TLS in transit, AES-256 at rest
HIPAA BAA: BAA required for PHI
Data Residency: State or country rules

Stepwise Process to Produce and Approve a Policy

Follow a simple iterative process: draft, validate with stakeholders, obtain approvals, publish, and train users to ensure compliance and clarity.

  • 01
    Draft: Create initial text and procedures with input from subject-matter experts.
  • 02
    Review: Legal and compliance review for regulatory alignment and liability concerns.
  • 03
    Approve: Obtain signatures from authorized approvers and document the decision.
  • 04
    Publish: Distribute to staff, record acknowledgements, and schedule training.

Configuring an Online Approval Workflow

Map the digital workflow to mirror your internal approval chain, authentication strength, and publishing destinations to keep policy governance consistent.

Field Configuration
Template Use a central template with version control enabled
Approval Flow Sequential approvers or parallel reviewers depending on authority
Authentication Email + SMS code or stronger MFA for approvers
Notifications Automated reminders and completion receipts

Where to File or Send the Approved Document

After approval, route the final signed document to canonical storage and communicate its availability to affected teams and auditors.

  • Internal Repository: Store signed master copy in the policy library
  • Legal Review Archive: Send a copy to legal for audit retention
  • Executive Records: Deliver signed approval to governance committee
  • Distribution List: Email or portal notify impacted staff and managers

Technical and Format Requirements for Digital Completion

Choose a platform that supports common document formats, audit logging, and integrations to your document management systems.

  • Supported Formats: PDF, DOCX, HTML
  • Integrations: Salesforce, Google Workspace, NetSuite
  • Authentication: Email, SMS code, SSO/SAML

Ensure the vendor supports secure storage, tamper-evident signed copies, and export options for long-term archival; confirm HIPAA or 21 CFR Part 11 compliance when required by industry.

Typical Timelines and Review Deadlines

Establish clear dates and reminders for initial publication, mandatory training, periodic review, and retention-triggered actions to avoid lapses.

Initial Effective Date:

Date policy takes effect and replaces prior versions

Mandatory Training Due:

Set completion deadline for affected staff after publish

Annual Review:

Schedule periodic review at least once per year

Ad Hoc Revision:

Trigger when law or operational change requires immediate update

Retention Notice:

Notify records team before scheduled destruction

Common Preparation Mistakes to Avoid

  • Writing vague obligations or undefined terms that invite inconsistent interpretation and enforcement across departments.
  • Failing to assign a clear policy owner or contact, which delays approvals and weakens accountability during incidents.
  • Missing or incorrect effective dates and version numbers that create disputes over which version governs a prior action.
  • Neglecting records retention language and storage locations, leading to accidental destruction or failure to satisfy audit requests.

Risks and Potential Penalties from Deficient Policies

Regulatory Fines: Civil penalties for noncompliance
Contract Disputes: Increased litigation exposure
Tax Risk: Incorrect records trigger IRS penalties
HIPAA Breach: Significant fines and remediation
I-9 Violations: $281–$2,789 per violation
Invalid Signatures: Documents may be unenforceable

How Organizations Use Policy Templates in Practice

Real-world examples show how templates reduce drafting time and create consistent governance across locations and teams.

Optica Ventures

Optica Ventures standardized lease procedures across properties to reduce review cycles and missing clauses.

  • Implementation reduced turnaround time by consolidating templates and approval steps.
  • "The interface is simple and easy-to-use for our team; more importantly, it is just as easy for our customers." — Brian Fitzgibbons, COO.

Martin Properties

A regional property manager centralized policy updates to ensure compliance with local ordinances and consistent tenant communications.

  • This cut version confusion and training time.
  • "I can process and execute all of these documents online with 100% compliance and built-in security." — Tim Martin, Founder.

eSignature Vendor Comparison for Policy Execution

Compare baseline pricing and core capabilities to select an eSignature vendor that meets security, compliance, and volume needs without adding unnecessary complexity.

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 required Trial available Trial available Trial available Trial 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 by plan Varies by plan Varies by plan

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common legal, procedural, and technical questions about drafting, signing, retaining, and enforcing Business Policy and Procedure documents.


Need help? Contact support

be ready to get more
Join over 28 million airSlate SignNow users