Can this document be signed electronically?

Yes. Under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA (where adopted), electronic signatures are legally valid for most business records provided intent, consent, attribution, and retention are met.

When is notarization required?

Notarization is rarely required for internal process descriptions; if the document creates an externally filed legal instrument or is attached to a deed or power of attorney, check state notary and witness rules.

How long should versions be retained?

Retain the active version for the life of the process and archive prior versions per retention policy; follow federal rules such as IRC §6501(a) for tax-related records and 45 CFR §164.530(j) for HIPAA.

What authentication level is appropriate?

Use an authentication level matched to risk: email or SSO for internal low-risk approvals, SMS/KBA or higher for external signers or regulator-facing records.

Who must approve changes?

Define approvers in the document; typical reviewers include the process owner, compliance, IT if systems are affected, and legal for changes that affect obligations.

How do I handle exceptions?

Document exception criteria, a required approval path, and how exception records are retained and reviewed. Ensure exception handling is traceable and auditable.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Business Process Description

Business Process Description

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

BUSINESS PROCESS DESCRIPTION

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Client Name: desires to define, document and implement the business process set forth in this Business Process Description to improve operational performance and ensure consistent execution; and

WHEREAS, Service Provider Name: possesses the expertise and resources to analyze, document, and implement the identified business process under the terms of this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the parties agree that this Business Process Description shall constitute the operative description of the process, including scope, deliverables, responsibilities, and governance, effective as of Effective Date: .

PROCESS IDENTIFICATION

Process Title Process Owner / Contact Primary Location / System

SCOPE OF WORK

The Service Provider shall analyze, document, and deliver the described process, including any necessary mapping, control definitions, role identification, and handoff points. The scope includes process design, documentation, knowledge transfer, and recommended controls as detailed below.

Detailed Scope

DELIVERABLES & ACCEPTANCE

The Service Provider will deliver the items identified below. Acceptance of deliverables shall be in writing and may include testing, review periods, and reasonable correction of deficiencies.

Deliverables Acceptance Criteria

ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES & CONTROLS

Roles and Responsibilities Process Flow, Controls and Key Metrics

PAYMENT TERMS

Client shall pay the Service Provider in accordance with the following terms. All fees are exclusive of applicable taxes unless otherwise stated.

Total Payment Amount Payment Schedule Late Payment Fee Invoice Submission and Payment Terms

TERM AND TERMINATION

This Business Process Description shall commence on Start Date: and continue until End Date: , unless earlier terminated in accordance with this section.

Notice Period for Termination (days) Termination for Cause / Procedure

CONFIDENTIALITY

Each party acknowledges that, in connection with the performance of this Business Process Description, it may receive Confidential Information of the other party. "Confidential Information" means non-public information designated as confidential or that reasonably should be understood to be confidential. Each party shall: (a) hold Confidential Information in strict confidence; (b) use it only for purposes of performing its obligations hereunder; and (c) not disclose it except to personnel or subcontractors who have a need to know and are bound by confidentiality obligations at least as protective as those herein.

Confidentiality Duration (years)

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

Except for liability arising from gross negligence or willful misconduct, neither party shall be liable to the other for incidental, consequential, special or punitive damages. The aggregate liability of each party for any claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall not exceed the total Fees paid to Service Provider under this Business Process Description during the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.

GOVERNING LAW

This Business Process Description shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction specified below, without regard to that jurisdiction's conflict of laws principles.

Governing Law Jurisdiction

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This Business Process Description, including the recitals and 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 and understandings, whether written or oral. No amendment shall be effective unless in writing and signed by both parties.

NOTICES

Client Notice Address Service Provider Notice Address

The parties acknowledge that this Business Process Description sets forth the process definition, responsibilities, deliverables, and commercial terms governing the work to be performed. The parties further agree to cooperate in good faith to effectuate the objectives described herein.

Client:

By:

Date:

Service Provider:

By:

Date:

What a Business Process Description Is and When It Applies

A Business Process Description documents the steps, roles, inputs, outputs, and controls for a defined business activity. It records who performs each task, required inputs and outputs, decision points, exception handling, and escalation paths. Organizations use the document to standardize work, support training, enable audits, and provide a clear basis for automation or tooling. For regulatory or contractual processes the description can be attached to agreements, submitted to auditors, or used as the operative statement of procedure for internal controls and quality management.

Why a Clear Business Process Description Matters

A precise description reduces ambiguity, improves consistency, and creates a record usable for audits, compliance reviews, and process improvement. It supports delegation, training, and system implementation while documenting controls for risk management.

Which Roles Typically Prepare and Use This Document

Different teams contribute to and rely on a Business Process Description; authorship and maintenance are often shared between operations, compliance, and IT.

Operations teams responsible for day-to-day execution and continuous improvement.
Compliance and legal teams validating controls, retention, and regulatory alignment.
IT and automation teams implementing workflow logic and integrations.

Assign a single owner for version control and change approvals to avoid conflicting edits and ensure timely updates.

Core Elements to Include in Every Business Process Description

A professional description balances operational detail with clarity. Include a concise purpose statement, scope and exclusions, role matrix, step-by-step tasks, inputs/outputs, decision criteria, controls, metrics, related documents, and version history to support governance and continuous improvement.

Purpose

A short statement describing why the process exists and the outcomes it must achieve; aligns stakeholders on objectives and boundaries.

Scope

Define start and end points, included and excluded activities, applicable locations, and any systems or departments in scope.

Roles

List job titles or functional owners, their responsibilities, and authorization limits; include escalation contacts and alternates.

Step-by-step Tasks

Numbered actions with responsible role, inputs required, expected outputs, decision points, and approximate timing for completion.

Controls & Exceptions

Describe review checkpoints, approval thresholds, exception handling, audit trails, and required evidence for compliance.

Metrics & Records

Define key performance indicators, reporting cadence, and the records to retain for audit and legal purposes.

Step-by-Step: Create or Update a Business Process Description

Follow these core steps to draft, validate, and publish a Business Process Description that is accurate and auditable.

01

Draft: Map tasks, roles, inputs, outputs, and decision points in a working document.
02

Review: Circulate to process owners, compliance, and IT for factual and controls validation.
03

Approve: Obtain documented sign-off from the assigned process owner and relevant stakeholders.
04

Publish: Store the approved version in the controlled repository and notify interested parties.

How to Configure an Online Workflow for This Description

When automating review and sign-off, configure fields and routing to mirror the documented steps and approvals.

Field	Configuration
Owner Approval Field	Assign to process owner; make required before routing completes
Document Version Field	Auto-populate with version ID and Effective Date
Reviewer Checklist Field	Conditional required list for compliance reviewers
Signature Field	Configure signer role and authentication level

Typical Routing and Submission Flow

A standard routing sequence minimizes delays and ensures each approver sees only relevant content and actions.

Author Submits: Upload description and set initial metadata for owner and scope.
Compliance Review: Compliance checks controls and retention language for regulatory fit.
Operational Approval: Process owner confirms accuracy and resource assignment.
Final Sign-off: Authorized signer signs and the document is published to records.

Technical Considerations for Digital Completion and Distribution

Ensure your platform supports required authentication, audit trails, and storage standards before enabling eSubmission.

Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Microsoft 365 support
File Formats: PDF, DOCX, and HTML accepted
Authentication: Email, SMS, or SSO options

Choose a platform that provides tamper-evident storage, audit trails, and the authentication level required by your internal policies or regulators.

Typical Timelines and Processing Expectations

Timelines vary by organization size and review complexity; set expectations for each stage and monitor SLAs to prevent bottlenecks.

Drafting Time:

1–5 business days depending on scope

Stakeholder Review:

3–10 business days typical for multi-team review

Approval SLA:

5 business days for final sign-off is a common internal target

Publication Time:

Immediate after signature if system-integrated

Revision Cycle:

Periodic review every 12 months recommended

Key Milestones from Draft to Published Version

Track milestones to ensure timely completion and to provide audit evidence of the review lifecycle.

01

Draft Complete

Author completes initial draft and populates metadata and version number.

02

Review Start

Stakeholders receive the document for factual and control validation.

03

Approval Obtained

All required approvals are recorded and signed.

04

Published and Archived

Approved version is stored in the official repository and notifications sent.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Vague scope that omits excluded activities and responsibilities.
Missing or ambiguous owner resulting in lapses in maintenance.
No version control or audit trail making changes unverifiable.
Overly detailed steps that hinder automation and practical use.

Consequences of an Incorrect or Incomplete Description

Operational Delay: Missed SLAs

Regulatory Findings: Noncompliance citations

Contractual Dispute: Ambiguity in obligations

Audit Failure: Insufficient evidence

Security Gaps: Control weaknesses

Financial Loss: Remediation costs

Pricing and Feature Comparison for eSignature Platforms (signNow first)

Compare starting price and core capabilities that affect cost and compliance when choosing an eSignature platform for process execution and recordkeeping.

	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 vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor
Bulk Send	Yes	Varies	Varies	Yes	Varies
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies	Varies	Varies

Real-World Examples of Process Documentation in Use

Organizations across sectors document processes to improve compliance, speed, and auditability; two customer examples illustrate practical outcomes.

Optica Ventures LLC

Brian Fitzgibbons found the interface simple and usable

The platform supported remote signers across transactions
The documented workflows reduced turnaround time and made customer interactions more consistent while preserving compliance and version history.

Tech Data

Bob Dutkowsky described operational benefits

airSlate SignNow was used to improve internal and external service delivery
The process descriptions integrated with systems to accelerate approvals and capture audit trails for revenue-related documents.

Security and Compliance Controls to Include

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit; AES-256 at rest

Certifications: SOC 2 Type II; ISO 27001; PCI DSS

HIPAA: HIPAA-compliant with BAA available

eSignature Law: ESIGN and UETA compliance

Audit Trail: Timestamp, IP, and action log retention

Accessibility: WCAG 2.0 Level AA support

Who Typically Signs or Approves This Document

COO

The Chief Operating Officer frequently serves as an approver for cross-functional process changes, validating resource implications and high-level controls. They confirm that the documented process aligns with strategic objectives and operational capacity before final sign-off.

Authorized Agent

An authorized operational delegate or process owner handles routine updates and minor revisions under documented delegation. Their role includes maintaining version history and ensuring reviewers complete mandated control checks.

Practical Tips for Accurate and Efficient Completion

Adopt these practices to keep descriptions usable, auditable, and aligned with business needs.

Use a controlled template

Standardize structure and fields across all process descriptions so reviewers know where to find responsibilities, controls, and retention instructions without searching or guessing.

Assign a single owner

Designate one accountable person for updates and version approvals to prevent conflicting edits and to ensure timely responses to regulatory or operational changes.

Keep steps actionable

Write tasks as short, specific actions with responsible roles and expected timing; avoid narrative paragraphs that require interpretation during execution.

Record approvals digitally

Capture sign-offs, reviewer comments, and timestamps in an auditable repository that supports electronic signatures and preserves tamper-evident evidence.

Frequently Asked Questions about Business Process Descriptions

Answers to common questions about drafting, approving, storing, and signing Business Process Descriptions in a compliant and auditable way.

Need help? Contact support

Can this document be signed electronically?
Yes. Under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA (where adopted), electronic signatures are legally valid for most business records provided intent, consent, attribution, and retention are met.
When is notarization required?
Notarization is rarely required for internal process descriptions; if the document creates an externally filed legal instrument or is attached to a deed or power of attorney, check state notary and witness rules.
How long should versions be retained?
Retain the active version for the life of the process and archive prior versions per retention policy; follow federal rules such as IRC §6501(a) for tax-related records and 45 CFR §164.530(j) for HIPAA.
What authentication level is appropriate?
Use an authentication level matched to risk: email or SSO for internal low-risk approvals, SMS/KBA or higher for external signers or regulator-facing records.
Who must approve changes?
Define approvers in the document; typical reviewers include the process owner, compliance, IT if systems are affected, and legal for changes that affect obligations.
How do I handle exceptions?
Document exception criteria, a required approval path, and how exception records are retained and reviewed. Ensure exception handling is traceable and auditable.

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