Identity
Legal entity type and formation jurisdiction, plus copies of articles or certificate of formation to establish existence and legal status.
A clear registry reduces duplicate requests, minimizes onboarding delays, and improves audit readiness by centralizing verified business facts and delegations.
Multiple stakeholders benefit from a single authoritative record; keep the registry current and route updates through a defined governance owner.
Legal entity type and formation jurisdiction, plus copies of articles or certificate of formation to establish existence and legal status.
EIN, tax classification, and W-9 status to support correct 1099 reporting and avoid backup withholding.
Named signers, titles, and limits of authority with documentation (board resolution or power of attorney) when required.
Bank account details, ACH authorizations, and remittance contacts to enable timely vendor payments and reconciliations.
HIPAA, export control, and insurance certifications where applicable, plus evidence of licensure or bonding for regulated industries.
Record retention class, retention period, and responsible unit for later retrieval and audit support.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Authentication | Email by default; SMS or KBA for higher assurance |
| Routing Order | Sequential routing for approvals, parallel for notifications |
| Templates | Lock mandatory fields and prefill repeat data |
| Notifications | Automated reminders and final signed copies |
Ensure the platform can produce a tamper-evident audit trail and store signed copies in your document management system for compliance.
No fixed deadline; provide upon payer request
To recipient and IRS by January 31
To IRS by March 31
Form 1040 due April 15
Retain per 8 CFR §274a.2 rules
Issue registry and request supporting documents
Confirm EIN, signatory authority, and banking details
Obtain electronic or notarized signatures as required
Store signed registry with retention metadata
| 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 | Varies by vendor | Varies by vendor | Varies by vendor | Varies by vendor |
| Bulk Send | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Audit Trail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA Compliant | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Envelope Cap | No envelope cap | 100 envelopes/user/year | Varies by plan | Varies by plan | Varies by plan |
The interface is simple and easy-to-use for our team; more importantly, it is just as easy for our customers.
The airSlate SignNow team has been exceptional, responsive, the API has been great.
Owner-level signers provide legal name, EIN, and banking details; they often supply formation documents and authorize payment setup for vendor relationships.
Compliance personnel verify regulatory flags, ensure necessary addenda (such as HIPAA BAAs) are attached, and maintain retention schedules for audit readiness.