Are e-signatures legally binding in the U.S.?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally equivalent to handwritten signatures under the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and under state UETA laws adopted in most states; ensure intent, consent, attribution, and retention are documented.

When is notarization required?

Notarization is only required if a statute or the contract itself demands it; certain deeds, powers of attorney, or affidavits commonly require notarization—check the governing state rules.

What if the signer’s name differs from records?

Mismatched names can delay enforceability or payment. Use the signer’s legal name, and if necessary attach an official authorization or corporate resolution confirming signing authority.

Can I use remote online notarization (RON)?

Possibly. Many states permit permanent RON with identity proofing and audio-video recording; confirm the state notary commission rules and retention requirements before using RON.

How does HIPAA affect the Speegle?

If the agreement involves protected health information, include a Business Associate Agreement and follow HIPAA retention and access rules (45 CFR §164.530(j)).

How do I store the executed copy securely?

Retain a signed PDF plus the audit trail in encrypted storage with access controls and backup. Track retention per IRS, HIPAA, and applicable state requirements.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Business Services Speegle

Business Services Speegle

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

BUSINESS SERVICES AGREEMENT — SPEEGLE

This Business Services Agreement ("Agreement") is entered into as of by and between:

Client Name:

Client Address:

Service Provider: (collectively, the "Parties")

Service Provider Address:

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Client desires to obtain certain business services related to marketing, operations, consulting, and related support as more particularly described in this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, Service Provider represents that it has the expertise, personnel, and resources necessary to perform the services described herein and is willing to provide such services under the terms set forth in this Agreement; and

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and promises set forth below, the Parties agree as follows.

SCOPE OF WORK

Service Provider shall perform the services described in the Scope of Work. The Scope of Work shall specify deliverables, milestones, and acceptance criteria. Any changes to the Scope of Work must be agreed in writing by both Parties and may be subject to additional fees.

Detailed Scope of Work (describe services and deliverables):

PAYMENT TERMS

Client shall pay Service Provider fees in accordance with this section. Fees are exclusive of applicable taxes unless otherwise stated.

Total Fee / Rate: Payment Schedule and Milestones:

Invoices are due within days of receipt unless otherwise agreed in writing. Late payments shall incur interest at the rate of on the outstanding balance, compounded monthly, or the maximum rate permitted by law, whichever is lower.

Taxes and Expenses:

Unless otherwise stated, Client is responsible for all taxes, duties, and similar charges associated with the services. Reasonable, pre-approved out-of-pocket expenses will be reimbursed by Client upon submission of receipts.

TERM AND TERMINATION

This Agreement shall commence on and shall continue until unless earlier terminated pursuant to this Agreement.

Either Party may terminate this Agreement for convenience upon prior written notice to the other Party of days. Either Party may terminate immediately for material breach if the breaching Party fails to cure the breach within thirty (30) days after receipt of written notice. Termination shall not relieve Client of its obligation to pay for services performed and costs incurred prior to termination.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Each Party (the "Receiving Party") shall hold in confidence and not disclose to any third party any Confidential Information disclosed by the other Party (the "Disclosing Party") except as expressly permitted in this Agreement. Confidential Information means non-public business, technical, financial, or other information disclosed by the Disclosing 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.

The Receiving Party shall (i) use Confidential Information solely to perform its obligations under this Agreement; (ii) restrict disclosure to those employees, contractors, or advisors who need to know and who are bound by confidentiality obligations no less protective than those herein; and (iii) take reasonable measures to protect Confidential Information from unauthorized disclosure. Confidential Information does not include information that is or becomes publicly available through no fault of the Receiving Party, was lawfully known by the Receiving Party prior to disclosure, was rightfully received from a third party without restriction, or is independently developed by the Receiving Party without use of the Disclosing Party's Confidential Information.

Confidentiality Duration (in years):

GOVERNING LAW

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of without regard to conflict-of-law principles. The Parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in that State for disputes arising out of this Agreement.

MISCELLANEOUS

Relationship of the Parties: Service Provider is an independent contractor. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to create a partnership, joint venture, or employer-employee relationship.

Assignment: Neither Party may assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the other Party, except that Service Provider may assign to an affiliate or successor in connection with a merger or sale of substantially all of its assets.

Notices: All notices required or permitted under this Agreement shall be in writing and delivered to the addresses set forth above or such other address as a Party may designate by written notice. Notices are effective upon receipt.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This Agreement, including any statements of work or exhibits expressly incorporated herein, 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. Any amendment to this Agreement must be in writing and signed by both Parties.

SIGNATURES

Client:

By:

Date:

Service Provider:

By:

Date:

What the Business Services Speegle is and when it's used

The Business Services Speegle is a standardized engagement document used to record the scope, deliverables, fees, timelines, and responsibilities for a professional services relationship. It documents mutual obligations, payment terms, deliverable milestones, and termination provisions so both parties have a clear written record. In the United States this contract-style form can be executed on paper or electronically; when completed electronically it must satisfy ESIGN and applicable state UETA/ESRA requirements to be enforceable.

Why a clear Business Services Speegle matters

A well-prepared Speegle reduces disputes, clarifies payment and deliverable expectations, and creates an auditable record suitable for compliance or billing reviews. It also supports consistent vendor management across projects and preserves key legal rights by documenting governing law, notice addresses, and termination procedures.

Typical teams and roles that rely on the Speegle

The Business Services Speegle is used across operational, financial, and legal teams when engaging outside providers or documenting internal service arrangements.

Small business owners and founders managing vendor relationships and outsourced work.
Procurement and accounts payable teams controlling onboarding, purchase approvals, and invoice matching.
Legal and compliance staff reviewing liability, IP, confidentiality, and governing law clauses.

Adapt the form to match the organization’s approval workflow and the contract value or regulatory sensitivity of the engagement.

Who typically signs and approves this document

CEO — Business Owner

Decision-makers such as a CEO or business owner sign when contract value or strategic risk is material. They authorize budgets, accept commercial terms, and bind the company; ensure the signer has corporate authority to avoid enforceability challenges.

General Counsel — Legal Advisor

General counsel or delegated legal staff typically review and approve non-standard terms, indemnities, and IP assignments. Their signature or approval stamp documents legal review and is often required for high-risk or regulated engagements.

Essential sections to include in a professional Speegle

A complete Business Services Speegle groups related terms into standard sections so each party can find obligations, dates, and remedies quickly.

Scope of Work

Clearly define tasks, deliverables, acceptance criteria, and any excluded work so there is no ambiguity about what the provider will deliver and what will be billed.

Deliverables & Schedule

List milestone dates, deliverable formats, and acceptance windows. Tie payments to measurable milestones where practical to align incentives.

Payment Terms

Specify fees, billing cycles, invoicing contacts, late fees, and any retainer or deposit amounts to avoid downstream disputes.

Termination & Remedies

Describe termination events, notice periods, cure rights, and final accounting for work performed through the termination date.

Confidentiality & IP

Identify confidential information handling, data return or destruction obligations, and ownership or assignment of intellectual property created under the engagement.

Governing Law

Specify the state law that governs interpretation and the preferred dispute resolution method to reduce jurisdictional uncertainty.

Core data fields required on every Speegle

Party Names: Full legal entity names

Authorized Signers: Signer name and title

Effective Date: MM/DD/YYYY format

Payment Terms: Net days or milestone terms

Scope Summary: Short project description

Governing Law: State selection

Step-by-step: completing the Business Services Speegle

Follow these sequential steps to minimize rework and ensure the agreement is complete, signed, and stored correctly.

01

Prepare draft: Populate scope, dates, and fee fields.
02

Internal review: Obtain approvals from finance and legal.
03

Send for signature: Use authenticated e-signing or printed copies.
04

Archive executed copy: Store signed PDF and audit log securely.

Configuring an online signing workflow for the Speegle

Set workflow options to match required authentication, routing, and document retention policies before sending the Speegle out for signature.

Field name and configuration setting	Selected value \| Purpose
Authentication method required for external signers	Email link \| SMS code \| KBA for high-assurance
Signing order and routing rules	Sequential or parallel signer flow configurable per engagement
Document retention and audit settings	Enable audit trail and automatic archival to cloud storage
Notification and reminder cadence	Set reminders and expiration for outstanding signatures

Digital signing and technical requirements

Choose a platform that supports the authentication, storage, and integration needs of the agreement workflow.

Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Google Workspace
Supported formats: PDF, DOCX, HTML
Security standards: TLS and AES-256 encryption

Where to send and how parties receive the Speegle

The sending party routes the completed form to signer email addresses or a signing link; choose delivery methods that match signer accessibility and authentication needs.

Email delivery: Send secure signing link to recipient email
In-person signing: Use device or kiosk for onsite signatures
Bulk distribution: Use bulk send for many identical agreements
Cloud archive: Store executed copies in enterprise cloud

Key dates and deadline considerations to track

Record and communicate the dates that affect performance, billing, renewal, and dispute timelines so parties can meet obligations and preserve rights.

Effective date and term:

Defines start, end, and renewal triggers

Milestone due dates:

Tie deliverables to specific MM/DD/YYYY dates

Invoice due date:

Net 30 or other agreed payment window

Termination notice period:

Number of days required to give notice

Dispute notice window:

Time to assert breach or seek cure

Typical lifecycle milestones for a Speegle

A project timeline shows the major stages from proposal through final acceptance; align contract milestones with invoicing and delivery schedules.

01

Proposal and negotiation

Draft terms and iterate until both parties agree

02

Execution and signature

Agreement becomes binding on the effective date

03

Work commencement

Provider begins tasks as specified in scope

04

Acceptance and closeout

Client approves deliverables and final invoice issued

Common mistakes when preparing a Business Services Speegle

Vague scope language that omits exclusions, resulting in scope creep, unpaid change orders, and disputes over deliverable acceptance criteria.
Missing or inconsistent signer authority where the person signing lacks documented corporate power, creating enforceability or ratification issues.
Incorrect payment or remittance details that delay collections and trigger interest or breach claims against the provider.
Failing to set or enforce milestone-based acceptance criteria, which leads to disagreement over whether deliverables meet contract standards.

Risks and potential consequences of errors

Payment disputes: Delayed collections or withheld payments

Breach claims: Contract termination and damages

Regulatory exposure: Fines if data handling violates rules

Enforceability issues: Voidable agreements if signer lacks authority

Confidentiality breaches: Loss of trade secrets or reputation harm

Operational delays: Project slowdowns and increased costs

eSignature vendor comparison for executing the Speegle

Platform selection affects cost, compliance, and workflow features. The table compares common vendor price points and select capabilities relevant to business agreements.

	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 (Business Premium)	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 about the Business Services Speegle

Answers to common legal, signing, and execution questions when preparing or executing a Speegle.

Need help? Contact support

Are e-signatures legally binding in the U.S.?
Yes. Electronic signatures are legally equivalent to handwritten signatures under the federal ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and under state UETA laws adopted in most states; ensure intent, consent, attribution, and retention are documented.
When is notarization required?
Notarization is only required if a statute or the contract itself demands it; certain deeds, powers of attorney, or affidavits commonly require notarization—check the governing state rules.
What if the signer’s name differs from records?
Mismatched names can delay enforceability or payment. Use the signer’s legal name, and if necessary attach an official authorization or corporate resolution confirming signing authority.
Can I use remote online notarization (RON)?
Possibly. Many states permit permanent RON with identity proofing and audio-video recording; confirm the state notary commission rules and retention requirements before using RON.
How does HIPAA affect the Speegle?
If the agreement involves protected health information, include a Business Associate Agreement and follow HIPAA retention and access rules (45 CFR §164.530(j)).
How do I store the executed copy securely?
Retain a signed PDF plus the audit trail in encrypted storage with access controls and backup. Track retention per IRS, HIPAA, and applicable state requirements.

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