Are eSignatures legally binding?

Yes. In the United States electronic signatures are generally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and state UETA laws, provided intent, consent, attribution, and a reproducible record are present.

Do I need special authentication for sensitive documents?

Use stronger authentication (SMS code, knowledge-based auth, or multi-factor) for high-risk or regulated documents; stronger methods reduce the likelihood of later challenges to signer identity.

How long must I keep signed records?

Retention depends on the document: IRS records generally 3 years (IRC §6501(a)), HIPAA-related records 6 years (45 CFR §164.530(j)), and industry or state rules may require longer retention.

Is notarization required for electronic execution?

Some documents still require notarization or witness signatures; Remote Online Notarization (RON) rules vary by state and may impose ID proofing and recording requirements.

Can a signed electronic document be revoked or canceled?

Agreement revocation or termination must follow the contract terms; electronic signatures do not prevent revocation but records of consent and timestamps help demonstrate the sequence of actions.

What if a signer cannot access email?

Use alternative delivery such as SMS-based links, in-person signing kiosks, or print-and-sign procedures while ensuring the record documents the method used and signer identity verification steps.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Business Signature Plans

Business Signature Plans

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

BUSINESS SIGNATURE PLANS

This Business Signature Plans Agreement ("Agreement") is made as of by and between:

Client Name: Address:

Service Provider Name: Address:

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Client desires to adopt a standardized set of signature plans, signature blocks, and related execution protocols for authorized signatories used in Client's business communications and documents; and

WHEREAS, Service Provider has expertise in designing, documenting, and delivering signature plans, including template creation, approval workflows, and implementation guidance; and

WHEREAS, the parties wish to define the scope, compensation, confidentiality, and other terms governing the delivery and use of the Business Signature Plans.

SCOPE OF WORK

Detailed Description of Services

Services include, at a minimum: template design for electronic and print signatures; designation of authorized signatories; approval workflow documentation; testing and acceptance criteria; and up to rounds of revisions as set forth in the Scope of Work.

PAYMENT TERMS

Total Fee Deposit / Initial Payment Payment Schedule and Milestones

Late Payment: Any undisputed amount not paid within days after the due date shall accrue interest at and Client shall reimburse reasonable costs of collection, including attorneys' fees.

TERM AND TERMINATION

Term Commencement Date: Term End Date:

Either party may terminate this Agreement for material breach by the other party upon written notice if the breach is not cured within days after receipt of notice. Either party may terminate for convenience upon days' prior written notice. Upon termination, Client shall pay for all services performed and reasonable, documented expenses incurred through the effective date of termination.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Each party (the "Recipient") shall hold in confidence and not disclose to any third party any Confidential Information of the other party (the "Discloser") except as necessary to perform obligations under this Agreement. "Confidential Information" includes non-public business, technical, and financial information disclosed in any form. Confidential Information does not include information that (a) is or becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a breach of this Agreement, (b) is rightfully received by Recipient from a third party without restriction, or (c) is independently developed by Recipient without use of or reference to Discloser's Confidential Information.

Recipient may disclose Confidential Information if required by law or regulation, provided Recipient gives Discloser prompt written notice and cooperates with reasonable efforts to obtain a protective order or other remedy. The parties acknowledge that monetary damages may be inadequate and that Discloser shall be entitled to injunctive relief to prevent breaches of confidentiality.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, Service Provider retains ownership of preexisting materials, methodologies, templates, and tools used or developed prior to or outside the scope of this Agreement. Upon full payment of fees due for the deliverables specified in the Scope of Work, Service Provider grants Client a non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use the delivered signature plan materials for Client's internal business purposes. Any custom, client-funded deliverables created specifically for Client shall be owned by subject to the license terms above.

NOTICES

Client Notices To Provider Notices To

GOVERNING LAW

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of without regard to conflict of laws principles. Venue for any action arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be the federal or state courts located in the jurisdiction specified above.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This Agreement, including the Scope of Work and any attached exhibits or statements of work executed by the parties, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to its subject matter and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, proposals, and communications, whether written or oral. Any modification or waiver of this Agreement must be in writing and signed by authorized representatives of both parties.

Client:

By:

Date:

Service Provider:

By:

Date:

What Business Signature Plans cover

Business Signature Plans are subscription-based eSignature and workflow configurations that let organizations prepare, send, sign, and store legally binding documents electronically. Plans typically include user accounts, templates, audit trails, authentication options, and integrations with common business systems to support compliant workflows across industries in the United States.

Why organizations adopt Business Signature Plans

Business Signature Plans centralize signing workflows, provide an auditable record of consent and actions, and reduce paper handling. In the U.S. this supports compliance with ESIGN (15 U.S.C. §7001) and state UETA rules while enabling remote execution and standardized retention practices.

Typical users and teams

Organizations across multiple functions use Business Signature Plans to speed approvals while preserving legal evidence and security.

Real estate brokers and property managers handling leases, disclosures, and closing paperwork.
Healthcare administrators collecting patient consents and authorizations under HIPAA-compliant workflows.
Finance and accounting teams sending invoices, W-9s, and contract approvals for faster payment cycles.

Profiles below show common teams who manage and complete these documents.

Who signs and who sets up plans

Legal Counsel

Legal counsel reviews templates, sets governing-state clauses, and approves consent language to ensure contracts and consumer disclosures meet ESIGN (15 U.S.C. §7001) and applicable state UETA/ESRA requirements before deployment.

Operations Manager

An operations manager configures user access, templates, bulk-send workflows, and integrations with CRM or ERP systems so the business maintains consistent routing, audit trails, and retention policies.

Core elements of Business Signature Plans

Plans typically combine signing features, security controls, workflow automation, and integration points so businesses can standardize document execution and recordkeeping across teams and systems.

Legally binding eSignatures

Support for intent, consent, attribution, and record retention so signed records meet the ESIGN Act and UETA criteria in most U.S. jurisdictions.

Templates and reusable fields

Create and store templates with predefined signature, date, and conditional fields to reduce errors and speed recurring transactions.

Audit trail and compliance

Detailed event history (timestamps, IP, signer email) that documents the signing process for enforceability and internal audits.

Bulk send and kiosk modes

High-volume delivery options for mass recipient lists and in-person signing configurations for kiosks or front-desk workflows.

Advanced field logic

Conditional and calculated fields to automate form behavior, reduce manual edits, and capture consistent structured data.

API and integrations

Connectors and APIs for CRM, ERP, and cloud storage to automate document creation, send events, and archive signed records.

Security and compliance features to expect

Encryption in transit: TLS 1.2/1.3

Encryption at rest: AES-256

Auditing standard: SOC 2 Type II

Healthcare compliance: HIPAA (BAA required)

FDA-regulated records: 21 CFR Part 11 support

International standards: ISO 27001

Step-by-step: preparing and sending a plan

Follow these steps to prepare a document template, collect signatures, and retain an auditable record.

01

Create template: Upload the base document and add reusable fields.
02

Place fields: Add signature, date, and conditional fields where required.
03

Invite signers: Add signer emails and set authentication level.
04

Complete and archive: Collect signatures, download final PDF, and store audit trail.

Typical online signing workflow

An eSigning workflow progresses from upload to execution and final storage in a few repeatable steps.

Upload document: Sender uploads file to the platform.
Add signer fields: Place signature, date, and data fields on the page.
Send for signature: Platform emails link or issues bulk invites to recipients.
Sign and record: Signers authenticate, sign, and receive the signed copy plus audit trail.

Common workflow settings and recommended configuration

Configure these settings to match your security posture, volume needs, and recordkeeping obligations.

Field	Configuration
Authentication Method	Email link \| SMS code \| KBA depending on risk
Bulk Send	Enable for high-volume recipient lists
Template Library	Centralize approved templates by team
Audit Trail Granularity	Capture timestamps, IP, and action logs

Delivery channels and technical prerequisites

Business Signature Plans integrate with many enterprise systems and support standard file formats.

Supported formats: PDF, DOCX, HTML, and XLS
Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace
Access: Browser or mobile app access required

Pricing and feature comparison across providers

Compare starting price and core capabilities across common eSignature vendors to match plan features with business requirements.

	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	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 cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

Key penalties and legal risks to avoid

Incorrect information returns: 1099 late penalties per IRC §6721

Intentional disregard: $660+ per form

I-9 paperwork: $281–$2,789 per violation

HIPAA breaches: Civil penalties and corrective action

Authentication failure: Document may be challenged in court

Retention noncompliance: Fines or inability to defend audits

Common mistakes when preparing Business Signature Plans

Using inconsistent templates across teams that create conflicting governing-state clauses and enforcement issues.
Failing to obtain explicit consent for electronic records when consumer-facing, risking ESIGN disclosure noncompliance.
Mismatched signer names or missing signature dates that complicate verification and invalidate execution evidence.
Not configuring retention or audit-trail settings, resulting in incomplete records for audits or legal challenges.

Practical tips for accurate and efficient completion

Adopt standard procedures to reduce friction, maintain compliance, and minimize rework when using Business Signature Plans.

Standardize approved templates

Keep a single source of truth for templates that legal approves; lock critical clauses and use conditional fields for variable elements to reduce manual edits and errors.

Verify signer identity appropriately

Match authentication level to transaction risk: email for routine approvals, SMS/KBA or two-factor for financial or regulated documents requiring stronger assurance.

Preserve detailed audit trails

Capture timestamps, IP addresses, and signer events automatically so records demonstrate intent, attribution, and sequence of actions if challenged.

Align retention with regulation

Document retention schedules that satisfy IRS, HIPAA, and industry obligations; automate archival and disposal to avoid unintended exposure or noncompliance.

Real-world examples of Business Signature Plans in use

These brief examples show how organizations apply signing plans to improve process control and compliance.

Optica Ventures

Optica centralized agreements into templates to reduce manual edits and errors.

They standardized signer order for investor docs.
The interface proved easy for internal teams and customers, enabling consistent execution while preserving evidence for audits and downstream reporting.

Fertility Centers of Illinois

A healthcare provider moved consent forms online with compliant workflows.

Patient authorizations were captured digitally.
The organization retained full audit trails and reported improved operational flexibility while maintaining HIPAA protections and patient access to signed records.

Frequently asked questions about Business Signature Plans

Answers to common questions about legality, authentication, retention, and platform selection for Business Signature Plans.

Need help? Contact support

Are eSignatures legally binding?
Yes. In the United States electronic signatures are generally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and state UETA laws, provided intent, consent, attribution, and a reproducible record are present.
Do I need special authentication for sensitive documents?
Use stronger authentication (SMS code, knowledge-based auth, or multi-factor) for high-risk or regulated documents; stronger methods reduce the likelihood of later challenges to signer identity.
How long must I keep signed records?
Retention depends on the document: IRS records generally 3 years (IRC §6501(a)), HIPAA-related records 6 years (45 CFR §164.530(j)), and industry or state rules may require longer retention.
Is notarization required for electronic execution?
Some documents still require notarization or witness signatures; Remote Online Notarization (RON) rules vary by state and may impose ID proofing and recording requirements.
Can a signed electronic document be revoked or canceled?
Agreement revocation or termination must follow the contract terms; electronic signatures do not prevent revocation but records of consent and timestamps help demonstrate the sequence of actions.
What if a signer cannot access email?
Use alternative delivery such as SMS-based links, in-person signing kiosks, or print-and-sign procedures while ensuring the record documents the method used and signer identity verification steps.

be ready to get more

Join over 28 million airSlate SignNow users

Sign Now