Are electronic signatures legally binding?

Yes. Electronic signatures are generally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted. Ensure intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are documented to support validity.

When do I need a notary or witness?

Notarization or witnesses are required for certain instruments by state law (e.g., deeds, some powers of attorney). Check state rules; deeds typically need notary acknowledgement in all states.

How should I handle sensitive health data?

For PHI, use a signed BAA and follow HIPAA retention, access, and breach-notification rules (45 CFR §164.530(j)). Limit access and log all views and disclosures.

What happens if a TIN is incorrect?

An incorrect TIN can trigger IRS backup withholding and information return penalties; confirm TINs on request using Form W-9 procedures to reduce penalty risk.

Can I revoke or cancel signed instructions?

Revocation depends on contract terms and timing. Include explicit revocation steps in the instructions and record any cancellations with timestamps and approver signatures.

Which file formats should we archive?

Archive signed records in PDF/A or PDF with a complete audit trail to ensure long-term readability and evidentiary integrity.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Client Relationship Management Instructions

Client Relationship Management Instructions

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

CLIENT RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTIONS

RECITALS

WHEREAS Client Name: (the "Client") desires to engage a service provider to manage and act on certain client relationship and account-management functions; and

WHEREAS Service Provider Name: (the "Service Provider") represents that it has the capabilities, personnel and systems necessary to perform the services described in this agreement; and

WHEREAS the parties wish to set forth in writing their respective instructions, responsibilities, security requirements and reporting protocols for the management of client relationships and associated data.

SCOPE OF WORK

Detailed Scope of Services

RESPONSIBILITIES AND OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

The Service Provider shall perform the following functions in accordance with the terms of this document and any operational annexes executed by the parties:

Core Tasks (check all that apply) Maintain and update contact records and interaction history Conduct scripted outreach and follow-up communications Produce scheduled reports and KPI dashboards Manage escalations to Client personnel per escalation matrix Enter and reconcile data within Client systems

Escalation Matrix / Primary Contacts

PAYMENT TERMS

The Client shall pay the Service Provider for the services performed as follows.

Fee Amount Billing Schedule Payment Due (days after invoice) Late Fee

TERM AND TERMINATION

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

Notice Period for Termination Without Cause Termination for Cause

CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA HANDLING

The parties acknowledge that in performing services the Service Provider will receive Confidential Information. Confidential Information means non-public information disclosed by the Client that is marked confidential or that a reasonable person would understand to be confidential under the circumstances.

The Service Provider shall: (a) use Confidential Information solely for performance of the services; (b) restrict access to those employees and subcontractors who have a need to know; (c) maintain commercially reasonable administrative, physical and technical safeguards to protect Confidential Information from unauthorized access, disclosure or use; and (d) promptly notify the Client upon becoming aware of any unauthorized access or disclosure.

Authorized Disclosures Data Retention and Return/Destruction

REPORTING, METRICS AND ACCESS

The Service Provider shall provide reports that accurately reflect activities performed, metrics, and status of client relationships. Reports shall be delivered at Reporting Frequency: and shall include the KPIs and formats agreed in the Scope of Work.

Access Rights

CHANGE CONTROL

Any change to the Scope of Work, fees, reporting obligations, or use of third-party systems requires a written change request submitted by the initiating party and signed by authorized representatives of both parties prior to implementation.

Change Request Procedure

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

Except as otherwise provided by applicable law, neither party shall be liable to the other for consequential, incidental, special or punitive damages arising out of or relating to this agreement. Each party’s aggregate liability for direct damages arising from or related to this agreement shall be limited to the total fees paid or payable by the Client to the Service Provider under this agreement during the twelve (12) month period preceding the claim.

GOVERNING LAW

This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of without regard to its conflict of laws rules.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This document, together with any written schedules or annexes 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 oral or written. Amendments must be in writing and signed by authorized representatives of both parties.

NOTICES

Notices under this agreement shall be given in writing to the addresses and contact persons below and shall be deemed received when delivered personally, by certified mail, or by overnight courier.

Client Notice Address Client Contact Service Provider Notice Address Service Provider Contact

ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS

The parties agree to cooperate in good faith to execute any further documents reasonably necessary to effectuate the intent of this agreement. If any provision of this agreement is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

CLIENT AND SERVICE PROVIDER CONTACTS

Primary Client Contact Primary Service Provider Contact

Client:

By:

Date:

Service Provider:

By:

Date:

What the Client Relationship Management Instructions are

Client Relationship Management Instructions are a standardized internal document that defines procedures for onboarding, communicating with, and maintaining records about clients. They outline required fields, approval roles, communication cadence, escalation steps, and retention rules. Where electronic signatures are used, the instructions describe consent, attribution, and record-retention practices consistent with U.S. law (ESIGN, UETA) and industry obligations such as HIPAA when applicable. The document serves as both an operational checklist and a compliance reference for staff handling client interactions.

Why clear instructions matter for client relationships

Consistent instructions reduce onboarding friction, prevent legal and tax mistakes, and preserve evidentiary records. They align operational practice with ESIGN/UETA requirements for electronic records and help teams meet industry-specific obligations such as HIPAA privacy rules or state notarization differences.

Who typically prepares and follows these instructions

Smaller teams and enterprise departments both rely on standardized CRM instructions to ensure consistent client handling and legal compliance.

Client-facing staff and account managers who collect client data and signatures
Compliance and legal teams that verify procedures match ESIGN, UETA, and industry rules
Operations or onboarding teams responsible for routing, storage, and audit trails

Clear role definitions reduce errors, speed approvals, and make audits or regulatory reviews more straightforward.

Core components every set of CRM instructions should include

A professional instruction set combines policy, required data, approval workflows, document templates, security controls, and retention rules to guide daily operations and regulatory compliance.

Scope

Defines which client interactions and document types the instructions cover, including exclusions and escalation thresholds for exceptions.

Required Data

Lists mandatory fields (legal name, tax ID, contact details), acceptable formats, and validation checks to reduce rejected records and backup-withholding risk.

Roles & Approvals

Specifies who can create, review, approve, and sign documents, including delegated authority levels and replacement signers.

Signing Process

Describes electronic signing steps, authentication methods, when notarization or witnesses are required, and how consent is captured to satisfy ESIGN/UETA.

Security Controls

Sets encryption, access control, audit trail retention, and BAA requirements for protected health information where applicable.

Retention Rules

Specifies retention periods, archival location, and legal basis (tax, HIPAA, SEC) for each document category.

Step-by-step: completing the Client Relationship Management Instructions

Follow these sequential steps to populate, review, and finalize the instructions for a client engagement.

01

Prepare Template: Select the relevant instruction template and pre-fill known fields.
02

Add Parties: Enter client and company details; confirm legal names and tax IDs.
03

Assign Roles: Set reviewer, approver, and signer roles with deadlines.
04

Finalize and Sign: Route for signatures, capture consent, and store final PDF with audit trail.

Typical workflow settings to configure for electronic completion

Configure fields, authentication, notifications, and retention before sending instructions for signature.

Field	Configuration
Template	Choose base template and lock non-editable sections
Role Routing	Set sequential or parallel signing order and reminders
Authentication	Enable email link, SMS code, or KBA per risk level
Retention	Set automatic archival and retention tags

Where completed instructions should be sent and stored

Document destinations and copies must be defined to satisfy operational needs and audit requirements.

Client Copy: Send signed PDF to client email and allow download
Internal Ops: Store master copy in secure repository with access controls
Accounting: Provide copies to billing for invoicing and tax records
Compliance: Retain audit trail for regulatory review and legal holds

Technical considerations for eSubmission and storage

Define the minimum platform capabilities required for secure e-submission and records management.

File Formats: PDF/A, DOCX support for archiving
Integrations: CRM and cloud storage connectors
Authentication: Support for SMS, KBA, or SSO

Ensure platforms meet encryption, audit trail, and retention settings before routing documents for signature.

Security and compliance controls to include

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

Audit Trail: Timestamps, IP addresses, action logs

Access Controls: Role-based permissions and SSO

BAA Requirement: Signed BAA for PHI workflows

Certifications: SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001

Accessibility: WCAG 2.0 Level AA considerations

Principal legal and financial risks to address

Tax Penalties: $60–$330 per 1099 filing error

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

HIPAA Breach: Civil/administrative fines and corrective actions

Invalid Signature: Disputed consent may void agreements

Record Loss: Failure to retain can impair audits

Intentional Misconduct: Higher penalties for deliberate disregard

Common preparation mistakes to avoid

Failing to verify legal names and TINs leads to backup withholding and delayed payments.
Missing or unclear signing order can result in incomplete authorizations and rework.
Inadequate authentication increases fraud risk, especially for high-value or regulated transactions.
Neglecting retention rules may cause noncompliance with IRS, HIPAA, or SEC recordkeeping requirements.

How CRM Instructions differ from a client intake form

Compare purpose, required approvals, timelines, and storage expectations to avoid confusion between document types.

Criteria	CRM Instructions	Client Intake Form
Primary purpose	operational policy	data collection
Required signatures	policy owners	client signature often
Use-case timeline	ongoing process	single transaction
Storage method	policy repository	client record folder

Representative eSignature vendor pricing and capabilities

Compare starting prices and high-level capabilities commonly relevant when adopting eSignature for client instructions. Platform choice should match required compliance features.

	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	Varies	Varies	Varies
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	Varies	Varies

Real-world examples of instruction use

Practical examples show how organizations adapt instructions for daily workflows and compliance.

Optica Ventures

Optica used a streamlined instruction set to reduce client confusion during onboarding

Focused on clear field validation and signer roles
Brian Fitzgibbons, COO, reported the interface is simple to use and effective for both staff and customers, improving turnaround without sacrificing compliance.

Martin Properties

A real estate firm added notarization and retention clauses for closing documents

Implemented signer sequencing for approvals
Tim Martin, Founder, said they can process and execute documents online with compliance and built-in security across mobile and offline modes.

Typical timelines and processing expectations

Set clear deadlines for each stage so staff know expected turnaround and escalation points.

Template Preparation:

Complete within 2 business days of request

Client Review:

Allow 7 calendar days for client signature

Internal Approval:

Routine approvals complete within 3 business days

Archival:

Finalize and archive within 1 business day after signing

Audit Response:

Provide requested records within 5–10 business days

Frequently asked questions about using these instructions

Answers to common operational and compliance questions when implementing Client Relationship Management Instructions.

Need help? Contact support

Are electronic signatures legally binding?
Yes. Electronic signatures are generally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted. Ensure intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are documented to support validity.
When do I need a notary or witness?
Notarization or witnesses are required for certain instruments by state law (e.g., deeds, some powers of attorney). Check state rules; deeds typically need notary acknowledgement in all states.
How should I handle sensitive health data?
For PHI, use a signed BAA and follow HIPAA retention, access, and breach-notification rules (45 CFR §164.530(j)). Limit access and log all views and disclosures.
What happens if a TIN is incorrect?
An incorrect TIN can trigger IRS backup withholding and information return penalties; confirm TINs on request using Form W-9 procedures to reduce penalty risk.
Can I revoke or cancel signed instructions?
Revocation depends on contract terms and timing. Include explicit revocation steps in the instructions and record any cancellations with timestamps and approver signatures.
Which file formats should we archive?
Archive signed records in PDF/A or PDF with a complete audit trail to ensure long-term readability and evidentiary integrity.

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