Cover Sheet
A one-page cover identifies the primary agreement, parties, Exhibit title, and date to anchor attachments to the main record and reduce misfiling risk.
A consistent Exhibit clarifies what is attached to the main agreement, records required metadata, and helps reviewers locate specific forms quickly. It reduces review time, supports audit trails, and standardizes signer and notary placement across transactions.
Teams that prepare, review, or accept contract exhibits use this template to ensure consistency across documents.
Corporate counsel typically drafts the Exhibit language, confirms that attachments meet contract obligations, and signs or initials to confirm legal review. Counsel often specifies governing law, signature blocks, and any notary or witness requirements to ensure enforceability.
The contract administrator assembles attachments, confirms completion of fillable fields, coordinates eSignature routing or in-person notarization, and retains the final executed Exhibit with the primary agreement in the contract repository.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Signer Order | Set sequential or parallel signing |
| Authentication | Email link or SMS code |
| Notary Option | Enable RON where allowed |
| Retention | Enable PDF/A and audit trail |
Consider platform capabilities such as authentication, audit trail, and integrations before eSubmitting an Exhibit.
A one-page cover identifies the primary agreement, parties, Exhibit title, and date to anchor attachments to the main record and reduce misfiling risk.
A numbered index lists each attachment with a short description and page count so reviewers can confirm completeness quickly and consistently.
Structured fields for name, role, effective date, and reference numbers minimize transcription errors and support automated data extraction.
Clearly labeled signature blocks and an attached notarial acknowledgement or RON certificate preserve authentication for court or agency review.
Page footers with Exhibit number and page X of Y maintain order for multi-page attachments and prevent missing-page disputes.
Embed file metadata and an audit trail to record who signed, when, and by what method for later verification and compliance reviews.
Certain forms (e.g., W-9) must be produced when a payer requests them
Exhibits often must be signed before closing or filing deadlines
Retain business and tax records at least three years
Healthcare-related exhibits require six years retention under HIPAA
Keep I-9 records per federal requirements after separation
All attachments assembled and indexed by the contract team
Counsel confirms language, redactions, and signature authority
Exhibit sent to signers with specified authentication
Executed Exhibit stored and copies distributed to stakeholders
| Criteria | Davidson Nolan Exhibit | Basic Exhibit |
|---|---|---|
| Notarization | clear notary block | often inconsistent |
| eSignature Ready | structured for esign | manual scanning required |
| Indexing | numbered index present | may lack index |
| Audit Trail | embedded metadata | no audit trail |
| 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 plan | Varies by plan | Varies by plan | Varies by plan |
| Bulk Send | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Audit Trail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA Compliant | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Optica used a standardized exhibit to consolidate attachments and speed review by external counsel.
A property management firm standardized lease exhibits across portfolios to avoid missing disclosures.