Electronic Signature Best Practices: 10 Ways to Get It Right

Electronic signatures best practices: why they matter

An electronic signature, or e-signature, is a legal way to get consent or approval on electronic documents or forms. It can be used to replace a handwritten signature in virtually any process, making business faster and more secure.

Digital transformation has fast-tracked this shift away from traditional paper-based methods. Learn more in our electronic signature guide.

With the e-signature market projected to grow by 44% from 2026 to 2033, adopting them is essential for modern business [Modern View Research, 2025]. In fact, 62% of sales departments and 57% of marketing departments already employ digital documentation tools, including e-signatures, [Statista, 2025]. However, there's more to going paper-free than just choosing a platform.

Following electronic signatures best practices will ensure you get it right every time. This builds trust and exceeds your customers' expectations.

Choose the right type of electronic signature for your needs

Not all electronic signatures are equal. Understanding the three main types helps you match the right security level to your document's importance.

Simple Electronic Signatures (SES)

These are your everyday e-signatures, like checking a box, typing your name, or clicking \"I agree.\" They suit low-risk documents such as internal approvals or meeting notes. While legally valid, they offer the most basic level of security.

Advanced Electronic Signatures (AES)

These signatures uniquely identify the signer and can detect any changes made after signing. They are ideal for mid-risk documents like vendor contracts or employment agreements. AES requires stronger identity verification than a simple signature - specifically, the signature must be linked to the signer, the signer must be identifiable, and any post-signing changes must be detectable, [PTS, 2025].

Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES)

This is the gold standard, especially in the EU, and holds the same legal weight as a handwritten signature. Qualified Electronic Signatures are created with certified devices and backed by qualified certificates from trusted authorities - requirements that go beyond AES by demanding a qualified certificate to prove the signer's identity and a qualified device to create the signature, [PTS, 2025]. They are required for high-stakes legal documents — like employment contracts across the EU — that need the equivalent of a notarized signature.

Ensure legal compliance and validity

Your e-signature process must meet legal requirements, or your documents won't hold up in a dispute. Here's what compliance looks like in practice.

Understand key e-signature laws

Three major frameworks govern electronic signatures globally. Your platform should comply with the laws relevant to where you do business.

• ESIGN Act (US): A federal law granting legal recognition to electronic signatures and records across the United States. Signed into law on June 30, 2000, it establishes a general rule of validity for electronic records and signatures for transactions in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, [National Credit Union Administration, 2025].

• UETA (US): An act adopted by 49 states that provides a legal framework for using e-signatures in commerce. Established by the Uniform Law Commission in 1999, it gives electronic signatures the same legal protection as a traditional handwritten signature and establishes the legal equivalence of electronic records and signatures with paper documents, [Uniform Law Commission].

• eIDAS (EU): An EU regulation that creates a standard for electronic identification and trust services, including e-signatures. It establishes a legal framework for electronic identification and specifies the conditions under which member states' electronic identification schemes must be recognized, [DIGG, 2026]. You can also review the full eSignature legislation overview and the latest eIDAS regulation text for complete details.

Verify your platform meets compliance requirements

Your legal team can help conduct a risk assessment to rank documents as high, moderate, or low risk. High-risk documents require stronger authentication and compliance checks.

Remember: Some documents like wills or deeds may still require wet signatures depending on your location. Always check local regulations for high-stakes documents.

Create a consistent electronic signature policy

Without a clear policy, your electronic signatures best practices may not be compliant or enforceable. A good policy ensures everyone is on the same page and understands the rules.

What to include in your policy

Your policy should clearly define the following:

• Objective: Link the policy to key regulations like eIDAS, ESIGN, and UETA.

• Scope: State the purpose of the policy and who it applies to.

• Signing Authority: Define who can sign what documents and the required security levels.

• Best Practices: Detail the opt-out process for those who prefer wet signatures.

• Related Policies: Connect to your data protection, GDPR, and other relevant company policies.

How to roll it out across your organization

Once developed, share the policy with your team and invite feedback for improvement. Make sure new hires are trained on the policy to ensure a consistent approach across the organization.

Finally, periodically audit the process by reviewing a random sample of signed documents. This ensures the policy is being followed effectively and drives continuous improvement.

Prioritize security and authentication

Security is more than a single feature. Your platform needs multiple layers of protection to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of your documents.

Require comprehensive audit trails

An audit trail provides a digital paper trail for every transaction. This documentary evidence is crucial for proving a signature's validity and ensuring the document can't be tampered with.

A robust audit trail should show the signer's name, email, IP address, and a timestamp for every action taken.

Use multi-factor authentication for sensitive documents

For high-value contracts or documents containing personal information, require additional verification beyond just email. Options include SMS verification codes or knowledge-based authentication questions. This adds a critical layer of security to confirm the signer's identity.

Ensure encryption and data protection

Look for platforms that encrypt documents both in transit (when being sent) and at rest (when stored). Your vendor should also be transparent about their security certifications. Key certifications to look for include SOC 2, ISO 27001, and GDPR compliance.

Integrate e-signatures with your existing workflows

If your e-signature platform is a standalone island, you're creating unnecessary manual work. True efficiency comes from integrating e-signatures directly into the tools your team already uses.

Connect with your CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.)

Your signed contracts should automatically sync to your CRM. This eliminates manual data entry and logging of signature requests.

When a deal closes, it should update in your CRM immediately. See how GetAccept's native CRM integrations make this seamless.

Key Point: Look for native integrations, not third-party middleware that can break. Your reps shouldn't have to switch between tools to send one contract.

Automate document routing and storage

Set up workflow automations so documents automatically route to the right signers in the right order. Once fully executed, they should be stored in your document management system.

This automation also triggers next-step actions, like onboarding emails or billing system updates. Explore GetAccept's contract management software to automate these workflows.

Train your team on e-signature processes

Whether you have a new hire or existing staff, training your team on how to use your e-signature tool increases confidence and performance. Ineffective communication is a leading cause of workplace failures. When team members don't fully understand the process, they may cut corners.

Quality training standardizes usage across your organization. It reinforces electronic signatures best practices and reduces risks to your business, employees, and customers.

Design for user experience and accessibility

Your buyers shouldn't need a PhD to sign your contracts. Make it easy for everyone, on any device.

Enable mobile signing

If your contract doesn't render properly on a phone, you're killing deals. Your platform must provide a seamless mobile experience where buyers can sign in under two minutes.

Offer opt-out options

Always give customers the option to decline electronic signing and use a paper-based method if they prefer. This respects user choice and ensures compliance.

Support diverse user needs

Digital inclusion is good for business, as inclusive companies are often innovation leaders. Ensure your process supports diverse needs, like screen-reader compatibility or in-person tablet signing.

Turn e-signatures into a brand touchpoint

The signing process is a key interaction with your customer. Don't let it be a generic, forgettable experience. Use it strategically to reinforce your brand and make a great first impression.

Your e-signature platform can be used to promote and scale your business. For example:

• Include a call to action: Encourage customers to check out a new product or read a related blog post after they sign.

• Add social media links: Build trust and credibility by connecting with customers on other platforms.

• Promote a rewards program: Use the confirmation page to encourage sign-ups for a loyalty scheme with special offers.

Common use cases for e-signatures in B2B sales

E-signatures shine in complex, multi-stakeholder deals. Here's where they make the biggest impact for sales teams. A Digital Sales Room brings all of this together in one place.

Contract approvals

Instead of emailing contracts back and forth, keep everything in one place. Legal can review terms, Finance can approve pricing, and the executive sponsor can sign with full visibility.

NDAs and partnership agreements

Speed matters when starting a new partnership. Send NDAs that can be reviewed and signed in minutes, not days, while tracking exactly where things stand.

Multi-stakeholder deals

When six people need to sign off, e-signatures show you who's actually involved. You'll know when the CFO reviews pricing or when Legal opens the contract during the procurement process, letting you follow up strategically.

Select an e-signature platform that scales with your business

Not all platforms are created equal. Here's what to evaluate when choosing a solution for your business. You can also compare options in our guide to the best electronic signature software.

Evaluation Criteria Checklist

Questions to ask vendors

1. "Show me the complete audit trail for a signed document."

2. "How does this integrate natively with [your CRM]?"

3. "Can I customize the signing experience to match our brand?"

Measure and optimize your e-signature process

Since the e-signature market is growing user expectations are rising fast — and adoption is accelerating globally, with the U.S. currently holding the largest market share at 22%, though the Asia Pacific region, India, China, and Brazil are close behind, [Forbes, 2021]. You must continuously evaluate your signing process to identify issues and tackle problems as they arise.

Key metrics to track

• Time-to-sign: Measures how long from sending a document to it being fully executed.

• Completion rate: Measures what percentage of sent documents get signed.

• Abandonment points: Measures at what stage in the process signers drop off.

• Mobile vs. desktop usage: Measures where your buyers are signing from.

How to identify bottlenecks

Use this data to adapt, improve, or eliminate anything that doesn't reduce friction. Ask your team what customer pain points they are seeing. This evaluation drives continuous improvement.

Conclusion

Your electronic signature process reflects your brand - make it count. These electronic signatures best practices will help you build trust, reduce deal friction, and speed up close rates.

If you're looking for e-signatures built into a complete Digital Sales Room platform, check out GetAccept's electronic signature software. We help B2B teams close complex deals faster by showing you exactly who's engaged and when to follow up.