By Mail Of Form

Use a BY MAIL OF template to make your document workflow more streamlined.

What is By Mail Of Form?

By Mail Of Form is a document completed and returned through a mail-based process rather than a fully identified electronic filing workflow. Use signNow to upload the form, detect or add fillable fields, assign each signer, and send it for electronic completion when the form and receiving organization permit electronic signatures. Signers review the document, enter required information, and sign with their intent recorded. The completed file and audit trail can then be stored for the organization’s records. Confirm the form’s issuing authority, submission method, and signature rules before sending.

Financial services

Financial services teams use By Mail Of Form workflows to collect completed customer information, approvals, and signatures while preserving an electronic record for internal review.

Legal services

Legal and administrative teams use the form workflow to route documents, confirm signer identity, and retain the completed file with its audit trail.

How to complete By Mail Of Form

Complete the form in signNow by checking fields, assigning recipients, collecting signatures, and preserving the finished record.

Upload the form:
Upload the By Mail Of Form and review its page layout.
Check fillable fields:
Add missing fields for names, addresses, dates, signatures, and required responses.
Assign recipients:
Assign each field to the correct signer or recipient.
Send for signature:
Send the completed workflow and monitor each signing status.
Store records:
Download the signed form and audit trail for your records.

Field preparation

Upload the By Mail Of Form, then inspect detected fields and add missing response, date, or signature fields before sending.

Recipient assignment

Assign every field to a named signer so each person sees only the information and signature areas relevant to their step.

Remote completion

Send the form by email or a signing link, allowing recipients to complete it without printing when electronic completion is permitted.

Audit trail

Capture signer actions, timestamps, and document history in an audit trail that stays associated with the completed form.

Reusable templates

Use reusable templates when the same By Mail Of Form is completed repeatedly with consistent fields and recipients.

Record storage

Download the signed document and completion evidence together, then store them under the organization’s retention policy.

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Security for completed forms

AES-256 encryption:

Encrypts stored document content

TLS protection:

Protects connections with TLS

SOC 2 Type II:

Provides independently assessed controls

ISO 27001:

Maintains certified information security

HIPAA compliance:

Supports regulated health workflows

ESIGN and UETA:

Supports U.S. electronic signatures

Setting	Recommendation
Authentication method	Email verification with SMS authentication
Signature type	Electronic signature with recorded intent
Audit trail	Enable completion history and export
Document retention	Follow the issuing authority’s rule
Encryption	Use TLS in transit and AES-256 at rest

Why teams look for DocuSign alternatives

Organizations seek alternatives when they need different pricing models, stronger native automation, simpler bulk affidavit workflows, or more flexible identity-verification options than those available in a legacy envelope-based vendor.

Check exclusions before signing

Notarization requirement

May require notarization

Wills and codicils

Excluded from ESIGN

Court documents

May require court filing

Real-estate deeds

Recording rules still apply

Retention periods for completed records

Choose the retention period based on the actual record category and governing U.S. authority, not the form’s delivery method.

Three years for tax records

Retain three years from filing under IRC §6501(a), unless another applicable rule requires longer.

Six years for major understatement

Retain six years when 25% or more income is understated under IRC §6501(a).

Six years for HIPAA records

Retain six years for HIPAA-covered records under 45 CFR §164.530(j).

Three years for payroll records

Retain three years for basic FLSA payroll records under 29 CFR §516.5.

Seven years for audit records

Retain seven years for Sarbanes-Oxley audit records under 15 U.S.C. §7245.

Recordkeeping practices for completed forms

Preserve the completed By Mail Of Form, its audit evidence, and the authority-specific retention rule together.

Match retention to the form’s authority

Keep the completed By Mail Of Form with its audit trail, signer evidence, and final PDF in the same controlled record. For tax-related records, apply the applicable IRS retention rule rather than assuming a universal period.

Export evidence with each completion

Export the audit trail after every completed By Mail Of Form and verify that the signer names, timestamps, and document history correspond to the final file before archival.

Protect personal information during storage

Restrict access to the completed form because it may contain addresses, financial information, or other personal data. Use role-based permissions and approved storage locations for every retained copy.

Confirm the receiving organization’s rules

Confirm whether the recipient accepts electronic signatures before sending. If the receiving organization requires a mailed original, use signNow for preparation only and follow its stated delivery instructions.

Features	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	Dropbox Sign
Annual starting price	$8/user/month on Business plan	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified
Free trial availability	7 days, no credit card required	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified
Bulk send availability	Business Premium includes bulk send	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified
Audit trail availability	Business includes audit trails	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified
HIPAA compliance	Available with BAA requirement	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified

Troubleshooting By Mail Of Form

Resolve the specific field, signer, plan, authentication, and recordkeeping issues that can interrupt a By Mail Of Form workflow.

Upload the original PDF again and check whether the file is password-protected, image-only, or damaged. signNow can use detected fields, but fields requiring exact placement may need manual adjustment before sending.

Open the recipient settings and confirm the signer’s email address, field ownership, and signing order. A field assigned to the wrong recipient will not appear during that signer’s By Mail Of Form session.

Business includes templates and audit trails, while Business Premium adds bulk send. If one By Mail Of Form must be distributed repeatedly, confirm the selected plan supports the required sending volume and workflow.

signNow supports ESIGN and UETA requirements, but legal validity also depends on intent, consent, attribution, and record retention. For consumer transactions, provide the required electronic-record disclosure under 15 U.S.C. §7001(c).

Use an authentication method appropriate to the document’s risk. signNow supports stronger signer authentication options on applicable plans; record the signer identity and preserve the audit trail with the completed form.

Download the completed document together with its audit trail after all required fields and signatures are finished. Retain both according to the form’s issuing authority, contract, or applicable U.S. recordkeeping rule.

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