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Please Use Block Letters Only

Use a PLEASE USE BLOCK LETTERS ONLY 2020 template to make your document workflow more streamlined.

What “Please Use Block Letters Only” means

“Please Use Block Letters Only” is an instruction requiring information to be written in separate, clearly legible capital letters rather than cursive or joined handwriting. It is not, by itself, a standardized federal tax or government form with an issuing agency, filing deadline, or statutory retention period. On a U.S. business document, the instruction helps reviewers distinguish names, addresses, numbers, and other entries. With signNow, you can upload the document, place typed or signature fields, send it for completion, and preserve the finished record with its audit trail.

How the signing flow works

The process converts a block-letter instruction into a controlled document workflow without changing the instruction itself.

  • Upload: Upload the document and inspect its existing instructions.
  • Prepare fields: Auto-detect or place fields for required entries.
  • Send: Send the prepared document to the designated signer.
  • Complete: Capture signatures, timestamps, and the completed audit trail.

How to complete the document

Use this workflow when the document specifically directs each entry to appear in block letters.

  • Upload document:

    Upload the exact document containing the block-letter instruction.
  • Add fields:

    Place text fields where names, addresses, and numbers belong.
  • Set formatting:

    Set text fields to uppercase when the document requires capital letters.
  • Send for signing:

    Send the completed document and signature request to each signer.
  • Store records:

    Download the signed PDF and retain its audit trail.

Recommended workflow setup

Configure the workflow around the document’s actual business purpose, signer identity, access requirements, and applicable recordkeeping rule.

SettingRecommendation
Authentication methodEmail link with SMS OTP
Signature typeTyped or drawn electronic signature
Audit trailEnable completion certificate and action log
Document retentionApply the underlying record schedule
Encryption and provisioningUse encrypted storage and role-based access
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What the audit trail records

The audit trail documents the signing event rather than replacing the block-letter instruction or deciding whether the underlying document is legally sufficient.

01

Authenticate signer:

Records the signer’s authentication event and access method.
02

Capture timestamp:

Captures the date and time for each document action.
03

Record document:

Associates the signed document with its completion record.
04

Seal history:

Preserves the action history for review and evidence.
05

Review events:

Shows signer, sender, and field-completion events.
06

Export evidence:

Exports the completed document and audit information.

Security for signed records

Data at rest:

AES-256 encryption at rest

Data in transit:

TLS 1.2 and 1.3 in transit

Security reporting:

SOC 2 Type II certification

Information security:

ISO 27001 certification

Electronic signatures:

ESIGN and UETA compliance

Healthcare workflows:

HIPAA compliance with BAA

Find and fill out the correct please use block letters only

airSlate SignNow helps you fill in and sign documents in minutes, error-free. Choose the correct version of the editable PDF form from the list and get started filling it out.

VersionsForm popularityFillable & printable
AU PIC Registration Application 20204.8 Satisfied (1323 Votes)
AU PIC Registration Application 20194.7 Satisfied (381 Votes)

Privacy and completion pitfalls

  • Typed entries may not use uppercase formatting, making names and identifiers harder to distinguish during review.
  • A signer may enter information in cursive despite the document instruction, requiring correction before acceptance.
  • Consumer-facing electronic records require ESIGN consent disclosures and access procedures under 15 U.S.C. §7001(c).
  • Unrestricted document permissions can expose personal information to people who do not need access.

Best practices for clear completion

Accuracy depends on preserving the original instruction, controlling field formatting, and retaining evidence of who completed and signed the document.

Review the source document before uploading

Confirm that the uploaded document is the correct version and that every block-letter instruction remains visible. Compare required fields with the source document before adding signNow fields, then test the completed PDF for missing entries or altered wording.

Set uppercase fields for required entries

Use uppercase text fields for names, addresses, and identifiers when the instruction requires capital letters. Add field descriptions that explain the expected format without changing the document’s legal language or introducing information not requested by the preparer.

Limit access to the completed record

Restrict access to people who prepare, sign, review, or retain the record. Use role-based permissions, verify recipient addresses, and avoid sending personal information through an unnecessary open signing link.

Archive the document and audit trail

Export the signed PDF and audit trail together, then place them in the retention system for the underlying document category. Do not assign a retention period solely because the document says to use block letters.

Integrations for completed records

Connect signNow with named business systems to route completed block-letter documents, preserve context, and reduce manual record transfers.

Salesforce
Procore
Zapier
Microsoft Teams
Hub spot
Box
Microsoft

Legal standing of block-letter instructions

Using block letters improves readability but does not independently make a document legally binding. For an eligible U.S. transaction, enforceability depends on intent, consent, attribution, and record retention under ESIGN, 15 U.S.C. ch. 96, and applicable state law such as UETA or New York ESRA. Wills, court orders, and family-law decrees remain excluded.

Why teams look for DocuSign alternatives

Questions about completing this document

These answers separate the block-letter instruction from the legal requirements of the underlying U.S. document and signing transaction.

signNow’s Business plan includes legally binding eSignatures, templates, mobile apps, and audit trails. Place text fields on the document, require uppercase entry where needed, and review the completed record before relying on it.

The instruction itself does not require a digital certificate. Under ESIGN and UETA, assess intent, consent, attribution, and record retention; use stronger authentication when the document’s risk or policy requires it.

Business Premium includes bulk send, which can help distribute the same block-letter document to multiple recipients. Confirm each recipient’s fields and signing order before sending because the instruction remains document-specific.

For consumer-facing electronic records, provide the ESIGN disclosure, explain the right to receive paper, demonstrate electronic access, and provide withdrawal procedures under 15 U.S.C. §7001(c).

signNow lists HIPAA compliance as requiring a BAA. Use that framework only when the document contains protected health information and the organization’s workflow meets the applicable healthcare requirements.

The document’s retention period is not established by the phrase “Please Use Block Letters Only.” Identify the underlying record category and apply its governing federal, state, contractual, or organizational schedule.

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