Glossary
Glossary.
Short definitions of the e-signature, legal and contracting terms you'll run into.
- UETA: the Uniform Electronic Transactions ActUETA is the model state law that makes electronic records and signatures as valid as paper and ink. What it says, where it applies, and what it leaves out.
- ESIGN Act: the federal e-signature lawThe ESIGN Act is the 2000 federal law that gives e-signatures and electronic records legal effect in the US. What it says, who it covers and what it excludes.
- Electronic signature: definition and examplesAn electronic signature is any electronic mark a person adopts with the intent to sign. What counts, why it's legally valid, and what makes one hold up.
- Digital signature: how certificate signing worksA digital signature uses a certificate and cryptography to prove who signed a file and that it's unchanged. How it works, and how it differs from e-signatures.
- Wet signature: when you still need pen and inkA wet signature is a handwritten signature in ink on paper. When you still need one, and how SignMaster handles signers who would rather sign on paper.
- Audit trail: the record behind an e-signatureAn audit trail is the time-stamped log of everything that happened to a document: sent, opened, agreed, signed. Why it matters and what SignMaster records.
- Certificate of completion: what it showsA certificate of completion is the summary page on a signed document: who signed, when, from where, and a fingerprint of the files. What SignMaster's shows.
- Envelope: one send in e-signature softwareIn SignMaster, an envelope is one send: one or more documents going to one or more signers. What counts as an envelope, and how plans count them.
- Signer: who signs, and who just gets a copyA signer is a person asked to sign a document electronically. How signers differ from people who only get a copy, and what a SignMaster signer sees.
- Signing order: who signs first, and why it mattersSigning order sets whether signers sign one after another or all at once. When to use each, and how SignMaster sends links only when it's someone's turn.
- In-person signing: e-signatures face to faceIn-person signing means the signer signs on your phone or tablet while you're together, instead of from an emailed link. How it works and how it's recorded.
- Bulk send: one document to many signers at onceBulk send sends the same document to a list of people, each getting their own copy to sign. When to use it and how SignMaster builds it from a spreadsheet.
- Template: reusable documents with fields in placeAn e-signature template is a reusable document with its fields and signer roles already placed, ready to send again in seconds. How SignMaster templates work.
- Consent to electronic records, explainedConsent to electronic records is a signer's agreement to do business electronically. What UETA and the ESIGN Act require, and how SignMaster asks for it.
- Remote online notarization (RON), explainedRemote online notarization lets a notary notarize a document over live video with identity checks. How it differs from an e-signature, and where it's allowed.
- Lien waiver: definition and the four typesA lien waiver is a document in which a contractor, sub or supplier gives up lien rights, usually in exchange for payment. The four types in one quick read.
- Conditional lien waiver: effective once you're paidA conditional lien waiver gives up lien rights only once the stated payment actually clears. When to use one, and why it protects the person being paid.
- Unconditional lien waiver: sign only after it clearsAn unconditional lien waiver gives up lien rights the moment it's signed, paid or not. Why you should only sign one after the money has cleared.
- Mechanics lien: how contractors secure paymentA mechanics lien is a legal claim against a property by someone who improved it and wasn't paid. Who can file one, why deadlines matter, and how waivers fit in.
- Change order: definition and what to includeA change order is a written, signed agreement that changes the scope, price or schedule of a contract that's already in place. What it should say, at a glance.
- Retainage: the payment held back until the endRetainage is part of each construction payment held back until the job is done. How it works, where the rules come from, and how it affects final lien waivers.
- Notice to owner: the early step that protects lien rightsA notice to owner tells a property owner you're working on their project so you keep your lien rights. Florida's 45-day rule, and why the deadline matters.
- Scope of work: what it is and what to includeA scope of work describes exactly what a job includes and excludes. What to put in one, and why a clear scope is the best defense against disputes later.
- Work order: definition and how it's usedA work order authorizes a specific job, often a repair or service call, and records what was done. How it differs from a contract and a change order.
- Deposit: upfront payments and the rules that limit themA deposit is money paid upfront to secure a job or a deal. What to put in writing about it, and how some states, like California, cap home improvement deposits.
- Three-day right to cancel: the federal rulesTwo federal rules give buyers three business days to cancel: the FTC Cooling-Off Rule for sales made at home, and the right of rescission on some home loans.
- Counterparts: signing separate copies of one contractA counterpart is one of several identical copies of a contract, each signed by different parties, that together make one agreement. How e-signing changes that.
- Initials on contracts: what they're forInitials on a contract show a signer saw a specific page, clause or change. When to ask for them, and how SignMaster's initials fields and saved initials work.