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DocuSign

DocuSign is a tool that allows designated members of the Saint Louis University community to create and route electronic documents for signature. With DocuSign, SLU staff or faculty can upload an electronic document and send it out for signature. These usage guidelines outline encouraged uses of the DocuSign tool for University business and uses that must be avoided as they create unnecessary risks to the campus.

The primary focus of these guidelines is to encourage appropriate and acceptable use of the DocuSign enterprise resource, consistent with Saint Louis University’s core mission and institutional priorities.

General Terms and Guidelines

  • Contracts: All contracts must go through the Agiloft Contract Management system first and not directly through DocuSign.com. For questions about Agiloft, please contact Business Services.
  • Do not route documents that include Protected Health Information (PHI) or other sensitive data outlined in the SLU Information Technology Appropriate Use Policy without approval.
  • New accounts and use cases are subject to approval. 
  • DocuSign is used to route and sign documents, not for storage and retention.
  • Form ownership: Do not assume a form may be used in DocuSign without first confirming with the form owner or department.
  • Use of your University DocuSign account for personal matters is prohibited.
  • To maintain the security of DocuSign, never share your username and password.
  • Your electronic signature, with DocuSign, is a legally binding signature.
  • Please ensure that all approvals to use the system for e-signatures and forms externally have been granted, when applicable. E-signature account access does not include security and approval reviews from outside such as the IRB or government entities specific to all use cases. Requirements may vary and are the responsibility of the account owner to follow. Note that our university account is not compliant with 21 CFR Part 11.
  • These guidelines apply to anyone using a Saint Louis University account with the DocuSign system. Use is subject to these requirements and to the Appropriate Use Policy.
  • Accounts are subject to periodic audits to ensure appropriate use.
  • Accounts will be closed when an individual leaves the University. If you need to access or transfer envelopes or templates from a closed account in your department, contact Mary Lynn Thompson at marylynn.thompson@slu.edu.
  • New account holders will be granted a demo (test) account and production. Use demo for all testing.

Training and DocuSign Roles

Before requesting an account, complete the brief training videos associated with your role.

Viewer (View-only and Signer Privileges)

Sender

Viewer video, in addition to the following:

Template Creator

Sender videos, in addition to the following:

Using a Template

Requesting an Account

Instructions for requesting an account can be found in the SLU ITS support portal by searching using the term "DocuSign."

Data Retention

Completed documents are stored in the cloud only for 90 days, then they are completely removed from the system. DocuSign is not intended to serve as a repository. Account holders are responsible for adhering to appropriate retention timelines and downloading and storing completed documents in a secure manner. For more information about DocuSign Retrieve software, which can help automate download and storage, contact Mary Lynn Thompson at marylynn.thompson@slu.edu.

  • Learn about envelope purging, an automatic process to remove documents from completed or voided envelopes after a set retention period. 
  • For questions or more information about the University document retention policy, contact Compliance at 314-977-3952 or michael.reeves@health.slu.edu.