Adobe Sign - New Sender Guide

This document is for users that have been assigned the 'sender' role in Adobe Sign by their department. It provides a list of terms and conditions, policy reminders, and a usage agreement.

Please Note

If you do not have the 'Send' tab in Adobe Sign (opens in new tab), contact your group administrator(s) to request access.

Introduction

Adobe Sign is a web-based service that allows people to legally and securely complete, sign, and route an electronic document, rather than a physical copy. Please visit the eSignature website (opens in new tab) for further information about this service.

Important Terms and Conditions

Cost: Free

Adobe Sign is free for departments to use. Departments are encouraged to make full use of Adobe Sign to increase efficiency and productivity when collecting signatures, subject to reasonable use.

Signers

Signers must use their university-specific email address (@illinois.edu, @uic.edu, or @uis.edu) when possible. To ensure that their signature is validated by the university authentication service, resource accounts (e.g., department@illinois.edu), sub-domains (e.g., user@department.uis.edu), and System Office email addresses (@uillinois.edu) should not be used.

Retention

Completed documents must be saved to your departmental record keeping system. Documents are automatically deleted from Adobe Sign 30 days after they are completed.

Security

The University Privacy and Security Offices, in conjunction with the University SSN Coordinators, approve the use of Adobe Sign for High Risk data for High Risk data with the exception of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), Credit Card or Payment Card Industry (PCI) Information, Export Controlled Research (ITAR, EAR), Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) Data, or HIPPA data.

Storing and/or processing of any Adobe Sign documents containing High Risk data outside of the Adobe Sign environment (this includes but is not limited to the use within email) must be approved by the appropriate University Privacy and Security Office(s) and Compliance Office(s).

To prevent High Risk data (opens in new tab) from being sent by email, you must either:

  1. Use masked fields (opens in new tab) to protect the data, or
  2. Contact the AITS Help Desk to disable email attachments of signed documents for your Adobe Sign group.

Group administrators (opens in new tab) have access to all form field data for their group. Also, when masked fields are not used, all participants on a document have access to all form field data for that document by default. Any authorization required by law or University policy must be obtained prior to providing access to High Risk data.

Approved Data Types

Adobe Sign may be used for these eight (8) types of High Risk or Sensitive data (opens in new tab), but care must be exercised to prevent the data from being included in automated emails sent by Adobe.

  • Banking Information (GLBA)
  • Driver's License Number (PIPA)
  • Network/System Diagrams/Configuration
  • Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) Information
  • Passwords, Encryption Keys, or Other Authentication and Authorization Codes
  • Social Security Number (PIPA)
  • Student Health Information (PIPA)
  • Student Records (FERPA) 

Not Approved Data Types

Adobe Sign currently must not be used for these data classifications. Contact the AITS Help Desk if you require these.

  • Credit Card Information (PCI-DSS)
  • Export Control (EAR/ITAR)
  • Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) Data
  • Government Classified (CUI)
  • Personal Health Information (HIPAA)

Policies

Use of Adobe Sign must comply with Illinois law and University policies, including the:

Usage Agreement

As a sender, you must:

  1. Comply with the Important Terms and Conditions listed above.
  2. Use masked fields or disable email attachments for High Risk data (opens in new tab) to prevent that data from being sent via email.
  3. Not use Adobe Sign for the Not Approved Data Types listed above.
  4. Retain your own completed documents in a record keeping system as required by University of Illinois records retention policies.
  5. Save your own documents outside of Adobe Sign on a timely basis, as completed documents will be irretrievably deleted from Adobe Sign after 30 days.

Additional Resources


Keywords:
AITS, e-signatures, electronic signature, digital signature, e-sign, sender, new, terms, conditions, policy, usage, cost, retention, security, storage 
Doc ID:
149188
Owned by:
Ashley B. in University of Illinois System
Created:
2025-03-17
Updated:
2025-03-20
Sites:
University of Illinois System