Electronic signaturesUpdated September 26, 2026

A signature that proves who signed, not just that someone did

Participants sign and verify by email OTP. Investigators countersign with their password. Every signature is hashed to the exact document it was applied to.

  • OTP-verified participant signature
  • Password-authenticated countersignature
  • Document hashing

Free sandbox · No credit card · 21 CFR Part 11 aligned

Stage 1

Draft

Build and edit freely

Stage 2

Approved

Locked for live use

Stage 3

In the casebook

Only approved forms

Audit trail
  • SDV requirement changed on Systolic BP

    Data manager · Reason: critical safety value

  • Form approved: Vital Signs (VS) v2

    Study owner · Locked for live use

  • Answer changed: Weight 68.0 to 68.5 kg

    Site coordinator · Reason: transcription error

2

required signatures: participant, then investigator

1

email OTP step before a signature is accepted

2

optional signers: witness and LAR

Hashed

to the exact document content at signing

How it works

From participant signature to fully executed

  1. 1

    Participant reviews and signs

    They read the consent document on their own device and draw their signature.

  2. 2

    Email OTP verification

    A one-time passcode is sent to their email and must be confirmed before the signature is accepted.

  3. 3

    Legal acknowledgment

    The participant confirms they understand the signature is legally binding before it is captured.

  4. 4

    Investigator countersigns

    Authorized site staff review the document and countersign with password re-authentication. The document is now Fully Executed.

Why it holds up

Built around what Part 11 actually asks of a signature

A signature that stands in for wet ink needs to prove three things: who signed, that they meant to, and that the record has not changed since. Capture’s flow addresses all three, rather than just capturing an image.

  • Identity verification through email OTP, separate from the signature capture itself.
  • A legal-binding acknowledgment the participant must accept before signing.
  • Cryptographic hashing links the signature to the exact document content.

Blank eCRF · no subject data

Visit by form matrix

FormSCRD1W2W4W8EOS
DemographicsX
Vital signsXXXXXX
LaboratoryXXX
ECGXX

3. Was the ECG performed?

☐ Yes☐ No

If No, complete question 4.

Protocol CAP-001 · v1.0Page 3 of 24

Who can sign

Support for every signer a consent form needs

Participant

Signs on their own device after reading the consent document.

Investigator or authorized staff

Countersigns with password re-authentication after reviewing the signed document.

Witness

Optional co-signature for impartial third-party verification, when required.

Legally Authorized Representative

Can sign on behalf of a participant who cannot consent themselves, with the relationship recorded.

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The difference

Wet ink vs a verified electronic signature

Identity check
Assumed from being in the room
Email OTP verification
Proof of intent
Not recorded
Explicit legal-binding acknowledgment
Tamper evidence
A photocopy can be altered
Signature hashed to exact document content
Review step
Filed as-is
Countersignature required before Fully Executed

FAQ

Questions teams ask before they switch

Something not covered here? Ask us directly.

How does the electronic signature verification work?

The participant draws their signature on screen, then confirms it through a one-time passcode sent to their email, after acknowledging that the signature is legally binding.

What is a countersignature and why is it required?

After the participant signs, an investigator or authorized site staff member reviews the document and signs it again, re-authenticating with their password. The document is only Fully Executed once both signatures are recorded.

Can a Legally Authorized Representative sign instead of the participant?

Yes. If the participant cannot consent themselves, a Legally Authorized Representative can sign on their behalf, and that relationship is recorded with the signature.

How do you prove a signed document was not altered afterward?

Each signature records a hash of the exact document content at the moment of signing. If the document changes afterward, the hash no longer matches, so alteration is detectable.

Does a witness need to sign every consent form?

No. Witness co-signature is optional and configured per study, for cases that specifically require impartial third-party verification.

Does this replace wet-ink signatures for every use case?

For most consent and countersignature workflows, yes, provided your IRB or ethics committee accepts electronic consent. Confirm any board-specific requirements for a given study.

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