Key takeaways
- The evidence record — not the signature image — is what makes a digital offer defensible.
- Retain the approved document version, the access method, the acknowledgement, the response and the timestamp together.
- Candidates should see the complete document before acting, on any device, with the deadline clearly stated.
- Electronic-signature suitability depends on the document, the method and applicable requirements. Get advice for your process rather than assuming equivalence.
What the evidence record should contain
Retain the approved document version, the candidate's access method, their acknowledgement, the response, the timestamp and any subsequent changes. Use authentication appropriate to the risk, and do not expose offer documents through guessable public URLs.
The test to apply is simple: if this response were questioned a year from now, could you reconstruct exactly what the candidate saw, when they saw it, how they reached it and what they did? A stored signature image answers none of those questions.
- The exact approved document version presented to the candidate
- How the candidate accessed it, and how they were authenticated
- The acknowledgement of terms, recorded separately from the response
- The response itself, with a timestamp
- Any subsequent changes, as amendments rather than replacements
Candidate experience
Show the complete document before acceptance, make the response deadline clear, provide a route to ask questions, and make it work properly on mobile devices — where a large share of candidates will actually open it.
Accessibility and plain language improve both completion rates and defensibility. A candidate who could not reasonably read or navigate the document is a weaker acceptance record, quite apart from being a poor first impression of the employer.
- The full document visible before any accept or decline action
- The deadline stated plainly, not only in the covering email
- A clear route to raise a question without declining
- Working properly on phones, including document review
- Readable type, sufficient contrast and keyboard navigability
Legal and policy review
Electronic-signature suitability depends on the document, the method used and the applicable requirements. Obtain qualified advice for your specific process.
Be careful about how this is described internally and to candidates. Not every click or uploaded signature carries the same standing in every situation, and marketing them as universally equivalent creates an expectation the record may not support.
Frequently asked questions
Are digitally signed offer letters valid in India?
Electronic signatures are widely used, but suitability depends on the document, the signing method and applicable requirements. Confirm your specific process with qualified advice rather than relying on a general statement.
What should we retain after a candidate accepts?
The exact document version presented, the access and authentication method, the acknowledgement, the response and its timestamp, and any later amendments. Retaining only the signed PDF leaves out most of what makes the record useful.
How should declines be handled?
Capture them with the same rigour as acceptances, including a reason where the candidate offers one. Declines carry useful signal about compensation, timing and the offer experience — and they need the same audit trail.
Primary references
This resource provides general HR operations information and is not legal, tax or regulatory advice. Requirements vary by organisation and employee circumstances.