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Collecting E-Signatures on Volunteer Waivers
When a volunteer signs a waiver or other document-based requirement, BetterUnite captures a full record of the signature, not just a checkbox. This includes the signer's typed name, an optional drawn signature, and audit details that make the signature tamper-evident.
What gets captured
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| signed_name | The typed name entered by the signer. Always required. |
| signature_image | An optional hand-drawn signature, saved as a PNG data URL. |
| ip_address | The IP address the signature was submitted from. |
| user_agent | The browser/device string of the signer. |
| document_hash | A SHA-256 hash of the document body at the moment of signing. |
| date_signed | Timestamp of the signature. |
Every time a document is signed, a brand-new fulfillment record is created rather than overwriting a prior one. This means a volunteer's full signing history is preserved — including past, expired, or renewed signatures — instead of only keeping the most recent one.
Typed name vs. drawn signature
The typed name field is always required — a signature cannot be submitted without it. The drawn signature is optional and is captured using a built-in signature pad (no external plugin), which works with mouse, touch, and stylus input. A volunteer can complete a valid signature with just their typed name if they don't want to draw one.
Where volunteers sign
Signature capture happens in three places:
- Public signup page – required waivers appear inline during registration. The volunteer sees a typed-name box and an optional "Or draw your signature" canvas. If the requirement is a DocumentUpload type instead of a waiver, a file upload control appears in place of the signature pad.
- Kiosk check-in – if a volunteer arrives with an unmet signature requirement, a signing overlay appears on the kiosk before check-in can complete.
- Admin recording – an admin can record a signature on behalf of a contact directly, for cases like a paper waiver collected in person.
Audit trail and tamper evidence
Each signature stores the IP address, user agent, and exact timestamp of signing, giving a clear record of who signed, from where, and when.
The document hash is what makes the signature tamper-evident: at the moment of signing, BetterUnite computes a SHA-256 hash of the exact document text the volunteer saw. If the underlying document is later edited, the hash on file will no longer match the current document body, making it possible to detect that the signed version differs from what's currently published.
Admin-side recording
Admins can record a signature for a volunteer without the volunteer using the public form themselves. This is useful for walk-in volunteers or paper-based processes that need to be logged into the system. The same fields (typed name, optional drawn signature, hash, timestamp) are captured regardless of whether the signature was collected publicly or recorded by an admin.