eSignature Records Retention

San Jose State University users and campus units will lose all access to DocuSign, including templates, forms, completed envelopes, and any stored university records on April 27, 2027. Please transfer any university records you or your campus unit are storing in DocuSign to an approved System of Record before that date. 

What is a University Record?

A record is any official document (paper or digital) created, received, or maintained by campus staff to conduct university business, such as official forms, contracts, personnel files, or transcripts. Temporary items like draft notes, event flyers, or personal reminders are non-records and do not need formal retention.

What is a System of Record?

A System of Record (SoR) is an authoritative, central location where the primary copy of a document lives.

When do I need to use Adobe Sign and how do I store records for newly-completed agreements in Adobe Sign?

Use Adobe Sign any time the document is a university record requiring a wet/formal signature and store completed documents in an approved System of Record. Here is a 3-Step Records Workflow to help you understand the decision process:

Step 1: Is it an official record?

  • Yes: Proceed to Step 2.
  • No: Keep temporarily if needed, then delete or recycle when no longer useful.

Step 2: Does the document require a wet/formal signature?

  • Yes: Process using Adobe Sign to ensure legally binding signatures and tracking. Then, proceed to Step 3.
  • No: Develop/build the document in OnBase or Google Form and store to a designated primary repository (OnBase, shared Google Drive, or secure campus File Server).

Step 3: Save to Your Campus Unit’s System of Record (SoR)

Your campus unit’s System of Record (SoR) is the authoritative, central location where the primary copy of a document lives.

  • Action: Download completed documents to your SJSU workstation, upload the documents to an approved SoR, then delete the copy on your workstation.
  • Rule: Do not store master records on personal hard drives, USBs, or localized desktop folders.
  • Note: For processes that automated storage of completed DocuSign envelopes, it is likely that the records have already been stored to a SoR. Speak with your manager to confirm whether your department already has the record stored in a SoR.

How do I preserve my campus unit’s documents from DocuSign?

If you have a document signed in DocuSign that is a university record with a formal signature not saved to an SoR, you need to do one of the following:


Step 1: Download your records

  • Option 1: Bulk Download – Use DocuSign Retrieve, a tool to download completed envelopes, documents, certificates, and metadata in bulk.
    • DocuSign Retrieve is only available for Windows PCs. If your workstation runs a different operating system, such as MacOS or Linux, please submit a ticket and ITS will message you for support.
  • Option 2: Manual Process – Log into DocuSign and download the completed envelopes individually, one by one.
  • Option 3: Direct Inbox Access – Access and download completed envelopes directly from the notification emails sent to your inbox(es).

Step 2: Upload your documents to an approved System of Record.

Step 3: Delete the documents stored on your workstation’s drive.

How do I preserve my personal documents from DocuSign?

If you have signed records in DocuSign and wish to preserve your own personal copy of those documents, you have three options:

  • Option 1: Manual Process – Log into DocuSign and download your completed envelopes individually, one by one.
  • Option 2: Direct Inbox Access – Access and download completed envelopes directly from the notification emails sent to your inbox.
  • Option 3: Bulk Download – Use DocuSign Retrieve, a tool to download completed envelopes, documents, certificates, and metadata in bulk.
    • DocuSign Retrieve is only available for Windows PCs.

CSU Policy & Compliance

Refer to the official CSU Records Retention Policy to verify retention schedules, disposition rules, and campus compliance guidelines for your specific document types.