Bypassing electronic notarization
In this article, you'll learn how to bypass Textura's electronic notarization (e-notarization) process and use an alternate method to provide notarized documents to your General Contractor.
E-notarization involves a notary public electronically signing a digital document. This process ensures the document's authenticity and integrity, making it a trusted method for legally binding agreements. However, the stringent requirements and technical complexities associated with e-notarization can pose challenges, especially for users unfamiliar with digital certification procedures.
Request Bypass Electronic Notarization enablement
You might need to bypass e-notarization because you don't have an in-house notary or your notary requirements can't be met electronically based on your certification or your state. To accomplish this, you'll have to contact your General Contractor to enable the bypass feature in Textura, which enables you to easily submit your notarized documents for review and approval.
As a Subcontractor, when you go to the Review and Sign page, you'll see a notary is required for your project in the Sign Billing Documents module.
Before you can proceed, contact your General Contractor to enable the Bypass Electronic Notarization setting for your projects.
Once enabled, the page will update with instructions on how to proceed with offline notarization.
If you notarize offline, you'll sign the document in Textura without a notary. Then, you'll need to download the system-generated documents, sign, and notarize offline, and upload a PDF to the then Track Offline Notary page.
Clicking the "I would like to bypass electronic notarization" link brings up a Potential hold warning window, which must be acknowledged before proceeding.
Note: A hold will go into place on your invoice if these documents aren't uploaded by you and reviewed and approved by the General Contractor.
Sign documents
Once you click Sign Billing Documents, you'll be taken into a PDF in DocuSign where you'll electronically sign each required document for your projects (invoice, sworn statement, unconditional lien waiver, etc.)
Once you've completed signing the necessary documentation, click Finish in Docusign.
When you return to the Review and Sign page, you'll see the document module now has Bypass Electronic Notarization.
View offline notary by clicking Track Offline Notary or from the Compliance menu to view or upload documents.
Track offline notary
The Track Offline Notary page will show you all the outstanding documents you've bypassed e-notarization for this project.
Select the down arrow button to download a PDF of each outstanding document. Print them out and have them signed and notarized.
Scan them back into your computer, then click Upload to upload them into the system.
You can also upload them from the Compliance Tasks that are automatically created on the Project Home page.
Note: Because unconditional lien waiver signatures are not protected in the same way they are when signed in Textura, we recommend that you don't upload the lien waiver until after you've been paid.
Your General Contractor will now able to review and accept the documents.
You will be notified if the General Contractor rejects a notarized document. Your payment may be placed on hold until the notarized documents are approved.
If an invoice, sworn statement, or conditional lien waiver is missing or not approved, a hold will be placed on the applicable draw.
If an unconditional lien waiver is missing or not approved, a hold will be placed on the current and all future draws until the unconditional lien waiver is provided and approved.
You'll receive a notification if your payment is placed on hold. You'll also see the payment hold on Draw Home page.
Once the documents are approved, you'll be notified that the hold is released.
