Understanding Signatories
As you configure Pulley and work through your initial task queue, you'll encounter the concept of signatories, which play a distinct, but separate role from both admins and stakeholders.
Understanding what signatories are, what they can and can't do, and who in your company should hold this role is important groundwork before you start configuring documents or working through signature tasks.
What is a signatory?
A signatory is a person authorized to sign legal documents on behalf of the company. In Pulley, signatories electronically sign equity-related documents: stock certificates, option agreements, SAFEs, board resolutions, and other corporate documents that require an authorized signature to be legally binding.
Signatories are typically officers or board members with legal authority to bind the company. The individuals to designate typically depend on your company's bylaws and Certificate of Incorporation, which often specify who has signing authority for different document types.
Three roles, one platform
Pulley has three distinct roles that are often confused because one person can hold any combination of them. Understanding how they relate is essential before you start designating signatories or inviting people to Pulley.
| Role | What they do | What they see |
|---|---|---|
| Admin | Manage the cap table, issue equity, configure settings | Full admin dashboard |
| Signatory | Sign documents on behalf of the company | Signature requests via email and notification icon |
| Stakeholder | Hold equity in the company | Stakeholder equity portal |
These roles are independent. Being an admin doesn't automatically make someone a signatory. Being a signatory doesn't give someone cap table access. And holding equity as a stakeholder has nothing to do with either of the other two roles.
For more on the admin vs. stakeholder distinction, see Admin access vs. stakeholder access → (Article 1.2)
One person can hold all three. A co-founder who manages the cap table, signs option grants, and holds founder shares is simultaneously an admin, a signatory, and a stakeholder. They toggle between the admin dashboard and their personal stakeholder portal using the dropdown menu in the top left corner of Pulley, and they receive signature requests alongside their other admin tasks.
What signatories can and cannot do
A signatory's access in Pulley depends entirely on whether they also have admin access.
Signatories without admin access: the most common case for officers who don't manage equity day-to-day. They operate from the stakeholder portal view and have no admin dashboard, no cap table visibility, and no ability to issue or manage equity. Their Pulley experience is limited to:
- Receiving email notifications when new signature requests are created
- Accessing pending signature tasks via the clipboard icon in the top right corner
- Viewing and electronically signing the specific documents assigned to them
Signatories with admin access: co-founders, CFOs, or others who both manage equity and hold signing authority have the full admin dashboard and see signature requests alongside their other pending tasks in the task notification system.
Important: A signatory must accept their initial role email invitation before they will receive any signature request notifications. If a signatory tells you they aren't receiving emails for signature requests, confirm they've accepted their invitation first. This is the most common cause of missed notifications.
How signature notifications work
When a document is released for signature in Pulley, signatories and stakeholders are notified at the same time. There is no required signing order — either party can sign first. Signatories receive:
- An email notification sent automatically when the signature request is created
- An in-app task notification accessible via the clipboard icon in the top right corner
Signatories can complete their signature by clicking the link in the email directly or by logging into Pulley and navigating to their pending tasks.
Who should be a signatory?
The right signatories for your company depend on your legal structure and bylaws. Common signatories include:
- CEO or President
- CFO or Treasurer
- Board Chair (for board resolutions)
- Corporate Secretary
- Any officer with signing authority per your Certificate of Incorporation
When deciding on assigning your signatories, check your bylaws and Certificate of Incorporation for who has authorized signing authority. Consider who actually will need to sign the equity documents in practice, and consult legal counsel if you're unsure. Not every admin needs to be a signatory, and not every signatory needs to be an admin.
Signatories by document type
In Pulley, signatories are designated by document type. One person may sign option grants while another signs SAFEs or stock certificates. You can assign different signatories for different types of equity documents, or have the same person sign all types. This configuration happens in Configure Signatories (How-To 3.5).
Primary vs. secondary signatories
Pulley allows you to designate up to two signatories for stock certificates: a primary and an optional secondary. The secondary signatory is not required. If you only designate a primary, certificates will be signed by that person alone. If you add a secondary, both signatures will appear on certificates. This is useful if your bylaws require dual signatures or if you want a backup signatory for operational continuity.
Changing signatories
If you need to replace a signatory — for example, when an officer leaves the company — you'll remove the old signatory and add the new one in Configure Signatories (How-To 3.5). Contact support if you have pending signature requests in flight during a signatory change to confirm how those are handled.
Common scenarios
Co-founder who does everything
Admin access, signatory role, and stakeholder holdings. Manages the cap table, signs option grants, and holds founder shares. Sees the full admin dashboard and receives signature requests alongside other admin tasks. Can toggle to their personal stakeholder portal to view their own equity.
CEO who signs but doesn't manage
Signatory role and stakeholder holdings, no admin access. Signs all equity documents but the CFO manages the cap table day-to-day. Operates from the stakeholder portal view. Receives signature requests via email and the notification icon. Has no visibility into the cap table or company-wide equity data.
Board member who signs resolutions
Signatory role and stakeholder holdings (if they hold equity), no admin access. Signs board resolutions and consents but doesn't manage the cap table. Operates from the stakeholder portal view. Receives signature requests via email and the notification icon. Has no visibility into cap table management.
CFO who manages but doesn't sign
Admin access only. Manages the cap table and configures settings but the CEO holds signing authority. Sees the full admin dashboard but receives no signature requests.
Outside legal counsel
Admin access (typically Read Only) so they can view the cap table for legal work, but not a signatory. May or may not hold equity.
What's next
- Designate your signatories in Pulley: Configure Signatories (How-To 3.5, coming soon)
- Work through pending signature tasks: Complete a Signatory Request (How-To 4.2, coming soon)
- Grant admin access to team members: Add Administrators and Team Members (How-To 3.2, coming soon)