As you configure Pulley and work through your initial task queue, you'll encounter the concept of signatories, which play a distinct role separate 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
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.
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 | Full admin dashboard and signatory request notifications |
Stakeholder | Hold equity in the company | Stakeholder equity portal |
These roles are independent. Being an admin doesn't automatically make someone a signatory. 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
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
When someone is designated as a signatory in Pulley, they are automatically granted Read/Write admin access as part of that designation. There is no separate admin setup step required, and the access is created at the point of signatory configuration and their signatory invite acceptance.
What varies is how signatories use that access in practice, which depends on their role in the company:
Signatories who primarily sign: Officers like a CEO or CFO who hold signing authority but don't manage the cap table day-to-day. They have Read/Write admin access but typically use Pulley only when signature requests come in. They receive email notifications and in-app task alerts for pending signatures, and can access the full admin dashboard if needed, but their day-to-day interaction with Pulley is limited to signing.
Signatories who also manage equity: Co-founders, CFOs, or others who both hold signing authority and actively manage the cap table. They use the full admin dashboard for equity operations and see signature requests alongside their other admin tasks.
In both cases, signatories can toggle between the admin dashboard and their personal stakeholder portal (if they also hold equity) using the dropdown in the top left corner.
A signatory must accept their initial role 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, check your bylaws and Certificate of Incorporation for who has authorized signing authority, consider who will actually need to sign 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.
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. 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/security 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. Signs all equity documents but the CFO manages the cap table day-to-day. Has Read/Write admin access granted automatically when designated as a signatory, but primarily uses Pulley when signature requests come in. Can access the admin dashboard if needed. Receives signature requests via email and the notification icon.
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. 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 designated as a signatory. May or may not hold equity.
What's next
Designate your signatories in Pulley: Configure signatories →
Work through pending signature tasks: Complete a signatory request →
Grant admin access to team members: Add administrators and team members →