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21 CFR Part 11 — FDA Electronic Records & Signatures

21 CFR Part 11 Compliance for Startups — Done For You.

Building software that handles FDA-regulated records? Folksoft gets your systems Part 11-ready — validation, audit trails, electronic signatures, and access controls — so your life-sciences customers can trust your platform.

Part 11-ready in weeks — no QA/validation team needed.
Validated (CSA) Tamper-evident E-signatures Inspection-ready
Part 11
FDA electronic records rule, covered
Audit Trail
Tamper-evident, by design
E-Signatures
Compliant, end to end
30-day
Money-back guarantee
The platform

What Folksoft does for your Part 11 readiness

From the moment you connect your stack to the day a customer auditor or FDA investigator asks for evidence, Folksoft runs the program for you.

System validation (CSV/CSA)

We run computer system validation aligned to FDA's Computer Software Assurance approach — and keep the evidence.

Audit trails, verified

We confirm your system captures secure, computer-generated, time-stamped audit trails of record changes — tamper-evident, with the original entry never obscured.

Electronic signatures

We get your e-signature controls — signer identity, the printed name, date and time, and the meaning of the signing — Part 11-compliant and bound to the record.

Bound to the record
No shared loginsNo unsigned changes

Access & records controls

Role-based access, record retention, and copy and retrieval controls implemented and documented — enforced in the identity and cloud systems you already run.

Policies & evidence, written for you

SOPs and validation documentation drafted and kept current, and evidence collected continuously — so inspection readiness is a state you stay in, not a project you restart.

Validate Document Inspection-ready
Closed vs open systems

Which one is your system?

Part 11 sorts every system into one of two kinds, and the answer decides which controls you have to implement.

Closed system

Access controlled by the people responsible for the records

In a closed system, access is controlled by the people who are responsible for the content of the electronic records — for example, your own internal, authenticated application. Most SaaS platforms fall here.

Access boundaryYou control it
Everyone who touches the records is authenticated inside your system
Most SaaS platforms start here
Open system

Access is not controlled by those responsible for the records

In an open system, access is not controlled by the people responsible for the content of the records — so Part 11 asks for additional measures, such as document encryption and appropriate digital signature standards, to keep records authentic and confidential end to end.

Your systemIn transitThird party
Records cross systems you don't control — encryption and digital signatures apply
Folksoft classifies your system before implementing controls

In short: whether your platform is a closed or open system changes which Part 11 controls apply. Folksoft classifies your system and implements the right ones.

Read our full 21 CFR Part 11 readiness guide
Who needs it

Who needs 21 CFR Part 11?

If any of these sound like you, Part 11 is likely on your critical path.

Life-sciences software

Pharma, biotech, medical device, clinical and lab software whose systems store FDA-regulated records.

Vendors selling into FDA-regulated buyers

Vendors whose customers are FDA-regulated and require Part 11-compliant systems.

Teams handling GxP records

Startups handling GxP electronic records or applying electronic signatures to them.

Preparing for inspection

Companies preparing for FDA inspections or customer audits of their software.

FAQ

21 CFR Part 11 questions, answered

Everything life-sciences founders ask us before starting Part 11 readiness.

Still have questions?

01 Does 21 CFR Part 11 apply to my software?

If your system creates, modifies, maintains, archives, retrieves, or transmits electronic records required by FDA regulations — or applies electronic signatures to them — then yes. Folksoft confirms your scope.

02 What's the difference between Part 11 and validation (CSV/CSA)?

Part 11 is the regulation; validation is how you demonstrate your system meets it. Folksoft handles both, using FDA's newer Computer Software Assurance (CSA) approach to keep it lean.

03 How much does Part 11 readiness cost?

It depends on your system's complexity and the scope of the records it holds — so there's no one-size-fits-all number. Contact us and we'll give you a tailored quote for your situation.

04 Can I do this without a QA/validation team?

Yes. That's exactly what Folksoft is built for. Folksoft runs the program and pairs you with a real GRC analyst who guides you through validation, audit trails and e-signature controls — so you don't need an in-house QA or validation team.

Get started

Get 21 CFR Part 11 ready in weeks.

Book a demo and we'll map your fastest path to Part 11 readiness — validation, audit trails, and electronic signatures handled.

30-day money-back guarantee. No validation hires needed.