Consolidate your notarial business operations by recording your traditional, physical paper-based notarizations inside NotaryCentral. Enjoy the benefits of unified financial reporting, mileage tracking, and digital archives while continuing to use physical journals where required or preferred.
1. Why Log Physical Notarizations Digitally?
While many states now allow fully digital electronic journals, some jurisdictions still require physical paper journals, and many notaries simply prefer the tactile security of a physical book.
Logging those physical signings in NotaryCentral under Add Paper Entry offers significant business benefits:
- Unified Income & Expense Tracking — Ensure your digital tax and revenue dashboards accurately reflect every single dollar earned, whether the signing was digital or physical.
- Mileage Linkage — Bind travel logs and mileage calculations directly to the paper-based act for seamless travel deductions.
- Searchable Digital Registry — Quickly locate signer names, dates, or document types across both your electronic and physical acts via the NotaryCentral search bar.
- Digital Photo Archiving — Attach photocopies, scans, or photographs of previously notarized documents and physical log entries to keep all records in one place for a secure, cloud-based digital backup.
2. Recording a Paper Journal Entry
You can go directly to Add Paper Journal Entry to log a physical notarization immediately.
Alternatively, navigate there manually: Journal Dashboard → click "More" in the top-right corner → select "Add paper journal entries".
Once on the form:
- Notarial Act Details — Input the date, time, and specific location where the notarization occurred.
- Signer Information — Enter the signer's name, contact information, and address.
- Identification Recording — Document the method of identification used (e.g., driver's license number, passport expiration date, or credible witness details).
- Document Metadata — Add the document title, type of notarial act (e.g., acknowledgment or jurat), number of pages, and any applicable notary fees.
- Physical Backups & Scans — Take or upload photocopies, scans, or photographs of previously notarized documents and physical log entries (including the signature line and thumbprint) to keep all records in one place.
3. Reporting & Compliance
Once saved, paper journal entries behave identically to digital entries on your dashboards:
- They are included in all CSV and PDF export files.
- Associated travel and notary fees are pushed to the Tax Report Dashboard and Business Health Insights.
- Scans are securely stored and encrypted, adhering to state-level guidelines for electronic record preservation.