Electronic signatures, or e-signatures, are encoded signatures in electronic or digital documents. These signatures are the modern substitutes for handwritten signatures on hard copy documents.

Documents are signed electronically using e-signature software, which has the same legal value as a document signed by hand. The legality of e-signatures is backed by the ESIGN Act of 2000 and eIDAS.

E-Signature software is usable across all business-related agreements with customers, suppliers, employees, and other business stakeholders. They’re useful tools based on the fact that they enable a business to be done from almost anywhere and on multiple devices.

If you need to figure out how to use this software, eSignature solutions and this article will give an insight into all the other details about this software.

Here’s how you can use an eSignature software:

1. Document Signing

The primary use of eSignature software is for signing documents. The software allows documents to be signed with ease and security by importing the document to be signed. On most e-signature software, users have the option to either draw out their signature or type out the signature on a keyboard.

The process of drawing out a signature is the same as you have with handwritten documents, only that it’s done using a mouse pad. To achieve accurate signage software, frequent signers may consider getting electronic pens and pads.

The second signing process is equally simple. It involves signing the document by typing in a name, which is then submitted automatically as an electronic signature in the software.

Signing in e-signature software is facilitated even better as signers are provided information on the order of signing. This is useful in cases where multiple signatures are required.

2. Security and Authentication

E-signature software has both security and authentication features. The security features of an eSignature software help ensure that the documents being sent virtually don’t get compromised at any point during the transfer.  

The software makes use of digital signatures to add security to the eSignature. To ensure the authenticity of the e-signature appended to a document, digital signatures collect information, including date, time, and IP addresses. Digital signatures enable even more capabilities, including the history of the document and encryption of the collected signatures.

The signer of a document is also verified via the security and authentication features. The authentication process screens the signatory’s identity before they’re given access to signing a document. Information required here may be as basic as an email, phone number, and password. More complex authentication processes may require fingerprint capture and facial recognition.

3. Integration into Existing Operations and Scalability

For enterprises and companies, it’s often important to integrate an e-signature software into their existing content management software or customer relationship management software. This can be done using the chosen e-signature software’s API.

APIs work with all popular apps and allow organizations to customize the functions to suit their needs. The integrated APIs allow organizations to have all the tools of the e-signature software to be embedded in their existing software. 

Another application of e-signature software is found in their scalability. This means the software can be upgraded as the organization grows. Initially, many businesses require only a small-scale use of e-signature software. But as they grow, they need a more sophisticated presentation of the software.

E-signature software grows with businesses through different deployability methods, including cloud-based services, on-premise, enterprise, and open-source operations.

4. Document Progress Tracking

E-signature software is used to track the progress of a document sent for signing. This is great progress from older delivery methods, which were marked with stalled signing processes and loss of documents. This has been solved by the progress tracking feature in eSignature software.

Progress tracking enables senders to keep track of where the document has gotten to. Then, depending on how you’ve preset your document tracking notification, the software can send automated notifications to signatories to take action on the document that has been sent to them. The notifications will keep up with the signers until they’ve signed it. When they have, you’ll receive the notification on your end as well.

Where there are signers, the document senders can see both the number of persons that have signed the document and who they are. Notifications might be in the form of emails or software notifications as the signatory makes use of their devices. Document senders can even place a call through to signers to remind them to sign based on the information the software has provided them. 

Takeaway:

E-signature software brings big ease of operation to multiple businesses. They’re offered by different platforms but they all are usable in the four ways discussed in this article: for document signing, establishing security and authenticity of the document signing process, tracking the progress of a document’s signing, and easy integration into existing organization software.