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eSign

The term “eSign” stands for “electronic signature”. The so-called eIDAS regulation governs the use of electronic signature procedures. A distinction is made between simple electronic signatures, advanced electronic signatures and qualified electronic signatures.

What is eSign?

eSign or e-sign is an abbreviation for electronic signature. eSign is a technology that makes it possible to sign documents online instead of printing them out and signing them. The eSign technology has become increasingly popular over the past few decades, and electronic signatures now carry as much weight as physical signatures.

How is eSign used?

If you’ve ever signed a document online or clicked the “Accept” button on an important digital document, you’ve already experienced eSign. eSign comes in a variety of formats - here are a few examples:

  • A photo of your physical signature inserted into a document.
  • A digital signature created on an electronic device.
  • Clickable “I agree” buttons on websites and apps.

These are just examples of eSign, and some companies or programs may use other methods.

The most important thing to remember about eSign is that they are directly linked to the signer and cannot be changed by a third party. Specialized eSign programs use a highly secure process to ensure that all electronic signatures remain untouched and legally binding.

Can eSign be trusted?

Because the Internet and other forms of electronic communication are frequently hacked, you may wonder if digital signatures, and therefore eSign, can always be trusted. Signatures with ink are difficult to forge, but what about eSign?

Well, they are validated by a third party who ensures that the eSign sent belongs to that person or organization. The signatures are encrypted with what’s called a public key, and the original signature is filtered through a “hash function,” a means of encrypting the data it contains so that only the person with the right key to unlock it (the recipient) can read the contents. This makes eSign tremendously secure and trustworthy.

What are the benefits of using eSign?

When the proper procedures are followed, eSign is legally binding, is easy to add to documents, and is very unlikely to be tampered with. Here are some more reasons why you should use eSign.

  1. save time and money If you implement eSign procedures in your business, you’ll likely save a lot of money on printing and stationery. eSign is also a fast, straightforward process that should help your employees:inside save time and be more productive. It only takes a few seconds to sign something online, which takes significantly less time than printing out a contract, signing it, and delivering it in person (or mailing it).

  2. sign documents remotely With eSign technology, you can securely sign important documents remotely. This is especially attractive for companies with employees:in other locations or geographically distant customers. Documents can also be signed from multiple devices using eSign, including smartphones and computers, providing even more flexibility.

  3. documents can be stored securely Once a sensitive document is signed, it must be stored securely and protected from tampering. All leading eSign programs have tools to ensure this is the case, including advanced encryption. Most eSign software allow you to track signatures to ensure that all parties are signing the same document.

Why are eSign programs useful?

To ensure that your electronic signatures are secure and legally binding, it is often recommended that you use an eSign software solution. These come in all shapes and sizes, and they typically include everything you need to transition your business from physical to electronic signatures.

How eSign simplifies contract management

eSign software has many benefits, not the least of which is that cloud-based hosting makes documents accessible to all. With eSign software, you can easily keep track of the contracts you manage.

Collaborate with customers

Editing contracts to add clauses is a nightmare. It’s even worse when you have to send updated versions of files back and forth, reading every single detail to make sure it contains what you want. With cloud-based features from eSign Software, every document is stored remotely, eliminating the need to send versions back and forth.

Secure your business with eSign

With eSign, you can also track changes to a document, and signatures are no longer valid if the document is subsequently edited. Typos or malicious attempts to take advantage of you and your business no longer occur with eSign software - you agree to exactly what is written at the time of signing.

Keep track of unsigned contracts

Notifications and contract management tools help you keep track of what has been signed, what needs to be signed, and prioritize. Gone are the days of digging through piles of paperwork, because eSign software keeps track of everything so you don’t have to worry about deadlines.

Conclusion

Modern eSign software solutions help you sign digital documents in a secure and hassle-free way. The use of eSign is widespread around the world. eSign is treated the same as physical signatures and is legally binding. Switching from physical to eSign offers numerous benefits, including significant time and money savings.

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