How to choose the right eSignature for your business?

by Mahender Bist CEO

Most of you reading this have surely already heard about the term ‘going paperless.’ Some of you might also be in the process of doing the same for your organization. You could be thinking of doing that (or might already be doing that) for a couple of reasons such as:

To save time on the processes
To increase your returns on investments
To reduce the costs incurred on papers
To increase mobility in document interaction

It is great to see organizations going paperless for the reasons mentioned above and more. But, when it comes to signatures, things are not that easy. Going paperless is of no use if you have to print and physically sign the documents each time. It takes you farther away from the efficiency in the workflow that you are aiming for.

This is exactly where e-signatures come into the picture. When you replace physical signatures with e-signatures, your organization can stick to its aim of going completely paperless, and you can also keep the workflow electronic.

So, what is an e-signature (electronic signature)?

In simple terms, the electronic signature is the electronic version of the handwritten signature. For a more official definition of the term, the ESIGN Act of the US Federal government states that it is “an electronic sound, symbol, or process, attached to or logically associated with a contract or other record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the record.”

Now, you are not wrong if you think the definition is kind of vague. The term E-signatures are not clearly defined, and it can actually be applied to many signing actions. The term can be used for placing your initials or name, simply checking the necessary boxes or inserting an image of your handwritten signature. So, it can refer to any action you take that indicates your intention to sign.