In many industries, digitally signing documents has become the norm recently. While E-signing has been legally binding in the US since around the year 2000, many people have been hesitant to adopt the technology until fairly recently.
As the generation that grew up with the internet has grown into the one running most businesses, views on e-signing have changed. The benefits of e-signing are clear: reduced costs for staffing and paper storage, faster turnaround on contracts, and increased convenience for your clients.
By utilizing e-signing, you can get your documents in the hand of your clients the day they are created. The delays of mailing contracts, calling to make sure they have been received, and hoping your client signs and returns them quickly can be crippling.
Certain industries, such as banking and government have higher security protocols. Many of these positions will require a digital signature. Understanding what the differences are, and creating a strategy to handle those differences is the only way to avoid losing the competitive advantages you acquire through e-signing.
Digital Signature vs Electronic Signature
In many areas of life, we use the words digital and electronic interchangeably. In the world of e-signatures, these terms have different meanings.
An electronic signature is any signature that is represented in a secure computerized sign off. This word includes all forms of electronic signature.
A digital signature is an electronic signature with some additional security protocols. Digital signatures employ software based “keys” called PKIs that help to verify you are who you are supposed to be before allowing you to sign.
Where simple e-signatures can be completed in your browser on pretty much any device, including cell phones and tablets, digital signatures typically require more specific hardware, and definitely require signing in specific software.
The Right Software Makes Life Easier
The process for creating a digital signature is fairly specific. Both parties who will be involved in the document will create two Keys, one public and one private. When you send the document to be signed the signer will utilize their private key to verify their identity when signing.
When you receive the returned document, you will use the signer’s public key to open it and verify the signature. At this point the document is complete and ready to file.
All of this converting leaves a fairly large margin for error. Obviously software is needed for every step of the process, and the right software can make things much easier, or more complex.
Revv software is a great choice for digital signing. It has the tools you need for each step, starting with document generation.
Revv’s document creator has over 400 templates, so you can create the exact document you need. Revv includes cloud based storage at every price level, so your documents can be saved into your paperless office.
Revv also includes all the tools you need to upload and track your document. Most importantly, Revv has the tools you need to create your digital signature and send and receive your digitally signed documents.
If you need the even more secure version of digital signature known as QES, you will need some additional hardware to securely sign on and prove your identity. Even when that level of security is required, Revv is ready to handle the document generation and signing.
In summary, digital signatures are complicated bits of software, to do a fairly simple task. With the right software, signing documents digitally can be just as easy and convenient as putting pen to paper. If you are looking for a digital signing solution, Revv may be the perfect choice for you.
