What types of electronic signature exist and how to choose the one you need

Why make the leap to electronic signatures?

Speeding up signature processes is one of the key measures to increase team productivity. In fact, the situation of companies that have not yet taken the step to digitally transform their signature processes is starting to have consequences. One of them is the high economic cost of managing paper-based signature processes. Another is the loss of time, both for the company and its customers, as the manual process is much slower and can take weeks.

For all of the above reasons, at Docuo we strongly recommend digitising signature workflows. With electronic signatures, you will increase the efficiency of your processes and reduce the time it takes to add new customers and close transactions, avoiding the effort of filling out and resending documents signed on paper. Thus, you will achieve a quick return on investment, both in terms of financial savings on administration costs and in terms of storage and archiving.

Although there are many advantages, it is important to be familiar with the technical, regulatory and legal requirements that electronic signatures must meet depending on the country in which the company is operating.

Below we show you the different types of electronic signature that we offer at Docuo and how to choose the one that best suits your needs.

 

Types of electronic signature in Docuo. Discover their differences and benefits.

Beyond being a simple electronic signature platform, Docuo allows you to integrate digital signatures into your workflows in a very simple way, enhancing its benefits by automating the entire process (automatic drafting from templates, review, negotiation, approval, etc.).

All our electronic signatures are regulated in Europe by the Electronic Identification and Trust Services for Electronic Transactions (eIDAS) regulation. This establishes different ways of signing a document remotely that are valid throughout the EU and most western countries. You don’t have to worry about complying with the regulation, we will take care of that for you.

 

Benefits common to all forms of electronic signature:

• It is a fast, simple and secure way to sign PDF contract documents.
• It speeds up the signing process, from weeks to minutes.
• Saves on paper administration and storage costs.
• Reduces workload by automating signature processes.
• Guarantees the integrity of the signed content during the signing process.
• Allows to know if the document has been manipulated after being signed.

 

Docuo eSignature. Our advanced electronic signature.

Recommended for:

• External people to the organisation that sign documents (customers or providers).

How to use it:

1. The signatory receives a signature link by email.
2. Enter a password or code on the mobile device to validate the authentication.
3. Signs the document and sends it. As easy as that.

Benefits:

• Ease of use.
• Validates the signer’s identity.
• High level of security

Regulation:

• Docuo eSignature is 100% compliant with the AES (Advanced Electronic Signature) type of the eIDAS regulation.

 

Docuo eCertificate. Our qualified electronic signature.

Recommended for:

• People of the organisation itself that sign documents, even large volumes of the same documents.

How to use:

1. The company installs the certificate issued by a Certification Service Provider on its computer or uploads it to Docuo.
2. The documents to be signed are generated in Docuo or uploaded to the system.
3. As part of the workflow, Docuo signs the documents automatically with the digital certificate and sends them to the other party (customer, provider, etc.).

Benefits:

• The signing process is fully automated, even without user intervention.
• It allows massive signature operations to be carried out.
• If the digital certificate is appropriate, it offers the highest level of security, equivalent to a handwritten signature.
• Verifies the identity of the signatory.

Regulation:

• Docuo eCertificate is 100% compliant with the QES (Qualified Electronic Signature) type of the eIDAS regulation.

 

What can I do if my customer still requires a handwritten signature process?

Docuo basic. A way to manage handwritten signatures faster.

Recommended for:

• Organisations or companies that do not accept working with digital signatures as an internal policy (they still exist).

How to use it:

1. The signatory receives the document by email.
2. Prints it and signs it on paper.
3. Scans it and sends it by email using an automatic form.
4. Finally, they physically forwards it to the parties involved.

Disadvantages:

• Does not allow identification of the signatory.
• Very low legal and evidentiary value until the physical contract is received.
• Obligation to keep and archive the handwritten version.
• Once the physical contract is received, it requires validation that it has not been altered before being signed.
• Involves a more time-consuming and costly manual process.
• Lag behind of digital transformation and will eventually be 100% replaced by electronic signature.

Regulation:

• Does not need to comply with any regulations as the eIDAS regulation only secures and guarantees electronic signatures. On the other hand, the handwritten signature is recognised in the legislation of all countries, so there will always be certain scenarios in which it is necessary to have it.

 

In conclusion, the basic manual signature is the least beneficial type of signature, which is why Docuo recommends eSignature or eCertificate.