Setting up an electronic signature ensures the identification of the digital document’s signatory as well as the integrity of the signed document. An electronic signature, like a handwritten one, is admissible in court. As a result, a digital signature has the same legal validity as a handwritten one, that is, the same probative value in the event of a disagreement. And in this article, you will discover how to create eSignature and what benefits you will have.
Advantages of an Electronic Signature
Aside from its legal significance, e-signature provides other commercial benefits, such as cost savings, increased conversion rates, and even user experience improvement. Implementing an electronic signature also significantly improves your company’s or service’s workflow, with the key being the acceleration of deadlines, the fluidity of exchanges, and the greater dependability of the entire contractual procedure.
So, creating an electronic signature is a significant task for a corporation throughout its digital transition, especially given that all sorts of documents may be signed digitally:
- employment contract
- lease
- estimate
- a real estate sales agreement
- public procurement
- others
Before implementing an electronic signature, each organization must do an in-depth analysis of its requirements, frequency of use, and the level of security required. The correct answers to these questions will allow you to select the most appropriate form of electronic signature, that is, the one required for various cases.
Why Set up an Electronic Signature
Creating a digital signature must allow a corporation to accomplish at least two fundamental goals: legally identify the signatory of a digital document and ensure the integrity of this document’s data, which must be free of any change or modification.
Legal requirements identify three types of electronic signatures, which correspond to three levels of security in terms of validating the signatory’s identity.
Simple electronic signature
This sort of signature is issued without a personal certificate. It connects two pieces of electronic data and can take numerous forms, including a checkbox, scanned signature, or signature on a delivery to a terminal. It is employed for everyday activities that pose little legal or financial risks (membership contract, SEPA direct debit mandate, invoice, etc.).
Advanced electronic signature
It is more secure since it implies the development and use of a digital certificate and fulfills stricter standards for identifying the signature. This signature may be based on a so-called “qualified” certificate within the meaning of the eIDAS regulation. This is especially true when it comes to signing sensitive materials related to financial transactions or critical legal concerns (subscription to a life insurance contract, mortgage contract, for example).
Qualified electronic signature
It represents the highest level of reliability in terms of digital signature and presents criteria similar to those of an advanced electronic signature, with the exception that the electronic certificate used for the signature, as well as the device used to store this certificate, must be qualified within the meaning of the eIDAS regulation. This sort of signature is legally equivalent to a handwritten signature.
Steps for Setting up an Electronic Signature in a Company
A corporation that wants to set up an electronic signature must consider the amount of security necessary based on regulatory limits or legal and financial risks that will be faced.
We recommend that you locate a reputable e-signature service provider, such as SignNow, to help you with the deployment of your electronic signature. It will assist you in clearly defining your requirements.
After you’ve determined your requirements and the scope of the digital signature implementation project, you’ll need to create specifications that will be sent to service providers. This document’s accuracy and completeness are critical to the success of your project. Service providers must identify your request as precisely as possible to give you the greatest functional and technical answer feasible as well as correlate it with the pricing offer describing their services.
And then, choosing a flexible service provider capable of supporting you throughout your project is essential. The market is made up of many publishers of digital solutions offering professional electronic signatures, official document signatures, and electronic contract signatures.
For example, SignNow is a trusted service provider with a HIPAA certification and all the legal qualifications you need. The solutions it offers comply with the eIDAS Regulation.