May 23, 2006

Digital Signatures via the Internet: Encrypted, Authenticated & Secure

I often receive documents that I must sign and wish there was an easier way to sign them than faxing. Many times I take a digital signature (an image) and copy it to the document, then make a PDF of the document and send it back. Other times it's not this easy. For many businesses who require signatures on documents a much easier method is needed. DocuSign is a company with a secure and relatively easy solution.

The issue with signing documents is not only that you want a signature but MORE SO to authenticate WHO is signing the document.

With DocuSign, you take the document you want signed and print to the DocuSign print driver. The next step, using a mouse, the sender of the document √?“drags and drops√?” tabs from the client√?’s toolbar onto the document where signatures and initials are required. The sender also selects how much proof of identification is required for each signer. Once the document is prepared, recipients are notified by email from the DocuSign service that documents are waiting to be signed.

Your recipients receive an email that contains a hyperlink to the document. Clicking the hyperlink launches their browser and requires them to securely identify themselves before they can access your document. No need for special software!

Recipients create their own electronic signature in a few seconds if they don√?’t already have one. To sign, they simply click where you placed the √?‘sign here√?’, and √?‘initial here√?’ tabs. Once the last person signs, everyone is given a copy with all signatures right in the document!

The signature on the document you sign is not your "real" signature, signed with your hand, but is a digital representation (secure and encrypted) of your authenticated "agreement".

Let's say a realtor is working with a couple who want to make an offer on a house in a very hot market, but the buyers are traveling in different cities. By sending the contract to the husband and wife electronically via DocuSign, the Realtor gets the offer signed and into the hands of the seller before other bidders have even found a fax machine.

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