Signatures are an essential part of the workflow in almost every business. Paper-based workflows can take up a lot of time and energy, while electronic signature still get viewed warily by many. Here is a guide to both processes to help you decide for yourself if it’s time to ditch the paper and move to an online signature or stick with tradition.

The paper-based workflow

Step One: Make the appointment

You need to find a time that suits both you and your client, or if there’s more than one signer, every party involved. You must do this while remembering the importance of meeting all deadlines. Don’t forget to factor in illness, business issues, and the other kinds of factors that regularly delay meetings!

Step Two: Get the paperwork ready

Remember that over a third of all trees are cut down for paper or paperboard – not precisely the greenest option! You’ll need to print, scan, and pay for its delivery, and this needs to include a copy for every party involved in the contract. The cost is all on you!

Step Three: Fill out the paperwork

Be sure to avoid errors, or you may have to print off a new version and start all over again! Paperwork is also easily damaged. If you need to make edits later, you’ll also need to start over.

Step Four: Get the signatures

Hopefully, you’ve been able to arrange those meetings. Let’s hope the wet signatures don’t fade! If you can’t make the meetings, there are further costs involved, including:

  • Purchasing and addressing envelopes
  • Buying stamps and mailing the contract (usually recorded delivery for an extra fee)
  • Posting it to each addressee
  • Hoping the electronic signature is authentic!

The e-workflow available for signature online

Upload the document

With eSign Genie, this is a secure process that makes your report available to whoever you wish and makes it accessible from anywhere.

Create your fillable fields

There are often easy templates you can customize for easy form-filling. Standard areas include those for signatures, dates, and checkboxes that are easily interactive.

Set roles

eSign Genie allows you to easily customize the form so that everyone who accesses it is directed to their relevant parts to esign documents, check, or read. You can also bind particular email addresses to signers for extra security.

Get your signers

Signers can be invited by sending out emails with a couple of clicks. They can be provided with passwords, pins, or other similar security methods. E-signatures are also totally legal and valid almost everywhere around the globe.

Save your document

Once everyone has read and signed the material in their own time, it is securely stored. It’s easy to download a copy and send it to all parties, and any updates or changes can be made in seconds and viewed by everyone.

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