When was the last time you used a pen to apply a wet signature to a business document? It’s been a while, right? As organizations adopt paper-free processes and automate their document-based workflows, the need to apply a wet signature on a document will slowly, but surely, become obsolete. So put your pens down – you won’t be needing them.
Online signing mechanisms have transformed the way we conduct our day-to-day business transactions. As we rely more on electronic workflows and less on document exchange via post, fax or courier, the discontinuities and delays caused by physical signing have become harder to ignore. Additionally, companies and employees have become more globally dispersed, which has required an evolution in the signing process.
In 2012, AIIM conducted a survey designed to identify the key drivers and adoption rates of online signatures amongst organizations. Here are some of the key findings from the report:
Because of the quick and rather disruptive nature of digitizing the signing process, there’s been confusion regarding the different mechanisms and technologies involved in signing documents digitally.
When it comes to digitizing the signing process, there are three types of signatures that are commonly used within an organization: electronic, digital and graphical. Do you know exactly what each of these are and how they differ from one another?
In a four-part blog series, I will explain the difference between the three types of signatures, including the regulations that govern them and their business scenarios. In addition, I’ve put together an extensive white paper called The essential guide to online signatures: The differences between electronic, digital and graphical signatures, which clearly illustrates the business applications of the different types of online signatures.
You want to learn more about the differences between electronic, digital & graphical signatures? Download our whitepaper today!