Using electronic signatures - 5 things to tell first time users

Do you know someone who is using DocuSign for the first time? When document recipients sign using DocuSign for the first time, they may have some questions. Your users may need reassurance that DocuSign eSignature is safe and secure, and they may want to find out how electronic signatures work. This post provides those that are sending documents via DocuSign with the information to help answer the five most common questions that those using DocuSign for the first-time might ask:

1. What is DocuSign eSignature? 

DocuSign eSignature is part of the DocuSign Agreement Cloud™ which helps businesses digitally transform how they manage contracts and other types of agreements.

Since it was launched in 2003, DocuSign eSignature has remained as the world’s leading electronic signature provider. Today, hundreds of thousands of organisations worldwide have adopted DocuSign eSignature.

The technology lets them do business faster, simpler, greener and more cost-effectively.

DocuSign eSignatures are legally binding, and the technology allows users to complete approvals and agreements in minutes rather than days. Millions of documents have been signed using DocuSign eSignature.

2. How do you use DocuSign eSignature?

Here’s is a short guide that will help new users of DocuSign eSignature get started. It’s intuitive and straightforward to sign documents and contracts. These are the steps your users need to follow to adopt an electronic signature:

• Users will receive an email with a button that says “Review”. With one click, they can access the document. You can click from virtually any internet-enabled device like a mobile phone, tablet, or computer.
• If it’s the first time your user is signing a contract with DocuSign eSignature in this way, they will be asked for consent to do business electronically.
• They then click on “Continue”, and the navigation tabs and instructions will guide your user to where they need to perform an action on the document.
• To apply a signature, they may either draw a signature, if on a hand-held device or ‘adopt a signature’ that will be the electronic representation of their legal intent to commit to the contract.
• Once they have completed all the signing actions, they just need to click “Finish”.

The documents are saved automatically and can be printed if needed. Your users will see an “Other Options” button which may include other actions you can take such as “Finish Later” or “Assign to Someone Else”. It also has the options to “Decline”, where you will be requested to give a reason for this.

This 1-minute video shows how DocuSign eSignature works. You can also find more information about how to use eSignature in our blog. 

3. Is DocuSign eSignature legally binding? 

First-time users may ask what makes an electronic signature legal. DocuSign eSignature is legally binding in the UK, and for nearly every business or personal transaction in almost every country in the world. DocuSign eSignature complies with EU and UK law.

• The Law Commission published an electronic document report on September 4th, 2019 confirming that electronic signatures are legally binding across the board.
• DocuSign eSignature also complies with European Union Regulation No 910/2014 on electronic identification and trust services (eIDAS Regulation), as well as international laws and statutes.
• DocuSign has a successful history of providing signers with all of the evidence they need for electronic signature verification. A DocuSign electronic signature has an audit trail, tamper sealing, strong authentication, and bank-grade security. Allowing users to defend documents and attest to the validity of documents signed with DocuSign eSignature technology.
• Discover more about what makes electronic signatures legally binding.

4. But an “Adopted” signature isn’t my actual signature?

DocuSign eSignature does allow users to upload a scanned image of a handwritten signature to their profile or to draw a signature on a mobile touch screen. A signature is a legal concept used to demonstrate ‘legal intent’ to bind the signer to the contents of a document; it doesn’t need to contain a personal handwritten signature to be legal.

• An electronic signature is legally binding if there is proof that an individual consented upfront to contracting electronically and performed a deliberate action to show their legal intent.
• DocuSign eSignature includes authentication methods and tamper-proof electronic audit trails.
• Electronic signature vs wet signature. Handwritten signatures on paper are hard to prove in a court of law unless physically signed in front of a witness, so they aren’t necessarily the safest method of signing.

5. Is DocuSign safe and secure?

DocuSign follows industry-leading best practices to secure your data and transactions. Each electronic signature is unique and has an audit trail that has date and time stamps on the actions signers have taken. All documents are securely encrypted and can be read and signed only by the users assigned. DocuSign meets rigorous security certification standards, and it is ISO27001 certified, and SSAE 16 certified. This is the highest level of global information security assurance available today.

Find out more about what makes your electronic signature safe and the security features of DocuSign.