Electronic signatures are now an everyday occurrence. We use different varieties of it to sign contracts or deal with official matters without having to stand in line at a window. Many people also deal with electronic signatures at work – more and more companies are choosing to replace the traditional handwritten signature with its electronic version.

If you yourself are thinking about introducing an electronic signature to your company, but are a bit lost in the maze of information, today we have a short guide for you. Here you will find all the most necessary information to make a decision and answers to the most important questions. You are welcome!

What is an electronic signature?

An electronic signature is, in the simplest terms, an identity confirmation based on certificates with different levels of security. A certified signature can be compared to a handwritten signature while showing an ID card.

What does an electronic signature look like?

Some systems that allow electronic signatures, although fully certified and secure, do not allow you to physically mark on the document that it has been signed. For most users who scan a document with their eyes, this visual aspect is very important, so an additional graphic representation is often introduced, such as.

• a separate certificate page visible to the user,
• the ability to paste a graphic signature anywhere in the document,
• the ability to specify the locations of specific signatures even before sending it to the addressee (this most advanced option is available, for example, in the DocuSign® system).

Electronic signature – types

• Ordinary (non-qualified) electronic signature – used most often, such as for signing B2B contracts and internal company documents. It does not require special proof of identity – a click on a link from an email received is sufficient confirmation.
• Advanced signature – that is, an ordinary signature enhanced with additional identity verification such as an SMS code.
• Qualified signature – the highest standard of electronic signature requiring confirmation of identity at a certified third-party company. Used to sign documents that require a written form.

Is an electronic signature a written form?

How to obtain a qualified signature?

What is ePUAP?

Advantages of an electronic signature

• Security. Electronically signed documents are 100% secure – much more effectively than traditional paper documents.
• Lower costs. The implementation of the DocuSign® platform is cost-effective already when signing about 10 contracts per month. Want to learn more? Read: Electronic signature simply pays off!
• Time savings. When you sign documents electronically, you save the time you have to spend standing at the printer, searching for board members and forwarding the contract to the contractor.
• Ecology. The fewer printed sheets of paper, the more trees saved. You can read more about how replacing a traditional signature with an electronic one and introducing an electronic workflow to a company can affect the planet in the article Electronic workflow and ecology.