Imagine the situation: you have a lot of work to do, deadlines are chasing you, the phone is ringing like crazy, and time is shrinking inexorably. Imagine that at such a moment you find that you need to get signatures of a board member on a 70-page contract in two copies. And look for wind in the field here. What to do – the job is on fire, your brain is working at full speed, and you, willing or not, are running around the office looking for the right person or looking for him… at the airport.

Electronic signature for companies – how does it work?

Proper organization of the workflow is extremely important – efficient coordination of processes, order in documents and quick responses and simple solutions directly translate into the success of the company. By implementing a document workflow system integrated with a signature collection platform into your organization, a few clicks and one sent link will be enough to replace hours of running around looking for people authorized to sign a document.

That’s exactly how DocuSign® works – it allows you to get signatures on any contract or any other document electronically, anytime, from any device and from anywhere in the world. The DocuSign® platform integrated with good workflow software allows you to plan, create, review and approve contracts in one place, 100% online and 100% secure.

The ability to provide electronic signatures is not only a convenience for employees, but also (and perhaps most importantly) for company decision-makers. Instead of initialling dozens of pages of contracts, within the DocuSign® platform they will be able to approve the entire document with one click.

How does online contract signing work from behind the scenes? The document is prepared by many people in the company. The final version in the form of an emailed link goes to the person responsible for approval. The CEO or any other decision-maker opens the document and approves the entire agreement with a single click. DocuSign® makes it just as easy to send documents for signature to people outside the company – contractors or business partners. It’s worth knowing that all you need to know is that it’s the company issuing the contract that has a license to use DocuSign® software – the other party simply clicks on the link and signs the document online for free.

Qualified or electronic signature?

The DocuSign® platform allows you to sign documents with an electronic signature as well as a qualified signature, regardless of who the provider is (you can also easily change providers while using the platform).

What is a qualified signature and how does it differ from an electronic signature?

Documentary form vs. written form

Before we address the distinction between electronic and qualified signatures, we would like to say a few words about the differences between the two types of the most commonly used forms of contracts entered into by entrepreneurs. The written form we are all familiar with – it is a printed document that we sign by hand on paper. The documentary form came into use in 2016 and was a response to the limitations and inadequacies of the written form, which was inadequate in the age of growing digitization.

Today, many matters are handled online, business partners mostly communicate with each other by email, and it is uneconomical and unenvironmental to print and send documents by mail each time.

Documentary form replaces the manual signature on a printed document by other means or media – an email message, a scan of a document, an instant messaging message, an audio recording, etc. You can validate the document form with both qualified and non-qualified signatures. For documents that require a written form, the only solution for electronic approval is to purchase a qualified signature.

Electronic signature – what is it?

An electronic signature, also known as a non-qualified signature, is a signature most often used for employee signatures, B2B contracts and internal letters and documents, such as minutes, letters, accounting or HR documents.

A regular electronic signature used within the DocuSign® platform does not require proof of identity – it is enough to click on a link that is in the authorized person’s private email inbox.

How does a qualified signature work?

A qualified signature is a secure electronic signature that has the same legal force as a manual signature and is used for documents that require a written form. Qualified signatures are used, among other things, when signing employment contracts (by the employer), letters to authorities or submitting bids for tenders.

How to obtain a qualified signature? A secure electronic signature is issued for a fee by entities registered with the Ministry of Economy, such as Asseco Data Systems S.A., Enigma SOI, EuroCert Sp. z o.o., Krajowa Izba Rozliczeniowa S.A., and Polska Wytwórnia Papierów Wartościowych S.A.. You must go in person to collect your qualified signature to confirm your identity.

After signing the contract and paying the fee, the user receives a special cryptographic card with a USB reader and dedicated software. Signing a document requires inserting the encrypted card into a reader plugged into the computer.

How to implement an electronic signature for contract circulation?

Are you determined that you want to implement an electronic signature for contract workflow in your company? The DocuSign® platform allows two types of licensing. The first is a per-user payment, and the second is a fee per number of envelopes used (read more about electronic signature license types).

If your company is small and you want to purchase a license for up to 3 people, go to the DocuSign® website and see what your options are.

If your company processes dozens, hundreds or more documents and you are interested in a much larger package, contact us – together we will find a satisfactory solution.