What does an electronic signature mean?

An electronic signature is the quickest and easiest way to sign documents online. While there are misconceptions that online signing is the same as electronic signing, an electronic signature must have several legal requirements.

You can use electronic signatures in virtually every instance where you use a wet signature for sales contracts and offer letters, for account openings, and for invoices. However, in addition to being easy to use, the functionality is much more productive, mobile-friendly, and integral to digital security than a wet signature.

In the United States, under the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN), electronic signatures are defined as an electronic sound, symbol, or process, attached to or logically associated with a contract or other record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the record.

The bottom line of this legal jargon is that if the electronic act is associated with some contract or record and is intended to be used as a sign, then it can be used as a valid electronic signature. Electronic signatures can include-

• Clicking I Agree (or similar wording) on a website to consent to terms and conditions or receive services
• Signing with your finger on a mobile device
• Typing your name and/or PIN into an online form

How can I make my own electronic signature?

With the right tools, it's simple to make an electronic signature. When you're ready to send out a document to be signed, just sign up for a free trial from any tool and upload the document to be signed. The tool will accept a range of file formats such as PDF, Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Add recipients and drag and drop relevant fields, including signature, name, title, and date. When you hit send, recipients get an email with a link to the document, which they can open and sign on just about any device, from just about anywhere, at any time.

Then hit Finish. The document will be sent back to the sender and saved securely in their account for later use.