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I Don’t Want to Sound Dumb, But What Exactly Are Electronic Signatures? 

Most people have heard the term “electronic signatures” thrown around here and there, but many aren’t quite sure exactly what electronic signatures are. If you do any sort of business that requires signatures, you’re in for a real treat, because electronic signatures can make your life much easier.

What is an Electronic Signature?

Rather than mailing or delivering papers to other parties to have them sign, with an electronic signature, you can simply send it to them via your computer and receive the signed document back in the same way. Individuals will “sign” the documents by typing their name, or physically signing on the dotted line using their computer. This eliminates the need for them to actually hold the documents in their hand in order to sign them, and allows the process to be completed much faster than the old way.

The Legality of Electronic Signatures

If you’re immediately wondering about the legality of electronic signatures, you’re not alone. Most savvy business owners want to make sure that any contract or document signed with an electronic signature is legal and binding. Well, rest assured, it is. The E-SIGN act (Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act) was created in 2000 and upholds the legality of electronically signed documents. It states that “the term electronic signature means 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 a record.”

How Electronic Signatures Make Life More Convenient

Electronic signatures can be used by virtually anyone who needs signatures on documents and contracts often. From real estate agents to online marketers, being able to have someone electronically sign a document and then forward it back via email is much more convenient than traditional signatures. They can be stored for future reference if needed, and save time, money, and resources. Many green businesses have adopted esignatures as the primary way to run their business, to cut down on paper waste from printing and filing as well as mailing documents.

How Easy Is It to Use Electronic Signatures?

If you choose the right company to provide you with the ability to accept and send electronic signatures, it’s extremely easy. The process is pretty straightforward, and most programs will walk you through the steps to using them so that you can send documents to business associates, customers and others. Those same programs will notify recipients of exactly what to do in order to sign and send back the document to complete the process. You don’t have to be tech savvy at all to use electronic signatures, and the process is fast and convenient.

Now you know what electronic signatures are, as well as the massive benefits you can gain by utilizing them for your personal and business needs.

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A huge number of people do business via the Internet these days. Operating a website or company can mean that you often need help from third parties, from freelance writers and web designers to marketers and more. If you’re working with a brand new idea that you don’t want just anyone to know about, you’ll want any third parties you bring in to the project to sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement). eSignatures allow you to make this process fast and easy.

What are eSignatures?

A lot of time is typically spent on administrative duties, including obtaining signatures for specific documents like NDAs. eSignatures allow you to save a ton of time on administrative duties. When you need a signature, you simply create the electronic document and send it to the individual you’re working with. They can read it at their convenience, then “sign” it over the internet and send it back to you. The time saved is significant.

How it Works

When you send your NDA to the individual you plan on working with, they have the option of reading it and then agreeing to the terms as well as adding their “signature.” Their signature can be as simple as them typing their name to the document and then confirming it. They can do so and send the document back within minutes, allowing you to retain important records and save time as you focus on the more important aspects of your business.

Is it Legal and Binding?

Electronic signatures are as legal and binding as traditional signatures, as stated in the ESIGN act of 2000. This act states that documents signed with electronic signatures are as legal and binding as those signed with traditional signatures, as long as individuals are aware that they’re signing a legal document and that proof of the signature is retained. This means that in a court of law, the document signed by an eSignature is just as valid as if the individual were sitting in the same room with you, signing manually.

Using eSignatures for a Non Disclosure Agreement

It’s easier than ever to use eSignatures for a non disclosure agreement. Simply let the individual know what it is you’re having him or her sign. Clearly state in the document what you expect from the individual, and then ensure that they understand that the document they’re signing is a legal document. It can all be accomplished via email within just a few minutes.

The benefits of using eSignatures are massive, from going green to saving time and money. They’re easy to use and are a benefit to any business that implements them. In addition to being legally binding, they’re better for keeping records, for both parties.

Sign In Blue, an E-signature company, has just launched a new Facebook app, allowing individuals to send documents via the social networking site and receive digital signatures quickly and easily. As more and more business individuals are turning to Facebook to connect with fellow entrepreneurs and increase their customer base, Sign In Blue is offering a platform that allows those business individuals to get signatures faster than ever before.

“The Sign In Blue Facebook App will open a lot of doors as businesses move more and more of the administrative side of their business to Internet platforms,” says owner Robert Bustamante. “The possibilities are limitless; individuals can have their Facebook friends sign petitions, obtain signatures from customers for various purposes and much more. More and more businesses are starting to understand the importance of Facebook.”

Sign In Blue is the first company to provide an E-signature Facebook app, but they don’t expect to be the last. While the majority of the apps in the Facebook marketplace revolve around games or surveys, more and more businesses are bringing their applications to the Facebook platform. Sign In Blue has created their app on the heels of some other very popular business apps, such as the business profile app, the promotions app, business testimonials apps, and e-commerce and donations apps. The popularity of these suggest that the E-signature application is going to be a successful one, and that users are going to embrace the ability to sign documents right from their Facebook accounts.

E-signatures are as legal and binding as traditional signatures, as stated in the ESIGN act of 2000. The act states that the customer must understand that they’re signing a legal document and must provide a unique signature. The document must be preserved as well, in case it is needed for disputes or conflicts. Sign In Blue confirms more than once that the customer understands what they are signing, gives them the option to physically sign their name or simply type it, and the documents can be stored as long as users have accounts with the company.

Those who are curious to learn more are invited to visit http://www.signinblue.com and try their free demonstration, which shows exactly how the process works.  The app is easy to install directly at https://apps.facebook.com/signinblue

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One of the biggest goals of any company should be efficiency, because when systems are running efficiently, more profits are being made, the productivity increases, and more time is freed up. Plumbing companies, like any other company, should seek to create more efficiency with administrative tasks. One important way to do this is through E-signatures.

Alleviate Wasted Time

When a plumbing company gets ready to do a job, one of the first steps is to provide potential customers with a quote for the job. This means providing the client with a written estimate of how much the entire job is going to cost, including materials and labor. Many times, the plumber will need to drive out to the customer’s home, take a look at the problem, go back to the office and draft up the quote, and then return to the customer’s home at the customer’s convenience to deliver the quote.

When a plumber is able to go back to the office and draft up a quote and then send it to the customer electronically for a signature, the company is saving time and money. This is also true when it comes to proposals, which are more in-depth explanations of the job that will be completed, the materials needed, and any guarantees the plumbing company offers.

Stop Running Around

Many times, when a plumbing company wants to give a proposal or quote to the client and obtain a signature, they have to drive out to the customer’s home. Typically, this has to be at the customer’s convenience and it can take a lot of time out of the day. These hours really add up, and alleviating them means spending time on more important projects and tasks. E-signatures allow the plumbing companies to send documents to their customers any time, and receive the documents back at the customer’s convenience, without having to drive back and forth.

No Wasted Time

A lot of individuals will get quotes from several different plumbing companies. Many times, the customer will choose just one company and the others are left with wasted time. Not only does checking out the problem take up a lot of time, but so does driving the proposals and quotes to the client. With E-signatures, the only time wasted will be the actual investigation of the problem, because quotes and proposals have simply been sent electronically.

Records

Another wonderful benefit of E-signatures is easier record keeping. The plumbing company will have a record instantly of the documents they send to customers and the documents the customers send back signed. They don’t have to be scanned into the computer for records, because they’re already there. This is perfect for streamlining records, and great for companies who are trying to become more environmentally conscious.

Overall, E-signatures are the perfect way to streamline any company, and should certainly be considered by plumbing companies who end up with a lot of wasted hours and days driving back and forth to obtain signatures from customers.

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Realtors carry a heavy load and have a lot of responsibilities. Often times, their schedules are so hectic, they find it difficult to have any personal time at all. One of the things that take up a lot of their time is getting signatures from clients or potential clients. This can often mean driving a lot and spending hours simply getting a name signed. E-signatures are a valuable solution to this problem, and can make a realtor’s day a lot less hectic.

Saving Time

One of the biggest benefits of taking advantage of E-signatures is saving time. Realtors spend so much time getting signatures for large numbers of documents that are necessary with selling and marketing homes. When they have the ability to send documents on the computer to clients who can sign them immediately and send them right back, a massive amount of time is saved. Not only will this provide realtors with the ability to enjoy more personal time, it can increase productivity and therefore, increase sales.

Fitting Clients’ Schedules

Another huge benefit for realtors when it comes to E-signatures is being able to work around clients’ schedules. Rather than trying to schedule a time to drive out to the client, the realtor can simply send over the documents that need to be signed and the client can take a few moments to sign them whenever he or she has time. This is much more convenient to the client, and allows the realtor to be more professional when collecting signatures.

Easier Record Keeping/Greener Practices

In addition to saving a lot of time and being more convenient, E-signatures make it much easier to keep records of the documents signed by each client. They’re already electronically stored, via email and other applications, when you secure the signature. You can then simply print out what is needed as it’s needed. They also make it easy to become more eco-friendly in business, which is something a lot of realtors are attempting to do.

Legality of E-signatures

Realtors don’t have to worry about the legality of E-signatures, as they are considered just as legal as a traditional signature. The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN) went into affect in the year 2,000. This act made E-signatures just as legal and binding as a regular signature. As long as the signature is unique to the person using it, verifiable, in the sole control of the person using it and the client understands that he or she is electronically signing a document, it’s legal. The document must also be protected against having anything altered after the individual signs it.

Overall, E-signatures are extremely convenient for realtors and can really turn their businesses around. The amount of time that is saved by utilizing this tool is significant and can be used for personal time, or to further the realtor’s business, helping them earn more money and succeed.

A signature is a very powerful thing. Since the beginning, the signature has been a physical representation of a person’s word, or promise, to follow through with specific actions. The signature has evolved quite a bit, but even in these modern times, when a signature can be given through email or on a website, it still stands for a promise given from one person or company to another.

Ink

In 1776, when John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence, he did so with a quill pen and ink. One of the first methods of actually writing a signature, ink was used to allow individuals to give their promise, in writing, to others. Even today, signatures created with an ink and quill pen are used to study the characteristics and traits of the individuals who signed. In times like these, when a signature was needed, an individual had to be in person and most of the time, witnesses were present to view the signing and sometimes were called on to verify a signature and it’s authenticity.

Pen

Those who signed with pen, whether it was felt tip or ball point, were still giving a promise using their name, and still signing in person and sometimes in the presence of a witness. While the method is without a doubt more convenient and easier than ink and a quill pen, individuals are still required to be present in order to sign their names to documents and paperwork.

Email Signatures

As email became more and more popular, email signatures were created. These are a little different from a regular signature, as the purpose of email signatures are not to seal a promise, but simply to provide information about the sender. Email signatures are commonly used to include business information like website URLs, contact phone numbers, and blog URLs. Email signatures are convenient and a good way to help promote websites and other information.

Fax Signatures

With the convenience of the fax machines, providing signatures became even easier. Individuals could fax paperwork to the recipient, who could then sign it, and fax it back. This was a serious advance in business and other industries, because individuals could sign their names to documents without being present. However, there are drawbacks with faxed signatures, especially for businesses and companies trying to go green. The waste of paper and delay are disadvantages, although faxes are certainly more convenient than having to meet in person or have papers mailed physically to the recipient.

E-Signatures

The most convenient method of signing documents these days is the e-signature. Unlike faxes, there is no wasted paper in order for an individual to sign a document with an e-signature. These documents can be sent via email and signed as a PDF document. The greatest thing about e-signatures is that they are just as legally binding as a traditional signature, making them convenient for business use and other important documents and paperwork that must be signed. They’re even revolutionizing the healthcare industry.

Overall, the evolution of signatures has been a long one, and the huge advances made have created safer, easier and more convenient methods of signing a document, or providing a promise.

E-Signing

Technology in the past decade has improved by leaps and bounds, revolutionizing nearly every aspect of the medical industry. One such improvement is the increasing awareness of the benefits of online signatures, as well as the improved online signature tools offered by cutting edge companies. The benefits of implementing this kind of technology are substantial, and more medical facilities should consider those benefits.

About Online Signatures

Online, or electronic, signatures are as legally binding as traditional signatures. They consist of a typed name or mark that is unique to the individual signing the document. Records are also retained which show the origin of the signature and items related to it, so they can be used in the event of a conflict or dispute. A large number of companies are realizing the benefits of online signatures and integrating them into their business processes.

Uses

In a medical setting, online signatures can be used for a number of things. They’re beneficial for ordering supplies, keeping health records, creating prescriptions for medications, authorizing or confirming lab reports, creating doctor’s orders and more. They’re also helpful for remote employees who need to sign documents from time to time. The uses of online signatures for the medical industry are limitless.

Cost Effective

Online signatures are very cost effective and can reduce costs in a healthcare setting dramatically. Traditional signatures often require documents to be printed, mailed or faxed, filed, and stored. After this, there’s still the chance of those paper documents becoming lost. The cost of maintaining paper documents with signatures is estimated at about $6 a signature. At just 200 signatures a year, the cost is $1200 annually. Online signatures completely eliminate those costs.

Going Green

Another huge benefit of online signatures is that they’re more environmentally friendly. This is beneficial for healthcare facilities who want to embrace eco practices and for those seeking certification with certain environmental groups or efforts. Online signatures cut out a huge portion of paper waste within a healthcare facility, therefore helping to reduce the carbon footprint of the company and supporting eco-friendly initiatives.

Overall, online signatures are a huge benefit to the medical community in all aspects, from saving money to making routine practices easier to handle. The cost of implementing online signatures into business processes is relatively low, and it pays for itself over a period of time. Healthcare facilities who haven’t integrated online signatures into their processes should consider it as well as the associated benefits.

Companies who are considering integrating e-signatures into their everyday business processes will quickly and easily see the benefits of them. However, one thing that stops many companies from making the decision to utilize e-signatures is wondering whether they’re truly legal and whether they work the same as actual printed and signed contracts.

Are E-Signatures Really Legal?

The most common myth about e-signatures is that they’re not actually legal, and couldn’t be upheld in a court of law. The truth is that e-signatures work just like typical contracts, and are legal and binding*. As long as companies keep records of the documents and the fact that the customer “signed” them, they can be upheld in a court of law just like regular contracts that are manually signed.

Laws Upholding E-Signatures

There are a few different laws governing e-signatures, including the ESIGN Act of 2000. This act made e-signatures just as legally binding as a traditionally-obtained signature. The law makes these signatures equal to their paper counterparts. The other law that governs e-signatures is the UETA (Uniform Electronic Transaction Act), and this law defines what an e-signature.

What is an E-Signature?

The UETA states that an e-signature is “an electronic sound, symbol, or process, attached to or logically associated with a record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the record.” Typically, e-signatures are as simple as the individual typing their name with the intent of signing an electronic document. However, it could entail something else, such as making a statement or something similar.

Great for the Customers

 Another myth that is common about e-signatures is that customers don’t trust them. This is entirely untrue. Customers have come to expect convenience, as it is something that most businesses in just about every industry place a priority on. When customers can quickly and easily accomplish something that might normally take days, they’re happier customers! By offering your customers the opportunity to electronically sign documents rather than waiting for them to come in the mail, you have an edge on your competition and can end up blowing them out of the water!

Things Companies Should Know About E-Signatures

 Companies who decided to utilize e-signatures should know that it’s very important to keep thorough records of those documents signed with e-signatures, as well as any other correspondence with customers that sign electronic documents. This is what is used if there is a dispute or conflict with the e-signature and acts as the proof in a court of law. As long as these files are kept and organized, e-signatures can be very beneficial for businesses. They save a lot of time, money, and are a great move to make with the environment in mind.

Overall, e-signatures are something all businesses should consider. It gives them a lot more freedom and allows them to offer their customers a type of convenience that many other companies simply don’t offer.

*Each case is independent and we recommend you consult with an attorney in your specific case.  We are not providing legal advice or recommendations and you should always consult with a professional.