What Are Electronic Signatures?
The basic concept of electronic signatures (or eSignatures) is quite simple. They allow users to record their personal signatures in a digital form, commonly through different types of software. After being recorded by the software, eSignatures can be used to sign documents of any kind, significantly reducing expenses on paperwork and cutting time wastages.
If you are about to implement eSignatures in your business, you might want to know that they are different from what is called “digital signatures.” The latter requires signatories to obtain a verification certificate from one of the governmentally authorized Certification Agencies. Without this certification, digital signatures will not be considered valid. eSignatures, however, do not require verifying the authenticity of a signer.
Overall, eSignatures are a great way of cutting expenses for your business. They reduce time wasted on paper processing, allow more effective communication between the branches of a company, and provide necessary freedom in document customization. The only step separating you from your first electronic signature is choosing the right software. Luckily, SignNow is here to help!
Why SignNow?
SignNow is an ultimate solution for businesses of any scale as it can be used on any platform, whether mobile or desktop. It was rated as a leading software provider by G2 in spring 2020. The application itself is very simple on the users’ side since it is designed to suit everyone. The technical side, nevertheless, is represented by state-of-the-art code, which is constantly improved to provide even more stability and safety.
What is happening on the backend vs. what a user sees
Here are some valuable advantages of SignNow over its competitors:
- Unlike DocuSign, SignNow allows users to edit documents before sending them;
- Both Adobe Sign and DocuSign do not provide users with a possibility to define allowed signature types while SignNow is capable of doing it;
- DocuSign doesn’t have live chat, which SignNow provides;
- With Adobe Sign, your documents are exposed to threats as it doesn’t have any advanced protection means. On the other hand, SignNow encrypts and carefully protects all your documents;
- Finally, with Adobe Sign, you cannot manage the invite expiration time while SignNow provides this function.
75% out of 835 reviews on Trustpilot mark SignNow’s service as excellent.
What Is Really Happening Behind the Scenes?
Code example
SignNow API is built in accordance with REST architecture, which provides a powerful background for the whole application. On the other side, there is an interface seen by end users, which is very simple and understandable for everyone. You don’t need to be a software developer to use SignNow effectively!
However, if you are a software developer and would like to take a closer look at the code, SignNow gladly invites you to join the sandbox and test the API as you wish. All you need to do is register at the company’s website and receive a confirmation letter with your key to the sandbox. What’s more, the company wouldn’t ask you for any personal details and credit card numbers or charge a single dollar for accessing their API. You can test it right away without the need to reach any sales representatives.
Speaking of the API, it is essential to mention that SignNow can be integrated into numerous programs so that you could sign your documents without leaving your working apps. SignNow is integrated into G Suite, MS Office, and Salesforce, among others, making your working environment extremely flexible and convenient.
The Service You Can Trust
SignNow realizes the need to protect your data, so it pays great attention to security and encryption. The software has met the requirements of SOC 2 Type II certification and has been labeled as GDPR compliant. Moreover, SignNow has attained 21 CFR Part 11 and PCI DSS compliance certificates, further enhancing their security.
But what if a crisis does hit? Will your documents be available in case of a hacker attack? Absolutely! SignNow utilizes near real-time replication to ensure that your data is stored in multiple locations. This means that your documents will always be available, regardless of the surrounding conditions.
If a crisis severely damages the system, SignNow will implement a Disaster Recovery plan, designed to return things to their normal state after the emergency is over. All the documents that you entrust to the company are stored on its servers for 7 years by default or for as long as you request so that you could access them at any convenient time.
Speaking of history, SignNow provides you with a possibility to receive a record of every change made to a certain document over time. This data can be accessed through the app itself or retrieved in the form of a PDF file.
Outstanding Functionality at Reasonable Prices
Whether you are trying to digitally sign PDF documents, organize effective document flow in your company or make legally binding signatures from your smartphone, SignNow has special features to help you.
With SignNow, you can do something much more complex than just signing documents. The software allows you to share projects between employees, as well as to send them to customers for a signature. You can also create templates that can be further distributed within your organization. In case you would like to restrict access to certain documents or templates, SignNow provides you with this feature as well.
Here are some more notable features of SignNow:
- Create and manage documents on the go. The app supports IOS and Android devices.
- Organize teams and distribute responsibilities between the members.
- Customize your documents as per your wish. You can also create templates and save them for further use.