Electronic signatures, like our Docusign eSignature solution, are a legal way to digitally secure approvals on a document, contract or set of documents. Electronic signatures can replace your handwritten signature to speed up virtually any paper-driven, manual signature processes. Read this guide to learn more about how to sign documents online.

An electronic signature, like those generated by Docusign eSignature, is a symbol, or other data in digital format, that attaches to an electronic document and is adopted by the “signer” or recipient of the signature request. Most often, e-signatures appear as an image of a physical signature. Electronic signatures are created online and applied to online documents. Instead of physically signing with a pen, you receive a request via email, text message, or WhatsApp message for your signature. All the “signing” is done online.

Electronically signing documents saves time, reduces the need for paper-driven processes, and offers you the flexibility to sign a document from almost anywhere, on most devices. Docusign eSignature can help you:

Accelerate workflows. You can get agreements signed quickly and streamline your entire agreement process with Docusign tools. With eSignature, you can quickly prepare, route, and approve agreements. You can set up approval flows so documents get sent automatically from one signer to the next as needed, and you can set up delegated signers so contracts don’t get completely stalled while someone is on vacation.

Docusign also has platform services like Maestro as part of our IAM applications. Maestro allows you to set up customized agreement workflows without any code.

Goosehead Insurance saw 36% faster user completion rate for digital signature documents and 90% faster delivery with SMS + Email.

Execute transactions with trust. 84% of signers are more likely to continue doing business with a company that uses Docusign. Docusign is the #1 e-signature vendor, according to analysts. 1 billion users and 1.6 million customers use Docusign, and your customers will trust the agreements you send with Docusign.

Calendly chose Docusign for four reasons, including that customers know and trust Docusign. hey saw a >832% increase in e-signature transactions since moving to Docusign.

Eliminate manual signatures. Eco-friendly Docusign eSignature saves you an average of $36 per agreement by reducing hard costs—including paper, postage and printing.   

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District saved over $700,000, reclaimed thousands of staff hours, and earned Gartner recognition for its forward-thinking use of technology in education, with Docusign eSignature and the guidance and support from Customer Success.

Improve your customers’ experience. With electronic signatures, your customers, prospects, and employees can sign agreements from anywhere at any time. E-signatures are fast and easy, and your signers will appreciate the easy experience.

Ducati West Europe improved its customer experience with Docusign eSignature. Customers who want to spend a day on a racetrack with a Ducati motorcycle can now sign all necessary documents in advance so they can focus their time in person on having fun on the bikes.

1. Sign up for the Docusign eSignature free trial and log in.

2. Select Start, and then decide whether you want to send an envelope or sign a document. Then upload your electronic document, PDF, document from your desktop, or document from your cloud storage.

3. Then add recipients, including routing groups (if needed) to send your envelope to different people based on envelope data. You can choose whether each recipient needs to sign, is an in-person signer, receives a copy, needs to view the agreement, or other agreement roles. You can also customize the message that will accompany your document that needs to be signed.

4. Then set your fields with the signature, date, company, title, and other necessary information in the right places on the document. 

5. Click send!

1. Open the email with a request to digitally sign your document.

2. Click the link. Your document should open in an electronic signature tool such as our Docusign eSignature application.

3. Agree to electronic signing. You may be asked to agree to sign. After confirming agreement and if the document was sent via Docusign eSignature, you should see tags with instructions to Start or Sign.

4. Click each sign tag and follow the instructions to add your electronic signature where required to sign or initial.

5. Adopt a signature to save your signature information.

6. Confirm your signature by clicking FINISH. A message appears indicating your are finished and the sender automatically receives your signed document.

Use the world’s #1 electronic signature solution to sign:

• Sales contracts

• New hire documentation

• Invoice processing

• Purchase orders

• Expense reporting

• Vendor agreements

• Internal compliance

• NDAs

• Letters of intent

Try online signing for free.

The terms  “digital signature” and “electronic signature” are often used interchangeably, but they’re actually different. Digital signatures are a type of electronic signature that provides an extra level of security. Both electronic signatures, like Docusign eSignature, and digital signatures are legally binding.

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally enforceable in most business and personal transactions in almost every country in the world. Learn more in this blog. Electronic signatures can be used to sign documents of all shapes and sizes, including:

• Offer letters

• Sales contracts 

• Permission slips 

• Rental/lease agreements 

• Liability waivers 

• Financial documents

Docusign protects your highly confidential information by encrypting and making every document tamper-evident. Authentication options help prove that signers are who they say they are at the time of signing, helping ensure your documents have non-repudiation in a court of law. With Docusign, the security of your documents, electronic signature authentication, and system security are top priorities. Learn more in this blog.

Now that you have a better understanding of electronic signatures, sign up for our Docusign eSignature free trial and try e-signing documents for yourself.

Signing documents online is easy with Docusign eSignature. Sign up for the Docusign eSignature free trial and log in to get started.