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    What is an Electronic Signature?

    An Electronic signature, or e-signature is a legal concept, much like their paper equivalent, and defined by the US Federal ESIGN Act 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."

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    What is the function of an electronic signature?

    The function of an electronic signature is to capture the intent of the signer to be bound by the terms and conditions in a contract. Electronic signature software is designed to capture legally-enforceable signatures online.

    Generally, it is about having a lasting record of an individual’s intent. Digital signature refers to the encryption technology used in a number of e-business and e-commerce applications, including electronic signature.

    There are generally three types of electronic signatures recognized around the world: Basic, Advanced, and Qualified. See details below.
     

    What are the benefits of electronic signature?

    • Great User Experience
      Ensure high user adoption and satisfaction with the most seamless, white-labeled e-signing experience
    • Advanced Security 
      Protect your users and documents against fraud with military-grade digital signature technology.
    • Audit Trails 
      Strengthen your compliance and deter legal disputes with the most comprehensive audit trails in the market
    • Efficient and Scalable 
      Scale electronic signatures across your organization and channels – quickly and cost-effectively
    • Cost Effective 
      Get predictable pricing and a cost-effective solution regardless of your volumes – no nickel and diming.
    • Versions 
      Available as a web or mobile app, developer SDK, 3rd party connector, and specialty solutions for financial services
       

    How do electronic signatures work with OneSpan Sign?

    • Step 1: Access
      Email Invitation Link in a customer portal
    • Step 2: Identify / Authenticate
      Email, Login credentials, Challenge-response questions, SMS PIN, 3rd party ID check, Digipass®, Biometrics, Government ID
    • Step 3: Present
      Documents are presented on a desktop or mobile device. Define workflow rules and control which documents are visible to participants in the transaction
    • Step 4: Data Capture
      Capture data at the time of signing and make that data available to downstream systems
    • Step 5: Re-authenticate
      Optionally verify the signer’s identity at the time of signing. For example, signers can use their government-issued electronic ID (eID) to create a Qualified electronic signature (QES)
    • Step 6: Sign
      Click to sign, Click to initial,Hand-scripted, signature capture
    • Step 7: Document Insertion
      Additional documents or images (e.g. a photo of a driver’s license) can be inserted as part of the transaction
    • Step 8: Deliver
      Signed records can be distributed electronically or on paper
       

    What is electronic signature used for?

    Processes like sales contracts,  HR, invoicing, and more are achieving rapid gains in efficiency and drastic reductions in cost thanks to widespread acceptance of electronic signature in the market.

    • Procurement and sourcing
    • Contract modifications
    • Credit or loan applications
    • Federal tax returns
    • e-Contracting
    • Service agreements
    • Real estate transactions 
    • Claims and appraisals
    • Account openings
    • Commercial lending
    • Delivery order requests
    • Retail finance

    The Beginner's Guide to Electronic Signatures

    This comprehensive, 31-page beginner’s guide to electronic signatures introduces important legal concepts and key considerations when creating digital business processes with e-signatures.

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    Are electronic signatures legally binding?

    Yes. OneSpan Sign’s electronic signatures make it easy for organizations to capture legally binding e-signatures and are valid in countries that have enacted electronic signature laws.

    An electronic signature created using OneSpan Sign is designed to meet the requirements of the U.S. ESIGN Act and UETA, as well as the European Union's Electronic Identification and Trust Services Regulation (eIDAS).

    For a legal opinion on the enforceability of electronic signatures in a given country and any local data residency requirements, consult your legal counsel.
     

    What are the different types of electronic signature?

    There are generally three forms of electronic signature recognized around the world: Basic, Advanced, and Qualified.

    The Basic electronic signature

    The Basic electronic signature is not a standardized term across nations. Depending on the state, some countries may refer to this as a “Simple electronic signature.” However, both terms describe the same concept.

    The Basic electronic signature is technology-neutral. Meaning, any electronic form or process is generally accepted so long as the resulting electronic signature meets three basic requirements for signing:

    1. The electronic signature should be applied in a manner that demonstrates the intent of the signer. The electronic signature can be captured by click-to-sign, typing a name, or a handwritten signature
    2. The electronic signature should be applied by the person associated with the signature
    3. The electronic signature should be associated with the document or data the signer intended to sign

    OneSpan Sign meets the requirements for Basic electronic signature

    The Advanced electronic signature

    Advanced electronic signature goes beyond the Basic by tying authentication to the signature and agreement. This mitigates risk in the transaction by providing additional evidence that can be used to verify the authenticity of the signature.

    Most organizations and banks opt for the Advanced electronic signature as their standard form of electronic signature. The inclusion of built-in authentication increases signer assurance without a significant impact to the customer experience.

    This form of electronic signature adds four additional requirements beyond those of the Basic Electronic Signature. The Advanced electronic signature must:

    OneSpan Sign meets the requirements for Advanced electronic signature.

    1. Be uniquely linked to signer
    2. Identify the signer
    3. Be under the sole control of signer
    4. Detect changes to the document or data after the application of the electronic signature

    The Qualified electronic signature

    The Qualified electronic signature is the legal equivalent to a handwritten ink signature.

    The extra security of a Qualified electronic signature can also create friction in the transaction. Your signers are required to procure a signer-held digital ID and meet face to face. These extra steps create a longer signing process and ultimately increase the overall cost beyond what other e-signatures might require.

    OneSpan Sign meets the requirements to use a third party digital certificate as an electronic signature, but we do not issue these certificates to users ourselves. Instead, we can assist clients in finding a trusted partner to issue digital certificates.

    The term, Qualified electronic signature, is based on the EU regulation known as eIDAS, but it is similar to many other laws around the world that require a certificate issued by an accredited organization.

    OneSpan Sign Electronic Signature FAQ

    What is the difference between an electronic signature and a digital signature?

    Though related concepts, digital signatures and electronic signatures are different. An electronic signature is a legal concept. Its captures a person’s intent to be legally bound to an agreement or contract. 

     

    However, a digital signature refers to encryption/decryption technology within an electronic signature. Based on public-key cryptography, digital signatures secure signed documents and allow one to verify the authenticity of a signed record.

     

    In short, a digital signature cannot capture a person’s intent to sign a document. When used with an electronic signature application, digital signature technology secures the e-signed data.

    Are OneSpan Sign electronic signatures secure?

    Yes. Security is always top-of-mind at OneSpan.

     

    OneSpan Sign follows a variety of regulatory, industry, and IT standards for security and data protection. In addition, OneSpan Sign meets the compliance standards set by ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 27017, ISO/IEC 27018, SOC2 Type 2, FedRAMP, HIPAA, Skyhigh Enterprise-Ready, GDPR, and more. Please visit the OneSpan Sign Trust Center for additional information.

    How is OneSpan Sign different from other electronic signature vendors?

    1. OneSpan Sign processes the most regulated B2B and customer-facing transactions in the world.
       
    2. We provide our customers the highest levels of support. The latest electronic signature report from G2 Crowd rates OneSpan Sign with the highest customer satisfaction score in the industry.
       
    3. Our customers can fully white-label the solution to match their brand, so they can provide  a seamless experience for their customers. 
       
    4. We offer the most deployment options – for any project complexity, budget, or size.
       
    5. Our solution guarantees the integrity of the signed document by tamper sealing it after each person signs to protect you and your customers. 
       
    6. We offer the most flexibility for optimizing e-signatures to your processes, workflows, channels, devices and signers.
       
    7. We are the only electronic signature solution in the market that offers a visual audit trail to easily and quickly prove compliance and support your legal case.

    What third-party integrations are available with OneSpan Sign electronic signatures?

    To add e-signing workflows to third–party applications such as Salesforce, Salesforce CPQ, Box, SharePoint, Nintex SharePoint, Pega Systems, Laserfiche and Dynamics CRM, as well as industry-specific software solutions, explore our Partners section for a full list of apps and connectors.

     

    For customized e-signature needs and system-to-system integrations, our open API and fully supported SDKs (software development kits) enable developers to add e-signing capabilities to, third party applications, web portals, and legacy and home-grown systems.

    How do I get a document e-signed?

    All you need to send documents is a web browser and a subscription to the OneSpan Sign Professional Plan. Upload your documents, add recipients, select signature blocks and fields, select a signer authentication method, then click “Send to Sign” to distribute your document for signing. Each recipient will receive an email invitation to sign the document.

    How do recipients e-sign documents with OneSpan Sign electronic signatures?

    Electronic signature with OneSpan Sign are easy, and signing is always free for recipients. They simply receive an email with a link to a signing ceremony in OneSpan Sign. From there, they can access the electronic signature process through their browser on their device.

     

    Once the signing process is complete, both parties can download the e-signed documents for retention in their own system. Alternatively, those documents can also be stored in OneSpan Sign. Try our Quick Demo to see how easy it is to use OneSpan Sign. 

    Can OneSpan Sign electronic signatures be used on mobile devices?

    Use our OneSpan Sign mobile app to securely prepare, send, and sign documents on the go from your iOS and Android devices. It includes robust electronic signature features and is available at no extra charge in our Professional and Enterprise Plans. Download the app today.

     

    In addition, OneSpan Sign offers the ability to e-sign anywhere, anytime, and on any web-enabled device.

    Does OneSpan Sign support Qualified Electronic Signatures?

    Yes. OneSpan Sign provides a solution for Qualified Electronic Signature (QES). We facilitate legally binding Qualified electronic signature through our partnerships with Qualified Trust Service Providers. 
     

    A Qualified Electronic Signature is created using a digital certificate (known as a qualified certificate) assigned to an individual. Think of it as the digital equivalent of a government-issued identity card or passport. 
     

    The qualified certificate and associated key must be obtained from a Qualified Trust Service Provider or Qualified Certificate Authority. It is provided to the individual on a smart card or USB device. That person must connect the smart card or USB device to their computer or mobile device when signing a document, and must enter at least a user ID/password to access their qualified certificate.  
     

    OneSpan Sign fully manages the use of a qualified certificate during the electronic signature workflow. For example: 
     

    • The signer must enter OneSpan Sign by successful authentication
    • The signer e-signs the document 
    • Their electronic signature is secured using digital signature encryption (the digital signature is created using the qualified certificate and associated key) 
    • This creates a Qualified Electronic Signature

     To learn more, visit our Qualified Electronic Signature page.
     

    Get Started with OneSpan Sign Electronic Signatures

    Securely send and e-sign documents ‘out of the box’ or fully integrate electronic signature with your applications or core systems.

    No matter which OneSpan Sign plan you choose, you’ll get an electronic signature solution that balances ease of use with the highest levels of security and compliance, while giving you the option to easily customize the electronic signature solution for your brand and unique business and IT requirements.

    How can I get started with OneSpan Sign electronic signatures?

    OneSpan Sign offers a Professional Plan with out-of-the-box electronic signature features for user-initiated processes as well as an Enterprise Plan to integrate e-signing capabilities into your web applications, mobile apps, and core systems.

    To learn more, visit our pricing and editions page.

    Get started with electronic signatures

    Try our a quick demo to see what the e-signing experience looks like. 

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    The information on this site is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. We recommend that you seek independent professional advice. OneSpan does not accept liability for the contents of these materials.