Technology keeps on changing the working style, and you need to adopt the changes to stay ahead in the market. When the world is becoming digital, the paper is almost obsolete now.
So, how are businesses working now? As lots of contracts and signatures are involved in the industry, they are now replaced with electronic signatures. But trusting any random digital service is also not possible. So how can you find reliable electronic signature software for your business?
In this article, we will list the top five questions that you should ask before selecting any free electronic signature software.
Is the electronic signature software user-friendly?
While selecting the electronic signature software, you must consider the ease of use. What’s the use of it, if you or your clients are spending endless time figuring out its usage, before actually starting with it. You or your client might get frustrated and will surely look for some other software.
Select the software that is easy and simple to use. Look for the one designed to keep users at ease and gives excellent experience every time you use it. It would be best if you ask the provider whether it has the feature of highlighting mandatory fields, and other necessary functions.
It is necessary to confirm the user-friendly interface because the user might not have technical expertise. If this is the case, the situation becomes critical. You never know how important the documents can be for the business and how urgently they need to be digitally signed. Here the company can occur huge loses if the user is unable to figure out it’s functioning.
The easier to use it is, the better it will be for your business. Moreover, your selected electronic signature software should be compatible with all devices and browsers. If it lacks compatibility, then it is not good software.
Does the software integrate with existing apps and tools?
When you are in a business, you must be using lots of apps and tools. Right? When you have pre-existing apps and tools, it is necessary to confirm whether the free electronic signature software is compatible. If it’s compatible, then you can proceed with it, but if not, it is better to look for other software.
Check whether the selected software works with Excel files, Work documents, Adobe PDFs, Outlook email, AutoCAD, various browsers, and many others. To work efficiently and to manage your daily tasks, software integration is the key.
You can visit the pages of different suppliers to check the software compatibility with other tools. Software integration not only streamlines the process but also saves your company valuable time that otherwise can go in managing multiple software.
Does the free electronic signature software have mobile compatibility?
In today’s world, almost every person prefers doing digital transactions and deal with their mobile device. It is quite possible that the person is not carrying their laptop or tablet with them all the time. But you can always see people with their mobile phones everywhere. So they will prefer signing the documents through their mobile.
So, the mobile compatibility of your selected software is vital. It must be compatible with iOS as well as Android operating systems.
The software compatibility also keeps you notified regarding the updates done to the document. You will be notified when the respective person has made any changes – edits or signs the digital certificate.
So this makes it necessary for you to enquire about mobile compatibility.
Does the software keep data secure?
When you work with digital tools, security is crucial. The same holds for digital signatures. After all, you are signing your important documents, and they may contain confidential information. So it would help if you are extra careful while selecting the electronic signature software.
Different software offers a different level of securities. You can check for SSL encryption. Also, look for a detailed audit trail that is beneficial for tracking the complete signing process. This includes signer email addresses to their IP address, timestamp, etc. These act as legal evidence for your business, if you even need to see the court for any scrutiny.
Also, look for how the software is providing to authenticate and identify the person signing the document. You need to ensure that the authorized is signing the papers. This is crucial. To provide assurance, the software can send OTP to the concerned person. This is the best way of identifying the right person is accessing confidential documents.
So, cross-checking these details with your software provider become necessary.
Is the software legal?
This is the most important question that you should never miss while buying or selecting the electronic signature software. If the software is legal, it will eliminate half of your worries. Wondering how? The licensed software provider ensures all the security checks are done before launching the software in the market.
It provides you the assurance that your data will remain secure with the software. You must be wondering that the provider will surely say that the software is legal, as he is there to sell his product. So, how on earth will you know the software is legitimate? Is there any identification or sign to prove it? Well, yes. You can check whether the software is compliant with the eIDAS requirements.
eIDAS – electronic IDentification, Authentication, and trust Services. It is the EU regulation for electronic identification and provides authentication for electronic transactions. If the software is eIDAS certified, it gives you the much-needed confidence and trust that you are looking for in the electronic signature software.
Closing Words
Where electronic signature software eases the job for you, at the same time, the selection of the right and authentic software is crucial. The above-discussed questions will help you find the appropriate software that fits your requirements and is safe.
We hope our question will help you get the right and the best electronic signature software for your business!
