How to create an electronic signature

Electronic signatures are a digital alternative to signing paper documents with hand-drawn signatures. You can use electronic signatures to digitize your documents and go completely paperless. By using an app like Zoho Sign, you can easily create an electronic signature and then upload your files to sign them. The process is straightforward and much more secure than traditional paperwork.

TRY ZOHO SIGN

electronic signature

How to make an electronic signature

    Once you create a Zoho account and log in to Zoho Sign, you can easily make an electronic signature for yourself. To do so, follow these steps:

  • 1. Go to your Zoho Sign dashboard.
  • 2. Open Settings  >  General  >  Profile.
  • 3. Click  Edit  next to Signature and initial.
  • 4. Add your signature.
    • a. Type: Type your name and initial using your keyboard and select one of the given stylized fonts.
    • b. Draw: Draw your signature and initial using a stylus or with the help of your mouse pointer.
    • c. Image: Upload an image of your hand-drawn signature and initial from your computer or mobile device.
  • 5. Click Ok.

After you create your electronic signature, it's stored in your Zoho Sign account for signing all kinds of supported documents.

How to insert electronic signature in Word, PDF, and other types of documents

    The Zoho Sign app supports all popular document formats. Once you upload your files onto the app, they are converted to a common PDF format for electronic document signing. To add an electronic signature to PDF documents, follow these steps:

  • 1. Go to your Zoho Sign dashboard.
  • 2. Click Sign yourself.
  • 3. Upload  or import  your documents.
  • 4. Click Continue.
  • 5. Insert your signature in the PDF.
    • Similarly, you can also add other fields by dragging and dropping them onto the documents..
  • 6.Click Finish.

After you sign the documents, they're stored in your Zoho Sign account for you to access whenever you need to.

Is it safe to sign documents with electronic signatures?

Zoho Sign uses digital signature technology to create and sign documents with electronic signatures. This means your signature cannot be forged or duplicated, and the documents signed with your electronic signature are tamper-proof.

electronic signatures?
signatures

Are documents signed with electronic signatures legally accepted?

Yes, electronic signatures are widely accepted as the digital substitute to hand-drawn signatures and are equally legally valid in many countries around the world. Zoho Sign also complies with several popular e-signature laws such as the ESIGN Act and the eIDAS regulations. You can check the validity of electronic signatures in your country here.

FAQs

  • How do electronic signatures work?

    An electronic signature is a computerized format of a traditional signature that is used to sign documents digitally or electronically. A document can be electronically signed by affixing an image of the recipient's signature or typing out the recipient's name. With Zoho Sign, you can type, draw, or upload a picture of your signature and use it to sign documents.

  • What documents can be signed electronically?

    Electronic signatures can be used for a wide range of documents, such as offer letters, rental agreements, financial agreements, and more. Any document requiring a signature can be signed electronically for convenience and efficiency.

    Note: Documents that specifically require digital signatures or notarization cannot be signed with simple electronic signatures.

  • How secure are electronic signatures?

    Electronic signature is a convenient method for signing documents, though verifying signer identity might pose a challenge. However, digital signatures, an enhanced version of electronic signatures, provide increased security compared to simple electronic signatures. Digital signatures are based on the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology making them tamperproof, and ensuring the authenticity of the signature in signed documents. Additionally, digital signature apps like Zoho Sign also provide a certificate of completion containing supplementary information such as other details of the signers and timestamps.

  • Are electronic signatures legally valid?

    Yes, electronic signatures are legally binding in many countries, including India, the United States, and the European Union. The Information Technology Act of 2000 and other relevant regulations, and laws like ESIGN Act in the US, eIDAS in the EU recognize the use of electronic signatures and treat them as equivalent to physical signatures under certain conditions of implementation/application. Zoho Sign is compliant with these regulations, which are widely accepted.

    Note: For those countries which do not have electronic signature regulations in place, it may be legally accepted, subject to local laws.

  • Can I use the same copy-pasted electronic signature on multiple documents?

    Yes, you can use the same copy-pasted electronic signature on multiple documents. However, when it comes to digital signatures, the same cannot be done, as they are bound to each specific document by cryptography. Each digital signature includes a hash value that uniquely matches the content it's signing, preventing it from being copied to other documents. For legal enforceability, digital signatures must commonly also verify signer identity. For this reason, Zoho Sign partners with leading identity-based digital authentication providers for verifying signer identity.

  • Does Zoho Sign offer Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES)?

    Yes, Zoho Sign offers Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES) by integrating with various Qualified Trust Service Providers like EU eID, InfoCert, Uanataca and Swisscom Trust Services to allow users sign documents with QES. QES offers the highest level of assurance, as it is valid in the court of law and considered legally equivalent to handwritten signatures both in the EU and Switzerland, in accordance with the eIDAS regulation and the ZertES Swiss Federal law. Documents signed with QES also carry an embedded timestamp which means that the signature was made at that point in time and it cannot be altered after it was signed.

Need more assistance in creating your electronic signature?

You can book personalized demo session with our experts.

REQUEST DEMO