Software for Signing Documents

Take your document signing online

There's a wide choice of software for signing documents or contracts online, and it varies significantly under the hood. Read this guide to distinguish them and construct a strong shortlist.

Legalesign is an online document signing software. You can use it to sign a document, but it is primarily designed for a company seeking to get those documents signed. It's a business software optimised from the point of view of a company who wants to track and manage their contract signing. Signing a document online, while necessary, is only one element in a bigger enterprise system.

If you are looking for a software just for signing, for yourself, there are many free apps out there. Check down to the part below about data security as a memo while you search.

A quick checklist to help you screen software for signing documents:

1. Categorise: Software to sign, or software to send and get signed?

2. Signing: What electronic signature standard is it? Up to advanced electronic signature?

3. Sending (only applicable to businesses): Will it cover your workflows, and have the flexibility for edge situations?

4. Security: If your personal data security is important for you, check the service's credentials for data protection

The difference between an enterprise software like Legalesign, and those free apps, is that Legalesign handles the whole digitisation process for contract sending, as well as the signing. It needs to have enough features and flexibility to handle the thousands of different contract workflows companies use; to make that available reliably 24/7, to provide support and help to business users, and most importantly, to ensure that the service is secure.

The difference between a simple signing app and a business software like Legalesign is quickly apparent. But within software similar to Legalesign, the differentiation becomes more subtle.

For the signing process, there is a degree of differentiation around the signing itself, how that is secured and how that system meets the 'advanced' electronic signature standard. Read more about the law and electronic signature standards. Legalesign is one of only a small handful that uses PDF Certification, and perhaps the only one, last time we checked, to use long-term-validation (LTV), the gold standard for independent and self-proving tamper-proofed documents; an important facet for a valid contract. Read more about PDF Certification.

On the administration side, differences can relate to the maturity of the feature-set; whether or not the software can handle all the situations a complex transaction requires. Read more about our features.

Underlying that is the invisible, but an arguably most important, aspect, the security of the system. How it handles data protection such as GDPR, and whether it meets compliance standards. The National Cyber Security Council's 14 Security Principles is an excellent guide to testing the depth and range of the software you are considering. Read more about data security.

You can try Legalesign online document signing now with the free trial or contact one of our experts to assess whether Legalesign can meet your requirements.