Signer Guide
Documentation for signers using eSignAnyWhere. It covers explanations of different electronic signature types and guides you through signing your fist document with eSignAnyWhere.
- 1 Introduction
- 2 How to sign a document
- 3 Signature Types
- 3.1 ClickToSign
- 3.2 DrawToSign
- 3.3 TypeToSign
- 3.4 SMS-OTP
- 3.5 Biometric Signature
- 3.6 Disposable certificate
- 3.7 Local certificate
- 3.8 Digital remote Signature
- 3.9 Generic Signing Plugin
- 4 Optional Features
- 4.1 Signature Disclosure
- 4.2 Authentication
- 4.2.1 PIN
- 4.2.2 SMS
- 4.2.3 Windows Live
- 4.3 Multiple signature types
- 4.4 Batch Signature
- 4.5 Delegation
- 4.6 Download documents
- 4.6.1 Document
- 4.6.2 The Audit Trail
- 4.6.3 Download the original document
Introduction
We are distinguishing two types of signers:
Non-registered Signer: Users that have no account on the eSignAnywhere Platform
Registered Signer: Users that have an account on the eSignAnywhere Platform
For most of the chapters within the signer guide, there is no big difference. The user experience, when starting from an e-mail invite, is very similar. We will therefore not mention in all the next paragraphs that it applies for both; we will just highlight in case something is available only for one of the signer types.
How to sign a document
In a standard scenario, the use case is very simple:
(1) The signer receives an email with a link to the document.
(2) The signer opens the contained link
(3) The signer gains access to the document, reads the content and performs the signature
(4) The signer performs an explicit Finish operation on the document.
(5) The signer can optionally download the signed document
The signer gets guided through these steps by the signing web application.
Get invited to sign
The eSignAnyWhere Platform is sending an e-mail to invite signers. This e-mails can be configured by the sender organization, including full logo and color adoptions and layout changes. By default, it would look like the following e-mail:
Get access to the document
When clicking the "OPEN DOCUMENT" link or button in the e-mail, the web browser will open and load the web application to collect the signature(s).
Following steps may be shown, depending on how the sender configured the envelope:
Authentication or Identification
with different methods such as a static access code communicated upfront, an One-Time-Password (OTP) delivered via SMS, Log-In through another platform (the sender's portal application, Log-In with Google or Linkedin, etc.) or even an Identity Provider Platform asking to identify in a video session or other method. When being logged in via another platform, pay attention to the URL to be sure you don't get victim of a phishing mail, and ask the sender via a well-known channel in case you didn't expect a document signature request before you proceed with the authentication.Terms & Conditions
A Terms & Conditions ("Agreements") dialog can be displayed before gaining access to the document.
After both steps completed (in case they have been configured), the signer's view will be shown. We call that web application "SignAnyWhere Viewer". The layout is responsive, so that the available area is used dynamically and filled efficiently.
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Read, Fill and Sign the document
As a signer, you can now read the entire document content. If the sender requested it, you can (or have to) perform form filling activities. By clicking on the signature field, or by field activation through the step-by-step guiding, the signature task can be executed. Note that the screen below is showing one of the simplest signing experiences the software is offering; we are explaining the different signing experiences in detail in chapter "Signature Types" of this guide.
After the signature has been performed, a representation of the signature will be shown instead of the interactive signature field. Even if the signature does not look like the handwritten signature and may be just a technical representation of the consent, depending on requested or selected signing experience, the signature is embedded into the PDF document according to the "PDF Advanced Electronic Signatures" Standard and based on the ISO 32000. In addition with a process protocol ("audit trail"), or with some signing experience even without that, the sender can give the proof that a document was signed, and also by whom.
Finish the document
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If the sender allows the recipients of the envelope to have access again after finishing and closing the envelope, you can open the finished envelope again and see all the signed signature fields and filled out form fields.
Download the document
Optional download of the document
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Signature Types
ClickToSign
This is the simplest signature type, with the most convinient user experience. The signer has just to click on the signature field to sign. As it is a pure browser-based signing experience, we consider the "ClickToSign" signature type as one of the "HTML5 signature types" - which doesn't make big difference for you as a signer, but requires careful consideration of configuration of the activity to reach the necessary expression of power.
DrawToSign
This type allows the signer to draw his signature by mouse, finger or pen. Just an image of his signature is created and embedded into the document. In this case, only the flat picture of the signature and technical parameters of the session are recoeded, but no biometric data. We consider also the "DrawToSign" signature type as one of the "HTML5 signature types".
TypeToSign
With this type the signer has to type in his name to sign the signature field. The signature itself is printed in a computer font that may look like someone's handwriting, but actually isn't the signer's handwriting itself. It's the third and last one of this guide which we consider as one of the "HTML5 signature types".