Changes in legislation policies and technological advancements have made electronic signature a reality. From the comfort of your coziest upholstery or swivel chair, you can expect to sign through multiple documents in a few minutes with an easy-to-navigate online signing platform.
Signing documents online is a convenient, secure and green way of dealing with paperwork in the modern world. It not only streamlines document workflow, reduces turnaround, but also saves costs that would have otherwise been spent on printers, scanners, fax machines, and delivery agencies.
Apart from signing electronically yourself, you can also invite other signatories to do the same with a few clicks. Numerous online signature solutions have sprung up recently, each with a unique set of features. However, only a few of them have lived up to the billing like CocoSign.
In this article, we will be taking a broad look at how to sign documents with CocoSign as an example.
How to eSign Documents Online?
It is fast, secure and legally binding. Using CocoSign to sign paperwork is as easy as a breeze.
Step 1: Upload the documents to be signed
Visit this page of CocoSign to sign your documents online. Users have the option to upload documents either from Google Drive, Box, Onedrive or Dropbox, or simply drag or drop documents in the highlighted section.
Users can also simply click “Choose File”and upload the document from your local device.
Step 2: Adding Signatories
Once uploading the document, you’ll be taken to the dashboard where a statement reads: ‘I’m the only signer’ along with a checkbox. Click this checkbox if you are the only signer, otherwise leave it blank.
If you leave the ‘I’m the only signer’ checkbox unattended to, you will be directed to a window where you’re mandated to enter contact details of other signers, including their names and email addresses.
You can also specify what you expect these signers to do with the document by choosing either ‘Needs to sign’ or ‘Receives a copy.’ Additionally, you can place the signatories in groups, and you can do this by clicking the ‘Add Group’ icon.
However, if you tick this box indicating you are the only signer, you’ll proceed to the following page:
Step 3: Signing the Documents
Before signing any documents on CocoSign, users need to attach signature fields such as signature, initials, text, date/time or email from the right section of the window onto the documents. Drag and drop your preferred option on the document to create a signature field.
Once this is done, you can proceed to append your signature on such files. This can be done in multiple ways such as:
- By dragging your cursor over the document with a mouse or trackpad to draw the signature.
- Taking a picture of your physical signature, and uploading a scanned copy of such photo in the signature window on the document.
- You could also type in text, your initials, email address, or date and time to serve as signature.
After successfully signing your document, click ‘Next’ to save changes, and proceed to the final step:
Step 4: Download and share signed documents
After you have completed the free document signing with CocoSign, the next thing to do is to download and share such document(s) with the concerned parties. For documents with multiple signers, the file along with an optional message, is sent to the concerned parties via the email provided in step 2.
If you are the only signer, you may download and save the signed documents onto your device or choose to receive them onto your email.
Benefits of Signing Online with CocoSign
Now that you’re familiar with the process of signing documents online. Let’s look at some perks you stand to enjoy by doing this via the CocoSign platform.
1. Secure and Legally Binding
Electronic signatures on the CocoSign platform are legally binding, and the audit trail helps keep track of where your signature has or hasn’t been. Also, your documents and downloads are protected by a secure 256-bit SSL encryption.
2. Lower Costs and Higher Efficiency
Imagine how much time and money you have lost in transferring, revising and faxing documents, let alone the scanners, printers, fax machines as well the office space needed. Yet all the costs and headaches can be solved by the utilization of CocoSign electronic signatures.
It saves your company both turnaround time and operation costs massively, boosting your professionalism and efficiency like none other.
3. Multiple File Formats Supported
Not only making it super easy for users to upload and sign PDF documents, CocoSign also offers support for documents in Doc, Docx, JPG, and XLS formats.
Users also have the option to import documents from multiple platforms such as Drive, Dropbox, One Drive and local files on your smartphones or laptops.
Where to Use CocoSign?
While the base use of CocoSign is to sign documents online, it’s application cuts far and wide across many industries and scenarios. Outlined below are some of the use cases of your CocoSign electronic signatures:
Issuing receipts and invoices
The CocoSign software facilitates the issuance of receipts and invoices for transactions made online and in reality, boosting efficiency and professionalism.
Online banking
CocoSign electronic signatures have also made their way in various banking systems enabling clients to gain easy access to financial services and products without visiting the bank in person.
Banks also reduce their dependence on physical paperwork, thereby leading to faster turnaround time.
Parental consent and age verification
CocoSign’s electronic signatures can also be used to seek parental consent on decisions pertaining to their children. Additionally, electronic signatures can be integrated with ID documents to make verification easier.
Signing Non-disclosure agreements
Appending digital signatures to NDAs make such documents near impossible to manipulate, thereby ensuring greater safety. The contrast with the easily falsified ink signature cannot be more striking.
FAQs Related to Signing Documents Online
1. What is an electronic signature?
An electronic signature is a broad term used to refer to all forms of virtual markings that are appended on documents online with the aim of legalizing such documents.
2. What document formats are usually supported when signing online?
You can inscribe electronic signatures on a wide variety of file formats ranging from PDFs to Doc, Docx, XLX, JPG files and many more. However, most documents containing electronic signatures are printed in PDF format.
3. Can multiple people sign the same document at the same time?
Yes. CocoSign platform makes arrangements for users to add multiple signatories on a single document. To do this, simply indicate that you’re not the only signer of the document, and provide details of the other signees in the relevant fields.
4. Can I sign documents on my phone?
The CocoSign software is compatible for use on both Android and iOS smartphones, and works perfectly well on computers as well.
5. Can I store a signed document for later use?
CocoSign gives users the ability to download and save signed documents on their respective gadgets. Also, CocoSign’s unlimited cloud storage feature automatically saves all signed documents, thereby making it possible for users to access such later.
Conclusion
No doubt that electronic signatures have made the digital space a safer place. Time to pitch your tent with reputable online signing solutions such as CocoSign, and watch your transactions move along seamlessly.
