Electronic signature solutions are still in the “early market” being used by 3-5% of all organizations.   However, we at Sertifi are experienced a 300% growth rate in 2011 which could bring esignature usage to 15% of all organizations by the end of 2012.   If you are still interested in esignatures here are some of the benefits you will experience:

• Close Business Faster- Signing documents electronically saves time. Saved time means deals get closed more quickly. An electronic signature solution is a simple alternative to the old-fashioned procedure of printing, signing, scanning, and faxing or mailing, which can eat up valuable time that could be better spent on more productive activities.
• Security-Signing an electronic document requires signer authentication, which reduces the risk of forgery and assures the validity of electronically-signed documents.
• Reduced office overhead costs- Electronic signatures eliminate the need for paper and a hardcopy filing system, which significantly reduces office costs in terms of supplies and employee hours spent handling documents

If you are interested in learning more about electronic signatures and esignatures within a Microsoft application such as Dynamics, Convergence is the place to be.   Sertifi will be a featured exhibitor at this years conference in Houston, you can register here.    We recently announced a press release with the PR team at Convergence about our electronic signature solution.   If you are new to convergence, here is a little information: 

“Customers, along with their Microsoft partners, come to Convergence from all corners of the globe to experience all that the event has to offer. Loaded with a wealth of informative sessions and other creative ways to learn, customers discover how to extend the power of their solution across all areas of their business. They also get a first look at new product releases and hear about future plans for their software. Convergence is the annual event where connections are generated, best practices are shared, and business relationships are built and renewed.”

How does a company avoid having to hire two additional full-time employees to process waivers?   For one national home builder, the answer was electronic signature software. This national builder needed a streamlined method for getting subcontractors to sign lien waivers. In November, they began using an electronic signature solution by Sertifi ( www.sertifi.com ) .“We wanted to assure subcontractors that there was a third party handling this,” a representative for the builder said. “We wanted there to be no accusations of someone having signed someone else’s documents on their behalf.”

Laws differ among states, and Sertifi provided one form waiver that met requirements in every state this builder provides services. The software enabled the company to get 2,000 waivers signed via electronic signatures in the first three weeks.  The company had no system in place prior to using the esignature solutions software. Representatives just knew a process was needed.  “When you see it all come together and it all works, you feel like you just landed on the moon,” the representative said.  The next step is an automated process where once waivers are signed, checks are cut, rather than staff manually cutting checks.

“It’s a great system,” the representative said. “You’re talking about software that basically has saved us two full-time people thanks to automation.”
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To learn more about Sertifi call 1-866-983-8877 or visit: http://www.sertifi.com.

We recently announced our partnership with Contractlogix, the leading contract management solution with customers including Pitney Bowes, Echelon, GoDaddy and many others.    Using esignatures and electronic signatures combined with a contract management solution enables users to completely track, manage and store all of their agreement electronically.   Here is a video describing our integration:

http://www.contractlogix.com/contract-management-lifecycle.html

Information about ContractLogix:

Contract Logix provides extensive features and tools to help automate your entire contract process. Whether you are looking to simply organize and track your contract documents and data, or trying to automate sophisticated workflow processes. Contract Logix systems are powerful, yet easy to use. Each Edition was built with the customer in mind, so driving user adoption or staging mission critical objectives, the system will keep you on track. Literally! And with the flexibility and options available you can have a contract management system which matches your every need.

Following are tips from the leading electronic signature provider Sertifi, for  electronic signature deployments:

• It must show the person had intent to sign the record. Intent incorporates the recording of actions taken by signers that show they knew and agreed that they were signing, and intended to be bound by their signature.
• It is an electronic sound, mark or symbol.
• It is logically associated with, or affixed to a record. This means the system managing the signing must be able to attach the signature to the document in a way that ensures the signature cannot be removed or modified.
• It must be attributable to a person. When the signer makes a mark in a distinctive manner or correctly answers a series of security questions, the writing becomes attributable to the signer.

Traditionally, documents were drafted on paper and the client authenticated them by signing in ink. Since its adoption in 1996 by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, 46 states in the U.S. have enacted the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act. These laws set legal requirements for electronic signatures.

An esignature has been as legally binding as a hard copy signature since the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act was signed in 2000.

1.Ease of Use: Look for an esignature solution that makes signing agreements quick and easy.

2. Signer Authentication: Authentication tools ensure the right person is at the other end of the transaction.

3. Security: Find a solution that is as safe as possible; the transaction should be done over a secure network with document encryption when finished.

4. Guided Process: Solutions should guide the signer to each place they are to sign or initial. This ensures they do not miss a signature or sign in the wrong place.

5. Transportability: Documents must be easily adaptable to ensure its compatibility with the software application the signer opens the document in.

6. Multiple Signatures: Users should be able to allow more than one person in more than one place to sign the document.

7. Audit Trails: The solution should give a detailed audit report on signed agreements and it should be able to stand up in court.

8. Analytics: Information about when agreements were sent, signed and the average time it takes the creator to close.

9. Compliance: To be considered legally binding, documents must meet the same strict standards and basic requirements as paper signatures.

10. Reminders: Find a solution that allows creators to set a series of reminders to alert them when someone has or has not signed after a certain length of time.

To learn more please visit our Sertifi website at www.sertifi.com

“When it comes to electronic signatures and eSignatures, there’s an app for that, thanks to Sertifi, a leading electronic signature and web contracting solutions provider.  The company released Sertifi Signer, a free iPad application, Jan. 1. It is available for download in the iTunes store.

The app is for those who need to sign documents, and it enables them to do so by using their finger to apply a. It eliminates the need for paper documents, fax machines and snail mail when handling contracts and other documents, said John Stojka, Sertifi’s co-founder.

“With technology being what it is today, there’s no reason why we can’t ax the fax for good,” Stojka said. “Being able to sign something via computer was a huge step toward progress, and putting that same on ability on a mobile tablet is the next logical step.”

Updated: read our release here:  http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/1/prweb9079197.htm

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20111215/BLOGS06/111219869/web-of-influence-chicagos-innovative-tech-companies-feed-off-each

“The most obvious success story at the center of this, of course, is Groupon, with its roughly 2,000 employees. It’s been great to see them grow and hire more people, but what’s even greater is that they’re far from the only innovator in town. Seeing the growth of local companies as diverse as GrubHub, a food delivery service, and Sertifi, which speeds up contract agreements through e-signing and tracking, has been extremely invigorating.”

The electronic signature market is continuing to evolve and we here at Sertifi are preparing for a fantastic 2012.   We also have some very exciting new features coming out in the next few months.

“Sertifi, the country’s leading esignatures and Web contracting provider, signed on LeadCube, an online intelligent lead management software company, as a reseller in September.

“LeadCube now offers our solution to their customers as part of their platform,” says John Stojka, Sertifi’s co-founder.

Leadcube’s clients require a method of capturing electronic signatures, says Adam Mateljan, vice president of operations, adding, “We researched a number of providers, and felt Sertifi offered the best product.”