8 Reasons to Abandon Paper Signatures Forever
Daniel O'Leary
Daniel O’Leary wrote in a blog about our reservations in using digital signatures and let us wake up from our lethargy. He is the Vice President of Global Solutions for LincWare LLC , an electronic forms and document assembly company that specializes in replacing paper forms with dynamic, electronic forms that integrate with a wide variety of ECM systems. He is an AIIM Ambassador, and active member of the Los Angeles chapter.
His statements are:
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1 — The law is on your side.
Digital signatures are as legally binding as a physical, hand-written signature in every circumstance where a signature is required. The E-SIGN law and the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act are supported by the federal government and have been adopted by 47 states.
It clearly states “(c) If a law requires a record to be in writing, an electronic record satisfies the law” with the purpose “to facilitate and promote commerce and governmental transactions by validating and authorizing the use of electronic records and electronic signatures.” Further refinements by the EU, PIPEDA and the FDA recommend making sure the signature is unique to the signer, and that the signer’s identity is linked to the document. When combined with good governance and unalterable file formats, you can easily met the guidelines for legality. (more…)
