The ability to sign documents as part of a secure digital workflow is an essential capability for most businesses. As organizations continue to adopt a digital-first approach and commit to more paperless processes, some tasks (like signing documents) are continuing to evolve based on the latest technologies available. This includes finding ways to deeply integrate e-signature tasks directly within your digital approval workflows. This kind of integration can have a tremendous impact on process efficiency, as well as assurance to meet governance and compliance mandates.
Enabling e-signature capabilities where and when it matters
Sometimes getting an e-signature requires document managers to complete a few extra steps to request signatures and get documents signed, such as quotes and contracts. Whether you’re sending a document for signature or you’re the one signing an electronic document that then must go back to the requestor, the process can sometimes take you outside of the applications you’re already working in, like having to download and attach documents to send via email.
Having to use a separate tool or system to get this task completed can:
- Stall workflows
- Leave room for error
- Potentially increase the security risk that the document will be compromised
- Require added effort for both the requestor and the signer
Enabling e-signature capabilities within existing business processes not only simplifies these tasks but also maintains the important context of the signature request without having to go back and forth between applications. It also maintains “one source of the truth” to ensure the integrity of the document, preventing any unauthorized changes. This expedites processes, provides visibility and control of the document throughout the signing process, and helps employees keep critical information on one platform. Integrations like this also reduce the risks that come with switching from one application to another and downloading final documents, which can take critical information out of context and create potential version control issues.
With OpenText CE 22.1, the integration of OpenText™ Core Signature with OpenText™ Core Content and OpenText ™ Core for SAP Success Factors® is a great example of how integrating e-signature capabilities into a robust SaaS content services platform can simplify complex business processes and keep workflows moving. Core for SAP Success Factors customers now have an out-of-the-box e-signature solution that is complementary and more deeply integrated than DocuSign and Core Content users can:
- Send documents for signature directly from within Core Content
- Expedite critical approval processes that require e-signature
- Leverage a secure SaaS platform to send documents to external parties to sign
Ensuring governance and compliance through secure e-signature processes
Meeting governance and compliance regulations are challenges that drastically impact an organization’s ability to quickly adopt and enable digital business processes that include sending and completing e-signatures. Governance and compliance requirements are top-of-mind for all organizations and for some, these are critical legal obligations that drive their business, leaving little room for error or potential risks.
Documents requiring a signature often include confidential or sensitive information about the business or the signee themselves. By passing these documents from one party to another electronically, the security of the information becomes a risk that organizations cannot afford. There are many ways to address these types of risks by building in visibility features like audit trails and control features including preventing forwarding of documents to random recipients.
For example, OpenText™ Core Signature Service CE 22.1 now offers enhanced control over document forwarding, giving the document sender the ability to restrict the “Forward Document” option for document signers. During document preparation, a sender can hide the “forward document” option for individual or all document signers. Functionality like this helps users:
- Prevent recipients from sending or delegating the document to another signer
- Ensure the document can’t be forwarded to other individuals who may not have the clearance to see the information included
Core Signature Service also routinely undergoes rigorous penetration testing and when vulnerabilities are identified the team prioritizes and resolves them accordingly. This continuous testing helps to ensure that compliance and security considerations are identified, addressed, and prioritized.
Strengthening the efficiency of unique business processes
While e-signatures are a critical task tied to daily business processes, some organizations have unique business needs that impact how e-signatures are used. With e-signature services that offer an added level of control through APIs, businesses can feel more confident that these unique needs can be addressed by internal IT teams. To offer this level of customization, Core Signature Service CE 22.1 provides corporate developers with access to a rich set of APIs and tools to customize the user experience while retaining visibility, security, and control.
Building on the need for organizations to set up unique business processes, OpenText recently introduced its OpenText™ Extended ECM Agreements Business Scenario. Any business process that includes delivering an agreement for signature (often seen in HR, Finance, Sales, and IT departments) would benefit from integrated e-signature capabilities. That’s why Core Signature CE 22.1 also includes integration with the Agreements Business Scenario, delivering a more complete end-to-end process for reviewing, approving, and sending contracts for e-signature internally or externally.
Find out how your organization can quickly and easily integrate comprehensive e-signature capabilities into your critical business processes.
