Top 6 e-signature software tools

The COVID-19 pandemic did not just disrupt physical meetings and physical office spaces; workflows that relied on in-person interaction, such as signing documents and contracts, were also highly impacted. Electronic signature (e-signature) software has surged in popularity over the past two years as enterprises looked to modify their signature workflows to support a remote workforce, said Holly Muscolino, group vice president for content strategies and future of work at IDC.

With many companies returning to an in-person office environment or adopting a hybrid workforce approach, where employees work some days in the office and some at home, e-signature vendors are working to convince businesses that they are still relevant. Although the market has slowed down, Muscolino said, its still showing healthy growth, because there are still companies who have not adopted this technology. There is still significant room for adoption.

E-signature software can help businesses digitize processes that require signatures, such as sales contracts, purchase orders, and legal documents. And companies that have adopted the software for sales-based document signing can expand the process to other departments, such as human resources teams, procurement and supply chain operations, and financial services groups.

E-signature tools are often seen as a complement to other product categories, including contract lifecycle management, digital transaction management, authentication software, content management, and even content sharing and collaboration from vendors like Box and Dropbox. Companies that purchased e-signature software as a point solution over the past few years should look at integrating or expanding their use of digital signature tools to support a hybrid workforce.

Those folks who adopted e-signature [tools] quickly during the pandemic now need to start integrating [the software] with both upstream and downstream processes to leverage automation, and not just use it to get something signed digitally, Muscolino said.

What is e-signature software?

At its basic level, an e-signature is any type of electronic authentication method that accepts an agreement or contract. The system needs to verify the signers identity, which can range from a corporate ID to a verified email account. E-signature apps can also utilize multifactor authentication methods in order to create an audit trail.