The difference between an e-signature and an e-signing service

Many companies proudly announce they're digitalizing their administrative processes or "switching to e-signatures," and individuals are quick to mention they signed a document online.

When it comes to electronically signing documents, there are actually two distinct terms worth knowing: electronic signature and e-signing service . This isn't splitting hairs over technology — it's a fundamental understanding of digital trust that determines whether your electronically signed document will hold up as direct evidence in court (and whether it complies with the eIDAS regulation).

Let's dig in.

What is an electronic signature?

The eIDAS regulation (electronic IDentification, Authentication and trust Services) defines an electronic signature — or e-signature — as a set of data in electronic form that is attached to, or logically associated with, other data in electronic form, and that is used by the signer to sign.

Under this regulation, there are three types of e-signatures :

• Simple Electronic Signature (SES), which requires no special identity verification
• Advanced Electronic Signature (AES), which allows verification of the signer's identity
• Qualified Electronic Signature (QES), which is based on a combination of a qualified digital certificate and a signature creation device.

The type of e-signature to use depends on the document type and the associated business risk. Certain documents are legally required to carry a qualified electronic signature, whereas signing documents with someone you work with regularly — or have previously authenticated — doesn't necessarily require the highest level of assurance.

We've written about the types of signatures and the many advantages of e-signatures and e-signing on our blog before (and there's more to come, so we invite you to check back regularly).

And what is an e-signing service?

If an e-signature is the set of data used to sign electronic documents, then an e-signing service is essentially the digital environment — the system — where the actual signing process takes place, securely and in full legal compliance.

Some steps in the document preparation and signing process become easier; others, the e-signing service handles entirely on your behalf. Take BetrSign^®, for example — you prepare and send a document in four simple steps:

1. Log in to the portal and upload your document
2. Select signers and choose login and signing methods
3. Prepare the document (add signature fields)
4. Send the document to signers (with a personalized email and signing reminders)

And this is where e-signing services really earn their keep: once you've sent the document, the service will follow up with the signer on your behalf, reminding them that your document is waiting to be signed. In the meantime, you can check in on the document's status at any time — or simply get back to the things that matter more to your business.

BetrSign offers a whole range of features and capabilities that improve the experience for your colleagues, partners, clients, and yourself:

• Send an unlimited number of documents
• Set up templates for documents you use frequently and simply customize them each time
• Easily browse, organize, and manage your contacts
• Need additional information from a signer? Add interactive fields to the document that they can fill out quickly and easily
• Have a document that needs 100 signatures? No need to send it 100 times — bulk sending lets you send it once to 100 email addresses
• For each document, you can designate both signers and recipients who don't need to sign but play a relevant role in the signing process
• A personalized message in the email and reminder can help you get that signature faster
• You can also brand your environment and communications with your company logo and colors
• If you ever get stuck, friendly support is always available

Once you hit "Send Document," BetrSign takes it from there — verifying the signer's identity before granting access to the document , and automatically delivering the signed document to both parties by email.

It also ensures that no unauthorized changes are made to the document, records who signed it, when, and how ( audit trail ), and finally "seals" the document with an electronic stamp that guarantees its integrity and authenticity.

Think of an e-signing service as a trusted digital notary — one that ensures a flawless signing process from start to finish.

So what do I actually need?

An e-signature is the set of electronic data "attached" to a document to formalize an agreement. That process takes place within a digital ecosystem that ensures secure, legally compliant signing — that's the e-signing service. If your business deals with a heavy volume of documents and you're constantly chasing signatures, an e-signing service is exactly what you need.

BetrSign delivers full legal compliance and peace of mind on the one hand, and an outstanding user experience on the other — automatically handling many tasks that would otherwise eat up your time unnecessarily.

Browse our plans and explore the features that make document management easier.

Our expert can give you a quick overview of the benefits of e-signing for your business — or you can try BetrSign free for 30 days.