Many people, from students and teachers to business professionals and clients, are switching to electronic signing in this day and age.
It’s quick, it’s paperless, and it’s painless. You don’t have to print the documents before posting them, and there’s no need to wait for signatures.
Electronic singing often eliminates the possibility of document loss during the delivery process, as well as lengthy identity verification procedures, and so on.
DocuSign is one of the most influential companies in the electronic signature industry. It provides services to millions of users around the world, with the goal of making business simpler for users. And using the platform to create an electronic signature and sign a document is fairly easy.
In this post, we will discuss how Docusign works, how to set up your account correctly, the basic steps of using Docusign effectively so that you’re not wasting time when you need to get something signed quickly or want your business partner’s signature on a contract before they fly home for the weekend. We’ll also talk about some tips that will help to make the most of Docusign.
Without further ado, let’s dive in.
What is DocuSign?
Docusign is an online service that allows people to sign documents electronically. It can be used by both individuals and businesses to send, receive, and sign any kind of document, including consent forms, contracts, and tax returns.
DocuSign Features
The DocuSign’s primary function is, obviously, sending and receiving secure digital signatures. Electronic signatures from Docusign are secure, simple to use, and provide a great balance between convenience and efficiency. DocuSign templates and the program’s drag-and-drop editor make creating e-signature documents a breeze.
The other features that DocuSign provides which help and assist the primary purpose of making signatures easier, however, go beyond that basic feature. A DocuSign account comes with the following benefits:
Payments
DocuSign is all about simplicity and efficiency, and what better example could there be than this: you can submit payment requests to clients using the payments function. Your customer can sign and pay in one simple step, using their credit or debit card, bank account details, Apple or Android pay.
Streamline Process
Your approval and agreement processes can be automated with DocuSign. With DocuSign’s System of Agreement, you can digitize your messy paper trails and make the whole process electronic.
Mobile Apps
Although most DocuSign users use the app on their computers, you can download the mobile version and create documents for electronic signatures while on the go. This is very useful in real estate and sales, especially if you have to travel to make pitches.
Integrations
Google, SalesForce, Apple, and other well-known applications are among DocuSign’s integrations. However, Oracle and SAP are also among the apps on the list. DocuSign integrates with over 300 other apps, so it’s likely that it’ll fit within the framework you already have in place.
Setting up a DocuSign account
You’ll need to create an account if you want to use DocuSign to send contracts and other documents. The people you’re sending the contracts to, on the other hand, won’t need their own account to sign them.
DocuSign accounts are priced on a tiered scale, with single-user accounts beginning at $10 per month for up to five contracts per month. Higher levels give you the ability to work on documents with feedback, set reminders, and brand your documents. Before signing up for an account, you can also take advantage of a 30-day free trial.
How to use a DocuSign
You may pick your own signature from a list of pre-existing templates or draw or upload your own signature when you first start using DocuSign.
After that, you can make an ‘envelope’ to submit. This way, you can include any additional documentation you want with the contract, such as terms and conditions, an agreement description, or any other documents you want to send.
These documents can be uploaded in a number of formats, including PDF, Word, and Excel. If you submit the same batch of documents on a regular basis, you can build and save a template envelope to cut down on the number of uploads and changes you have to make each time.
After you’ve uploaded the document, you’ll be able to add the people who need to sign it. You can also choose to set a signing order if your document has more than one recipient, so that each one receives the documents after the previous person has completed their action.
You may set various fields on the document itself, ranging from full names to signatures and initials. You can also use checklist boxes and dropdown menus, as well as draw lines through unnecessary parts and build custom fields.
You can move between the signatories on the top left when there are several people who need to sign or initiate parts, and the document will guide each individual to the appropriate position in the document. The parts for each person are color-coded to indicate who needs to sign what.
When the recipients open and view the contract, you will be notified, and once both parties have signed, they will all receive a copy of the completed document for their records.
A step by step guide on How to use DocuSign to send documents
- First, create a DocuSign account and sign in.
- After that, upload the document that needs to be signed. You can upload directly from your device or from a cloud service such as OneDrive or Google Drive.
- Add the names and addresses of all the parties who the document needs to be sent to, as well as a subject line and a body text, and DocuSign will deliver the document to the recipient by email.
Select “Next” when you’re done.
- Add the signing fields. This would prevent you from having to send the document back and forth if the recipient has failed to sign any of the required documents. Simply drop the icons where you want to indicate that a signature is needed using the signature tool at the top of the menu on the left of your screen.
At this stage, you can also use other tools in the toolbar, such as indicators for stamps, initials, dates, notes, checkboxes, and more.
- Finally, go through your document one more time to make sure you didn’t forget something. Once you’re happy with it, click “Send.”
A step by step guide on How to use DocuSign to sign documents
- To begin the signing process, open the DocuSign email, click “Review document” and you’ll be taken to the site.
- Begin by reviewing the consumer disclosure that appears at the beginning of the document. Then, check the box that says you legally agree to sign electronically and click on ‘Start’.
- You will be taken directly to the first signature mark — where the sender has indicated that you need to sign. Click the “Sign” tag.
- You’ll then be asked to “Adopt your signature.” You can either type in your name and initials and then select a signature style for them to appear in, or manually sign it using your cursor or a touch screen. You can also upload a picture of your signature.
When you’re happy with your signature, click “Adopt and Sign” to have it applied to the document. You’ll be able to sign all other fields in the document with one click after you’ve done this once.
- Click “Finish” when you’ve finished reading the document and signed all the specified places. You’ll see a message stating that you’ve completed the document signing process. Then you’ll be able to save a PDF copy for your records as well.
The sender will receive an email containing the signed paper, as well as a copy of it in their DocuSign account.
Tips to use Docusign more effectively
Add an initial box for the other parties if you make some modifications to the standard contract, such as scratching out a section or adding some extra comments, so that you can make the changes as clear as possible and give them a chance to sign off on the amendments.
You can preview your document after you’ve finished creating it. At this stage, double-check everything to ensure that the information is accurate and that the required signature and initial boxes are in the proper places.
If it’s more than a signature, think about the data you’re gathering and make sure it’s absolutely necessary before you ask for it.
In advance, inform the recipients that the envelope will be sent via DocuSign. This is especially important for the first-time users, so that they know what to expect when the document arrives.
Conclusion
Overall, DocuSign is a good service to use if you need digital signatures. Docusign appears to be a useful addition to your day, especially if your line of business requires multiple signatures per day. You’ll find it useful, and your clients will appreciate the improved productivity that e-signatures can offer.
But If you don’t need a lot of signatures in your line of work this product is probably not worth it. If you’re still unsure, DocuSign offers a free 30-day trial to help you decide.
My advice is to give it a shot and see for yourself how helpful it can be.
