Technology has revolutionized document signing, especially with the adoption of e-signature APIs. In fact, results from a study show that businesses can reduce administrative costs by 55-78.62% and decrease turnaround times by 80% with electronic signatures. These innovative tools simplify the signing process and save your team valuable time, as no one has to chase wet signatures.
This article will discuss more benefits of e-signature APIs, how to implement them, and the core features and functionalities to consider. Continue reading.
With e-signature APIs, you can send and sign PDFs quickly. These APIs integrate with your existing business applications, so you send and track documents directly from your CRM, HR platform, or any other relevant software.
Let’s say your marketing team has finalized a collaboration agreement with an influencer. Before e-signatures, your team would have to mail the agreement back and forth while waiting for signatures. Plus, some of the documents could go missing. However, when you integrate Lumin Sign’s API into your marketing automation platform, you can send the agreement electronically within the platform. So, the influencer receives a secure link for appending their online signature in the PDF, and you can track the process within the platform.
Security is essential, especially when you deal with sensitive files. That is why reliable e-signature APIs offer robust security features. This technology deploys encryption, secure authentication methods, and tamper-evident seals to protect your documents. Only individuals you authorize can append signatures online in a PDF, and you can detect and track any revisions efficiently.
When you automate the signing process, your team is free to focus on growing your bottom line.
For example, let's say your sales team needs a client to sign and merge PDF proposal before proceeding with a deal. With physical files, the process is often tedious and time-consuming. However, e-signature APIs allow your client to receive and append an electronic signature in PDF.
Now that we know the benefits of this tool, let’s see how to implement them:
The first step is understanding your specific requirements. Consider the volume of documents you handle, the types of documents you need to sign (contracts, NDAs, etc.), and any existing integrations with other software. Then, research and compare different options, ensuring they offer the functionalities that align with your business goals.
So, let’s say your company is a rapidly growing startup. You primarily need e-signatures for NDAs with new hires and proposals for executives to append their signatures for loans online. While security remains a priority, you should consider ease of use and integration with your existing HR platform.
Once you’ve chosen your e-signature API provider, you can get started. Most providers offer a straightforward signup process to explore the functionalities, often with free trials or developer accounts. During signup, you’ll typically receive access keys or credentials to authenticate your applications when interacting with the e-signature API.
Most e-signature APIs in PDF tools employ industry-standard authentication protocols to ensure a secure connection between your application and the e-signature service. Your development team will need to configure the API integration to use the provided credentials and adhere to the authentication protocols. This ensures that only authorized applications can interact with the API and access your sensitive documents.
Most e-signature API providers, like Lumin Sign, offer pre-built integrations with popular CRM and ERP systems and document management solutions. This allows you to leverage e-signature functionalities directly within your familiar workflows.
With this integration, you can send contracts for your clients to draw their signatures online straight from the CRM. The entire process is straightforward, eliminating the need for manual document handling and saving your team valuable time.
The APIs can also integrate with document management systems, so you can securely store and manage signed documents electronically. This ensures easy access, version control, and a centralized repository for all your signed agreements and contracts.
Let’s see the features and functionalities that make this tool transformative:
E-signature APIs allow you to upload files electronically in various formats, like PDFs or Word documents. This flexibility ensures effective integration with your existing workflows. But what if you have frequently used documents? E-signature APIs, like Lumin Sign’s, offer a template creation feature.
E-signature APIs let you define exactly where to insert a signature in the PDF on your documents. Simply mark the designated areas, and the API guides signers through the process. Additionally, you can establish a signing workflow, specifying the order each party needs to sign. This ensures a clear and organized signing process, especially for multi-party agreements.
For instance, your sales team needs a client and a company executive to sign a sales contract. With Lumin Sign, the team can upload the contract, designate separate signature fields for the client and the executive, and set a sequential signing workflow. That way, the client signs first, followed by the executive, ensuring a clear and organized signing process.
Once you define your signature fields and set the workflow, you can now send your files for digital signatures. Simply enter their email addresses to generate a secure link. Your recipients will receive an email notification with simple instructions to review and sign the document electronically. They do not need any special software downloads – they only need a web browser.
E-signature APIs have significantly upgraded the document management process. Now, reliable API providers like Lumin Sign’s go beyond convenience. We offer comprehensive features that facilitate workflows and ensure secure document handling. This translates to increased efficiency, improved security, and team productivity. Invest in the future of digital document handling with Lumin Sign. Contact us today.
