Digital signatures make remote work possible
Blog: AuraQuantic Blog
A trade
agreement without a signature is just a piece of paper. We can’t really say we
closed a deal until both parties sign the document. Therefore, the logical
conclusion is that remote work is not possible without without digital signatures.
No doubt 2020
is going to be a year that will go down in history. Never in the history of
mankind has a pandemic managed to reach so many countries in such a short time
and has certainly never forced so many people to be confined to their homes.
As a
result, remote working, which until now was merely a trend making its way into
organizations with varying degrees of success, has become the only possible
working model.
It is true
that there were already some leading companies that offered the option of remote working
to their employees or that combined the face-to-face and remote models.
However, companies have never before been forced to manage all their activities
remotely.
And for
this reason, we should use digital signatures to help validate agreements.
From handwritten to
digital signature
On Wikipedia, the definition of signature is a handwritten (and often stylized) depiction of someone’s name. Obviously, from a digital point of view this definition does not give us much confidence since we all know how easy it is to copy and paste with the right software. However, it is the legal nature of this definition that provides us with the answer:
“A signature is intended to identify, secure or authenticate the identity of an author or sender, or as evidence of consent and verification of the integrity and approval of the information contained in a document or similar, and has legal value”.
In other
words, a signature is an approval or consent that what is written reflects the
agreement and is also intended to validate the identity of the author.
Therefore, in a face-to-face environment we require the assistance of the signee,
but in a digital environment we will need a digital signature.
“A digital signature is a cryptographic mechanism that allows the receiver of a digitally signed message to identify the sender of that message (origin and non-repudiation authentication), and to confirm that the message has not been altered since it was signed by the sender (integrity)”.
Legislation’s push for
digital signatures
In recent
years, all countries in the world have made an enormous effort to adapt their
legislation to electronic signatures, and to give them the legal equivalent to
a handwritten signature.
In Europe
in particular, the eIDAS Regulation creates a European internal market for eTS
– namely electronic signatures, electronic seals, time stamp, electronic
delivery service and website authentication – by ensuring that they will work
across borders and have the same legal status as traditional paper-based
processes.
Obviously, this standard not only has a positive impact on the online economy, but also helps to speed up cross-border business activities, as it provides the most basic element in any agreement – trust!
Digital
signatures, combined with process automation and document management platforms,
simplify transactions and help improve the efficiency of operations.
Signing agreements
remotely
During the
last few years all the organizations in the world have started their digital
transformation process with the aim of becoming more efficient and more competitive.
As part of this process, companies in a range of fields such as health care,
public administration, human resources, banking and insurance or sales, have
turned to electronic signatures to facilitate the approval of documents,
contracts, payments, etc.
The biggest challenge of
remote working is collaboration and communication
Let’s
imagine for a moment that a company, dedicated to manufacturing medical
supplies, receives a complaint that forces them to redesign one of their
products. Of course, this process involves coordinating the work of various
specialists, who must supervise and approve changes, which must adhere to the
specific health regulations of each of the countries where the product is
distributed.
Is it possible to perform
this procedure in a remote-work environment?
We will
respond to this by saying that it is not only possible, but in fact necessary.
A low-code tool, like AuraPortal, will allow us to automate the whole process
and will guarantee communication and coordination between all team members.
Also, with
the signature complement included in the platform we have the option to use
certified or guaranteed signatures in pdf. Thus, we can ensure that the right
steps are being taken under the supervision of the corresponding specialist or
manager. And with the guarantees that the signed documents comply with the appropriate
regulations and requirements.
The post Digital signatures make remote work possible appeared first on AuraPortal.
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