Are digital signatures right for your program?

Between 2012 and 2017, digital signature use leapt from 89 million transactions worldwide to 754 million. That’s an increase of about 750%. Digital signatures, or e-signatures, provide an extra level of security that ensures the information submitted by the sender is the same information accepted by the recipient. Such signatures are legally binding in the United States, Canada, European Union, and several other countries. If you manage a registration process for training or other programs, would requiring digital signatures benefit you?

In some instances, all that’s necessary is requiring a registrant to check a box on the form that they agree to terms. In other situations, however, you may need that extra level of authentication that goes beyond simply checking a box. Take, for example, a parent signing up a child for a class or camp. Perhaps requiring nothing more than a checked box doesn’t go far enough. Instead, you need legally binding approval. Such situations may include:

• Publicity approvals
• Talent releases
• Photography releases
• Liability releases
• Health status confirmations
• Assignment of responsibilities

Increased integrity
E-signatures can add a level of authenticity beyond the regular registration form submission process. In fact, it’s a lot easier to copy someone’s written signature than to forge e-signatures, because the digital version is a long stream of encrypted data.

How the process works
To employ a e-signatures process as part of registration, you would set up a page that describes what the registrant is required to do, such as explaining the reason for a digital signature or initials. You can require a signature to complete the registration process, or you can make it optional.
Once you have the digital signature process activated, you can create multiple pages to address varying scenarios. Documents such as release forms can be uploaded and linked to the signature page. Further options include requiring a digital signature for each event or just one time per registrant.

Signature Monitoring
Once the registrant signs the agreement to terms and conditions or similar language, reports will show those who have executed the signature page (and those who haven’t, if signing is optional).

If you would like to explore how digital signatures can add another level of security to a registration process, please contact us.