Learning hub

Electronic signatures explained

An electronic signature lets you sign documents online quickly, securely, and legally. Whether you're closing deals, sending contracts, or onboarding clients, e-signatures save time and reduce friction. Learn how they work, why they’re valid, and how GetAccept simplifies the process.

Key insights

97%
of B2B buyers have finalized at least one business purchase with an e-signature.

What is an electronic signature?

An electronic signature enables a recipient to conveniently sign documents by typing their name out or simply clicking a button through a web browser, tablet, or mobile device.

Electronic signatures are encoded and encrypted in order to prevent the impersonation of a signee, tampering, and improve the security overall of every signed document.

Electronic signatures: tamper-proof documents

With an e-signature from GetAccept you receive a signed document that is tamper-proof and allows you to see any changes that may have been made to the document after signing. The digital signature uses a unique fingerprint that creates a certificate for the document at the time of signing and this is permanently embedded into the file. This makes it vendor-independent and totally tamper-proof.

Benefits of electronic signatures

97%

of B2B buyers have finalized at least one business purchase with an e-signature.

45%

of customers qualify their purchase experience as very complex or difficult.

Save time

No need to print, sign, scan and e-mail paper contracts. A digital contract can be signed in a few seconds and is electronically delivered to all parties involved.

Offer convenience

Let your buyers sign from anywhere in the world and at anytime. Whether from a desktop, tablet or mobile, all that's needed is an internet connection.

Secure your contracts

Ensure your contracts are signed safely with authentication and security features. Digital signatures guarantee a tamper-proof audit trail that are legally binding.

Track signing order

Electronic signatures allow you to create a signing order with your buyers and more easily track where the bottleneck is ... and give a push where needed.

Legal aspects

GetAccept provides you with a legally binding eSignature solution for your agreements and contracts. GetAccept complies with the requirements of the U.S. Electronic Signature in Global and National Commerce Act of 2000 (ESIGN), the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA), and the European Union eIDAS (EU No.910/2014) regarding electronic signatures and transmissions, which makes eSignatures fast, easy, and legally binding.

E-signature Law in the United States

GetAccept’s electronic signature solution in the United States complies with the definition of an electronic signature under the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce (ESIGN) and the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA).

E-signature Law in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the equivalent legislation to the ESIGN Act in the United States is the Electronic Communications Act 2000. GetAccepts electronic signature solution complies with the definition of an electronic signature under this act.

E-signature Regulation in the European Union

In 2014, the European Parliament created a more uniform market for electronic transactions with the release of the EU Regulation No 910/2014 on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market, also known as eIDAS. Electronic signatures are actively being used in Europe, and GetAccept’s eSignatures are compliant with eIDAS and EU electronic signature technical standards. You can read more about eIDAS below.

Signature authentication

GetAccept authenticates document signers so there is 100% transparency as to who is signing your documents. To protect all GetAccept user accounts, user information is transferred over 256-bit SSL encryption, including sensitive information like usernames and passwords. GetAccept also prevents others from accessing or using your account by imposing automated session time-outs and emailing you every time a contract is sent to, received by, or signed using an account.

Signature affixation

Each signature on a contract is imposed and affixed to the contract. GetAccept creates a comprehensive transaction trail between signing parties. To provide transaction history, we track and timestamp various information from the moment the document is submitted for signature to when it is completely signed and secured.

Full evidence log

A complete evidence log is a crucial factor to confirm when choosing an eSignature provider. Every send-out has a unique ID that reflects the contents of the document. GetAccept tracks the entire process and compiles it into a complete history of every action taken inside the document. Activities are marked with a trusted timestamp, email, IP number, and IP location.

Court-admissible transactions log

GetAccept creates a comprehensive transaction trail between signing parties. In order to provide this transaction history, we track and timestamp various information from the moment the document is submitted for signature to when it is completely signed and secured, such as IP information and UserAgent information. To ensure against any tampering with your transaction log, the transaction log is secured with hashing technology. This audit trail gives you a full evidence log to bring to court should any conflicts arise.

Electronic signatures and eIDAS

eIDAS is an EU regulation on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions that applies as law within the whole of the EU.

Electronic Identification, Authentication and Trust Services (eIDAS)

The goal of the eIDAS regulation, which started in 2014, is to facilitate the flow of commerce in the EU through transparency, security, technical neutrality, cooperation, and interoperability. In pursuit of these values, eIDAS:

  • Standardizes the use of electronic identification (eID)
  • Defines a new class of “electronic trust services” (eTS)
  • Clarifies and ensures the legal validity of electronic signatures
  • Creates a European internal market within the EU for electronic trust services

Different levels of electronic signatures

The eIDAS regulation defines three types of electronic signatures: (Basic) Electronic Signature, Advanced Electronic Signature, and Qualified Electronic Signature. According to eIDAS, an electronic signature is defined as “data in electronic form which is attached to or logically associated with other data in electronic form and is used by the signatory to sign”.

Basic electronic signature

A basic electronic signature can be any kind of signature made in an electronic and digital environment, where the signatory has manifested their intent (e.g. by clicking a button or checking a box) to become bound by the contents of the document signed.

GetAccepts standard "click to sign" solution is considered a very strong Basic electronic signature and sufficient for most business agreements.

Advanced electronic signature (AdES)

According to eIDAS, an advanced electronic signature shall meet the following requirements:

  1. uniquely linked to and capable of identifying the signatory;
  2. created in a way that allows the signatory to retain control;
  3. linked to the document in a way that any subsequent change of the data is detectable.

These elements of unique identity, control, and integrity of the signed document can be achieved through different means. A recognized eID assures secure authentication of the signatory’s identity in the online environment.

GetAccept has multiple ways of creating a Advanced Electronic Signature, for instance with the use of a eID or MFA solution.

Qualified electronic signature (QES)

According to eIDAS, “‘qualified electronic signature’ means an advanced electronic signature that is created by a qualified electronic signature creation device, and is based on a qualified certificate for electronic signatures.” The use of Qualified Electronic Signatures includes an extra layer of assurance and trust that results in a special legal effect that shall be recognized by courts in the EU.

From a legal perspective QES should in EU be equivalent to a "wet ink" signature and the burden of proof in a court is on the challenger.

GetAccept has thru an external partnership the possibility to offer QES seamlessly integrated into the signing workflow in most European countries. It should be noted that QES add a extra level of security but also complexity and cost to the signature flow.

Please contact us for more detailed information on QES.

Frequently asked questions

  • Yes, electronic signatures are legally binding and actually more secure than paper. They use encryption, identity verification, and audit trails to provide stronger security than traditional paper contracts, while complying with global e-signature laws including ESIGN Act, eIDAS, and GDPR requirements. Paper signatures can be forged, altered, or lost. Electronic signatures can't. They're encrypted, timestamped, and tracked from the moment someone opens the document.

    Why e-signatures are safer than paper:

    • Identity verification happens automatically, you know who signed, when, and from where. Paper? Anyone can scribble a signature
    • The audit trail captures everything, every view, every edit, every signature. Paper gives you nothing

    When to use what:

    • Choose e-signatures to close faster, get better security, and meet buyer expectations
    • Default to paper only when regulations explicitly require it

  • Yes, electronic signatures are legally binding and recognized by law in most jurisdictions worldwide. They carry the same legal weight as handwritten signatures when properly executed, with built-in security features like encryption and audit trails that often make them more legally defensible than traditional paper contracts.

    GetAccept complies with major regulations including the ESIGN Act and UETA in the United States, eIDAS in the European Union, and GDPR for data protection.
    Pointers:

    • Legal framework: ESIGN Act (US) and eIDAS (EU) explicitly recognize electronic signatures as legally equivalent to handwritten ones
    • Audit trail: Electronic systems automatically record when documents were sent, viewed, and signed, creating stronger legal evidence
    • Global acceptance: Most countries recognize electronic signatures, enabling international business without physical document exchange

    Edge case: Some documents like wills or real estate deeds may still require physical signatures depending on local laws.

  • Federal and state law gives electronic signatures the same legal status as handwritten signatures. 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands have adopted the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA). The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN), a federal law, provides that electronic signatures are legally enforceable for intrastate commerce and within those states that have not adopted UETA.

  • Directive 1999/93/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 1999 on a Community framework for electronic signatures, establishes the criteria for the legality of e-signatures. It sets out three levels of e-signature (simple, advanced, qualified). According to the directive, an advanced e-signature based on a qualified certificate satisfies the legal requirements of a signature in relation to data in electronic form, in the same way, a handwritten signature satisfies those requirements in relation to paper-based data.

  • An electronic signature is any digital mark of consent, while a digital signature is a specific, secure type that uses encryption to verify identity. All digital signatures are electronic, but not vice-versa.

  • The (ESIGN), Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act is a U.S. Federal law that was passed in 2000 that enabled the use of electronic records and signatures for commercial transactions. The Act essentially enables organizations to adopt a uniform e-signature process across all 50 states with the assurance that records cannot be refused by a court of law solely on the basis that they were signed electronically.

  • eIDAS (electronic IDentification, Authentication and trust Services) is an EU regulation on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the European Single Market. It was established in EU Regulation 910/2014 of 23 July 2014 on electronic identification and repeals Directive 1999/93/EC from 13 December 1999.It entered into force on 17 September 2014 and applied from 1 July 2016. All organizations delivering public digital services in an EU member state must recognize electronic identification from all EU member states from September 29, 2018.

  • You simply need to upload your document (PDF, Word, Google Doc etc...) into an esigning tool, add the recipients' names and email addresses, and then create a signing order. You can read more about how to get your google docs e-signed in our blog post

  • Yes, e-signatures capture comprehensive audit trails and signature certificates that provide legal proof of document review and signing. These systems automatically track every action including document opens, time spent viewing, IP addresses, device information, and the exact moment of signature with encrypted verification.

    Electronic signature platforms automatically generate detailed audit logs ready for inspection that offer stronger legal enforceability through encrypted verification and tamper-proof documentation.

    Audit trail components captured:

    • Document access timestamps and duration
    • IP addresses and device information for each viewer
    • Identity verification through email confirmation or multi-factor authentication
    • Sequential viewing and signing events with precise time stamps
    • Encrypted signature certificates with digital fingerprints