A simple, safe, and easy way to sign information digitally anywhere, anytime The Digital Signature services is an electronic signature services without using a physical cryptographic token.
It’s been a long time since businesses are operating in a remote environment. In fact, ‘Remote Work’ has become a new normal now!
In this fast-paced business world, it is essential that the closure of the business documents is not limited to any physical boundaries. You should be able to sign your documents from any corner of the world to allow a smooth functioning of the business.
To digitally sign PDF is the new enabler that allows a smooth document closure for all types of businesses and helps in authenticating the document as well.
If you are finding all the details about Digital Signature Services and how to digitally sign PDF documents, then you are at the right spot!
This article shall cover all the details of Digital Signatures in India, Digital Signature Price and how to get the digital signature.
What is Digital Signing?
There is a misconception among people that the Digital Signature is same as that of an Electronic Signature.
However, this is only half true.
Following are the fundamental differences between these two in the following section
What is an electronic signature?
An electronic signature is any digital mark that you put on your document electronically.
For example, you scan your handwritten signature and upload it to any of your exam forms, and then it means that you have electronically signed your exam form.
This does not necessarily have to be a signature. It can be a seal of the institution or any other text.
Electronic signatures are not considered safe compared to their digital counterparts; however, electronic signatures are completely legally binding.
What is a digital signature?
A Digital Signature is considered to be more secure that its electronic counterparts.
Digital Signatures are secured and have robust security and authentication mechanisms backed by encryptions, hashing algorithms, etc.
Digital Signature PDF have already become the new face of the remote work environment, which allows stakeholders to sign the documents digitally in a complete secured environment without waiting for the time-loss incurred in the posting, faxing and scanning of the documents.
Digital Signature authenticates your documents and makes it difficult to tamper with. This level of security and authentication is required when there are high levels of stakes involved with the documents and the confidentiality of its content.
Businesses will undoubtedly require digital signatures when high-level deals are involved within two transacting parties who are geographically very far from each other.
Digital signature services in simplest terms!
A digital signature is a hybrid of the electronic signature combined with a secure digital identification. These signatures are the best way to secure all the critical paperwork that revolves around the business enterprise.
Digital signatures have made it easier to secure your documents online by adding an authentication factor, making them tamper-proof.NOTE: Digital Signatures are different from electronic signatures. Digital signatures are more secured and carry more authority than electronic signatures.
Digital Signature Services | Multi-Industry application
Most of the businesses have accepted the process to digitally sign multiple PDF documents using the Digital Signing software.
In this section, we will discuss the multi-facet applications of Digital Signing in various industry domains.
Private Sector Industries
Human Resource Departments
- HR departments of various companies currently implement Digital Signature online to facilitate easy onboarding of candidates and joining formalities.
- The companies now deploy Digital Signing software to take care of all the digital signing processes involved.
Tasks involving the signing of legal documents
- Digital Signatures facilitates easy and safe signing of different documents between businesses.
- Digital Signatures enables the signing of these agreements without any geographical barriers.
- Digitally signing MoUs, law filings, etc., will be easy and convenient to sign irrespective of the locations of either of the parties getting into the agreement.
Banking Industry
The banking industry is the largest beneficiary of Digital Signing technology.
There's huge paperwork that goes around the Banking industry on an average working day. Hence, it is necessary that the documents that involve signing turn around at a faster pace.
Following are some of the applications of Digital Signature in banking:
Government Offices
Taxation activities
- Goods and Service Tax (GST) requires Digital Signatures to digitally sign PDF documents and upload them on the GST portal.
- Digital Locker facility- This is an excellent initiative run by the Government to allow people to access their documents from anywhere in the country.
- These documents are required to be self-attested using Digital Signature online.
- Digital signing of documents like issuance of Indian Passports, Form 7/12 for the land buying and selling procedures, application for renewing the driving license, applications for the birth or marriage certificates etc.
How to add Digital Signature to PDF
Irrespective of the size of the business, there are many documents that are needed to be signed on a daily basis. Most of these documents are in the PDF format and are required to be digitally signed to bring the document to closure.
Now many small businesses often have a confusion regarding How to add Digital Signature to PDF? In this section we will submit two different ways by which you can digitally sign PDF documents.
Out of the two ways, one is a bit lengthy and some-what costly way and the other is a simpler and an inexpensive way.
Getting a Digital Signature Certificate
- Buying a Digital Signature Certificate is a time-consuming process and also an expensive affair that may be a constraint for an individual or a small business user.
- Applicants who wish to buy the Digital Signature Certificate have to approach the Certifying Authorities (CAs) and furnish the necessary documents with their self-attested copies.
- If e-KYC is required from the Certifying Authority’s side then the supporting documents may be optional.
- To complete the e-KYC process, Aadhar Card of the applicant is necessary.
- A letter/ certificate issued by the bank of the DSC applicant authenticating the information as furnished in the bank’s database. This certificate has to be certified by the bank manager.
This process can be skipped totally if you have a Digital Signing solution that allows you to sign PDF documents right away.
Let’s look into the details of a Digital Signing solution way to get add digital signature to your PDF documents.
The easier way: Digital Signing Solution
A Digital Signing solution allows the business to sign all their documents digitally without any documentation hassle.
Is Digital Signing Certificate required?
When a business uses a Digital Signing solution, they are NOT at all required to apply for the Digital Signature Certificate on their individual level if the Digital Signing solutions are offered by authorized service providers.
The service provider of the Digital Signing software takes care of all the back-end requirements and compliances so that you can easily authenticate your document from any corner of the world!
- We at GSTHero (a Government authorized GST Suvidha Provider) have designed a robust Digital signing solution suite called GSTHero SafeSign.
- You can choose to buy the digital signing solution from any authorized provider like GSTHero.
- Digital Signing Solutions like GSTHero’s SafeSign will help businesses save their business time & effectively & securely sign all their documents in a single click.
- All the compliance issues will be taken care of by the ‘Digital Signing Solution’ provider.
To learn more about digitally signing PDF, click on How to validate signature in PDF.
For more information click on ‘how to verify digital signature in pdf ?
Digital Signature Services | Legal Validity
Digital Signatures are valid in India and also have legal credibility. Hence, businesses need not worry about the validity of digital signatures.
Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act), recognizes the following two types of e-signatures in India:
- e-Signature combining the Aadhar card with the e-KYC service
- Digital Signatures generated using crypto-system & hash function
It is implied that all the documents signed using the Digital Signatures will be legally binding in the jurisdiction of the Indian Territory & its court of law.
Hence, the businesses should not have any second thought to use Digital Signatures to sign their PDF documents.
Businesses must note that to stay 100% compliant with the law of land regarding the Digital Signatures, it is essential that they purchase a Digital Signing software from an authorized vendor.
GSTHero has developed in-house Digital Signing software that is not only safe but 100% compliant with the GST laws.
This allows the GST return filers to use GSTHero SafeSign for their GST requirements where Digital Signing is required.
GSTHero SafeSign offers you multiple benefits to ease out your workflow:
Conclusion
Remote work has already become normal now.
Individuals who need to regularly sign PDF documents, Small & medium businesses must equip themselves with a robust and easy-to-use digital signature services for all their business documents.
Having a Digital Signing Solution like GSTHero’s SafeSign will surely help you reduce your efforts and time spent on signing the physical form of papers and maintaining the physical trails of these papers.
When the business world is going paperless, you should not be left behind because digital signatures are the best and the most accessible medium to sign the business documents online and that too within seconds & in a wholly secured setup.
Stay updated; stay ahead!
Until the next time…..