Digital Signing of Documents
Gaurav Yadav

Updated on January 25th, 2024

With the changing work patterns and the businesses preferring remote work environment, digital signing of documents have become a go-to 'approval option' for all your documents online.

Businesses are now heavily relying on the ‘Digital Signatures’ for signing all the essential documents like contracts, proposals, invoices and other forms of documents.

Nowadays, in India, Digitally signing PDF have become mandatory for some government activities like filing the GST returns, or IT returns to ensure that the documents are forging-free and to eliminate the possibility of tampering with them.

This article will deep dive into the concept of 'Digital Signatures' and how your business can benefit from it.

Is a digital signature similar to an electronic signature?

There is a misconception among people that the digital signing is similar to that of the electronic Signature.

However, this is far from the truth.

Although there are some similarities between the e-Sign & the digital sign, they differ on many grounds.

Let us understand 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.

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What is a digital signature?

A digital signature is more secure than its electronic counterparts.

Digital Signature online is secured and have robust security and authentication mechanisms backed by encryptions, hashing algorithms, etc.

Digital Signatures 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 Signing of documents makes them completely authentic and makes them almost impossible to tamper with. This kind of care & caution 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.

And needless to say, in India, Digital Signatures are legally binding and approved according to the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Digital Signing

Digitally sign PDF document – The easier way!

Most business-related documents will be available in PDF format, and they need to be digitally signed.

There are two possible ways to use digital signatures for authenticating your PDF documents

One is a bit lengthy and somewhat costly, and the other is more straight forward and less expensive.

The time-consuming way: Getting a Digital Signature Certificate

  • 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 an e-KYC is required from the CAs' side, then the supporting documents may be optional.
  • For an e-KYC process, Aadhar Card of the applicant is required.
  • 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.

The easier way: Digital Signing Solution

  • Opting for a digital signing solution is the best way to sign all your business documents without hassle digitally
  • You can choose to buy the digital signing solution from any authorized provider like GSTHero.
  • With GSTHero’s digital signing solution, a business can sign their documents online from anywhere in the world!
  • Digital Signing Solutions like GSTHero’s SafeSign will help businesses save their business time & effectively & securely sign all their documents in a single click. PDF documents can be quickly signed, and the businesses are NOT required to apply for the Digital Signature Certificate on an individual level.
  • All the compliance issues will be taken care of by the ‘Digital Signing Solution’ provider.

To learn all about digitally signing PDF, you will get brief solution through article called How to validate signature in PDF.

For more information click on how to verify digital signature in pdf ?

How secure is the digital Signature?

When businesses choose to take their document signing process online, the confidentiality and the authenticity of their documents must be maintained.

Digital Signatures are encrypted, and thus it is only possible for the person signing these documents to make any alterations to them. Hence, the recipient of the document receiving the digitally signed copy can be sure of the authenticity of the documents as the credentials of the signee have already been verified by the certified authority.

Opt for a Digital Signing Solution!

Digital Signing Services is the best way to sign all your business or personal documents from any corner of the world!

Following are some of the reasons why you should opt for a Digital Signing Solution:

  • Saves time & costs on printing, faxing and transferring of the documents
  • Go paperless with GSTHero’s SafeSign and do not worry about transferring and maintain the physical documents
  • Military-grade security making no compromise with keeping your confidential data safe.
  • Smooth integration with your existing ERP and CRM systems
  • A flexible choice between the dongle-based & the server-based digital Signature
  • The GST taxpayers and the IT return filers can use it, as it is fully compliant with the GST laws
  • All types of businesses can use digital Signature. From a large enterprise to a small firm as well as by an individual for his activity.

To get a free demo of our blazing fast GSTHero SafeSign, feel free to reach out to us at:

Email: info@gsthero.com

Phone: +918007700800

To sum it up..

Remote work is the future!

Small & medium business need to brace themselves with a robust and easy-to-use digital signing solution 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…..


Gaurav Yadav

About the author

Gaurav is an Engineer by training with a deep interest in Economics & Finance. He has been associated with the Fin-Tech industry for quite some time now. He writes for GSTHero for topics including GST Compliance, GST Structure, etc & aims to break down complicated technical jargon into simple terms for the taxpayers.

His expertise includes GST Laws, Corporate Finance & Macro-Economics.

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