How to make a legally valid PDF signature in 4 steps

In today's digital world, electronic signature offers an efficient and secure way to formalize agreements, contracts and other important documents, eliminating the need for printed and handwritten signatures and simplifying the signing process and accelerating the completion of documents. In this context, PDF signature It is a practical option to guarantee the authenticity and integrity of electronic documents. 

Especially in a business context, the legal validity of PDF signatures is of great importance for legal compliance and trust in transactions, making this technology indispensable for modern document management.

In this article, we will explain everything about how to make a legally valid PDF signature, highlighting the importance of this practice for the integrity of business processes and the protection of the interests of the parties involved.

How to sign a PDF using ZapSign

Below, we present a step-by-step guide to help you understand the process of creating and sending documents for electronic signature using the ZapSign platform. 

These steps are designed to make the electronic signature process with ZapSign as clear and efficient as possible. By following them, you will be able to manage your signatures in a practical and secure way, taking full advantage of the platform's benefits:

Step 1: Creating the document

The first thing to do is access your account on platform from ZapSign. At the top of the screen, you will find a blue button labeled “Create Document.” Click on this button to begin the process. Select the document you want to be signed. Once you have selected the file, click “continue” to proceed to the next step.

If your document is not in PDF format, you will need to convert it to ensure compatibility and integrity of the information over time. Unifying documents from different formats, such as Word, Excel, and images, into PDF makes it easier to share and preserve important data.

There are several simple ways to convert your documents to PDF. You can do this through online tools such as this one; through the functionalities of text platforms, such as Microsoft Word, Google Docs; or through specific software, such as Adobe Acrobat and PDFCreator, which offer advanced conversion options.

Choose the method that best suits your needs to optimize the management of your digital documents and ensure compatibility across multiple platforms.

Step 2: Adding signatories

In the second step, you will need to add signatories. Enter the name of the person who will sign the document. If there is more than one signatory, click the “+ Signatory” button to add the other signatories.

If you want to increase security, you can activate the “advanced authentication” option. To do this, provide the email and phone number of the signatories. The platform will allow you to choose between different authentication methods, such as taking a selfie, sending a photo of your ID, or using a code sent via SMS.

All of these authentication options have legal validity, so choose the ones that best suit your needs and those of the signatories, ensuring that everyone feels comfortable and safe with the process.

Step 3: Continue with the process

Once you have configured the initial document details, click “Continue” to move on to the next step in the process.

Step 4: Positioning signatures and sending

In the third step, you will have the opportunity to position the signatures and checkmarks in the appropriate places on the document. Click on the exact spots where each signatory should sign or add a checkmark, and when you are finished, click “save” to record these positions.

With the signature points defined, you can now copy the signature links generated by the platform. Send these links to signatories via email, WhatsApp or any other communication channel of your choice.

If you prefer to automate the sending of links, check the “enable automatic sending of links” option. This will allow ZapSign to send the links directly to signers on your behalf, further simplifying the process.

Take the opportunity to personalize the communication: add a message that will be included in the body of the email, and adjust details such as the order of signatures and the deadline for completing the signature.

ZapSign will keep you informed of your document's progress by sending you email notifications whenever a signer completes the signing process. 

Remember, signers do not need to have a ZapSign account; they just need to access the signing link you sent them to complete the signature.

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Sending multiple documents in a single link

With the envelope functionality, you can send multiple documents simultaneously in a single link, including tables, reports and attachments.

Once you’ve added a document to the platform, locate and click the round button with the “+” symbol. Then, select any additional documents from your device that also need to be signed. In the “Place Signatures” step, you can place the signatures in the desired locations on each page of the documents, as usual.

Each document in the same shipment counts separately, consuming one unit of your balance for each one. Signatories will make a single signature that will apply to all documents, which can be downloaded individually.

It is important to note that this function does not allow the segmentation of documents within the envelope, that is, it is not possible to determine which documents will be signed by each signatory. 

All signatories will sign all submitted documents. To segment signatories, separate submissions will be required.

The benefits of digital signature by ZapSign

Digital signatures have transformed the way we manage and formalize documents, offering significant advantages in terms of practicality, security and legal validity. 

ZapSign's solution, a leader in the electronic signature sector, stands out in all these aspects, providing an efficient and reliable experience for its users through its platform.

Practicality

Practicality is one of the great attractions of digital signatures with ZapSign. The platform offers the convenience of signing documents and contracts from any location and at any time, without the need for physical travel or printing. You just need to have a device connected to the Internet – be it a computer, a tablet or even a smartphone.

Its intuitive interface makes the signing process significantly faster and significantly less complicated. With just a few clicks, you can manage and complete document signing, saving time and simplifying the administration of important tasks.

Safety

Security is a fundamental pillar of ZapSign's digital signature solution. The platform employs advanced security protocols to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of documents.

ZapSign uses advanced encryption and strong authentication to protect your digital signatures and ensure that documents remain unchanged after signing – providing an extra layer of security and trust for everyone involved in the transaction.

Legal validity

Legal validity is an elementary aspect for any solution. digital and electronic signature, and ZapSign is no exception. The platform ensures that your digital signatures comply with all legal requirements, giving them the same legal validity as handwritten signatures.

In other words, your digitally signed documents are accepted by government agencies, financial institutions, and other regulatory entities, ensuring legal compliance and universal acceptance. So with ZapSign, you can rest assured that your documents are valid and enforceable in any legal context.

Resource saving

Adopting digital signatures with ZapSign provides a significant reduction in the use of paper and resources required for printing and physically sending documents – which reduces operational costs related to the production and handling of paper documents and contributes to environmental sustainability.

It is worth noting that, by making a commitment to sustainable business practices, your company can improve its corporate image and attract customers and partners who value environmental responsibility and a positive attitude towards the environment and a greener, more efficient economy.

Ease of integration

ZapSign offers a fluid integration with a wide range of enterprise platforms and systems, allowing you to incorporate digital signature directly into your existing processes and systems. In other words, you can implement digital signature without the need for major changes to the workflows your company already uses.

With this integration capability, ZapSign makes it easy to adapt to new technology gradually and seamlessly. Instead of having to completely overhaul your processes, you can integrate digital signatures in a way that complements and enhances your current systems – making the transition simpler and less disruptive, free from unnecessary complications.

The combination of these benefits makes ZapSign an exceptional choice for those looking to streamline document signing. If you haven’t tried the platform yet, take the opportunity to learn about ZapSign’s electronic signature solution and discover how it can transform the way you manage and formalize your documents.

With our platform, you can take your document operations to a new level, including PDF signature. Click here to experience all the efficiency, security and legal validity of a specialized digital signature solution.