Digital signature platform: what it is and how to use it for free.

A platform of digital signature It is an online service that centralizes the creation or sending of documents, the definition of signatories, authentications, signature collection, and process tracking. Although the term is widely used, technically these platforms can work with different types of electronic signatures—simple, advanced, and qualified—and not just with certificate-based digital signatures.

In Brazil, ICP-Brazil It was established in 2001 by Provisional Measure No. 2.200-2, while Law No. 14.063/2020 classified electronic signatures into three levels. Therefore, the choice of a platform should consider not only ease of use, but also authentication methods, generated evidence, integrations, security, and legal compliance with the document.

In this article, we explain how a digital signature platform works, what criteria to consider before choosing a solution, and how to use ZapSign to create and send documents, including on its free plan.

Summary

• Signature platforms centralize documents, signatories, authentications, sending, and tracking.
• Electronic signature is the broad concept; digital signature is a modality based on cryptography and a certificate.
• The choice of platform should consider security, evidence, integrations, experience, and legal requirements.
• ZapSign currently offers Individual, Professional, Team, and Enterprise plans.
• The Individual plan is free and includes three documents per month.
• The tutorial shows how to send the file, configure signatories, use a digital certificate, and track signatures.

Quick facts

• Three options: a Law No. 14.063 / 2020 It classifies electronic signatures as simple, advanced, and qualified.
• Free plan: a ZapSign's official plans page It currently states that the Individual plan costs R$ 0 and includes one user and three documents per month.
• ICP-Brazil: o official repository of ITI Registers the 2nd level CA ZAPSIGN as valid in the ICP-Brasil chain, enabled for types A3, SE-S and SE-H.

What is a digital signature platform and how does it work?

One of the subscription platform Digital is software that organizes the signing of electronic documents. Instead of printing, transporting, signing, and scanning the paper again, the user prepares the file online, indicates who should sign it, and defines the necessary evidence for the process.

It is important to note that electronic signature This is the broadest category. It can utilize different forms of identification and authentication. A digital signature, technically speaking, uses cryptography and a digital certificate. When this certificate belongs to ICP-Brasil, the signature is classified as qualified.

A platform can therefore offer different options for digital documentsToken via email or mobile phone, selfie, biometrics, identity verification, digital certificate, and other combinations of evidence.

The basic workflow usually follows this logic:

1. The person in charge creates or sends the document;
2. Register the people who will need to sign;
3. Define risk-proportional authentication;
4. Configure fields, order, deadline, and reminders;
5. shares access with signatories;
6. Track the status until completion;
7. It preserves the final document and the recorded evidence.

When we founded ZapSign, we had two very clear principles: electronic signatures needed to be legally valid and simple to use. I still understand a good platform in this way. Adding security is essential, but it needs to protect the process without turning the signing experience into an unnecessary sequence of obstacles.

What should you look for in a digital signature platform?

The best solution isn't necessarily the one with the longest list of features. It's the one that combines the necessary controls for operational risk with a process that's understandable for both the sender and the signer.

authentication methods

Check which mechanisms can be configured for each signatory. A simple transaction may not require the same level of verification as a higher-value contract or a regulated activity.

Evidence and traceability

A platform should record enough information to reconstruct the workflow later. Dates, times, events, authentication methods, and other evidence may be relevant in audits or inquiries about the contracting process.

Information security

Access controls, account authentication, user management, storage, and security practices should be part of the evaluation. At ZapSign, the current plans page highlights ISO 27001 certification, two-factor authentication, and user and permissions management.

Integrations and automation

When volume increases, signatures rarely work in isolation. CRM, ERP, customer service, HR, and other systems may need to send information or receive document status updates. Therefore, APIs and native integrations become relevant for reducing manual tasks.

Computer and mobile experience

The signatory shouldn't need to master the system used by the company. It's important that the experience works across different devices and allows the person to open, review, and sign the document in just a few steps.

This concern with reducing steps gained even more meaning for me after getting to know Estonia's digitalization process firsthand. A process doesn't truly become digital simply because paper has been converted to PDF. The gain appears when we understand why each step existed and eliminate what technology can already solve in another way.

Criterion	What to evaluate	Why does it matter
Authentication	Token, selfie, biometrics, identity, certificate and other options	Match the evidence to the risk of the document.
Incident Handling	Events, history, and subscription report.	Rebuild the process and support verifications.
Safety	2FA, permissions, certifications, and storage.	Reduce the risks of unauthorized access and exposure.
Integrations	API and connection to company systems	Reduce rework and automate workflows.
of expertise	Use via computer and mobile phone	Reduce abandonment and difficulty for the signatory.
Management	Order, deadlines, reminders, and status.	Track pending issues and document stages.

How to use a digital signature platform step by step.

ZapSign has a proprietary electronic signature platformCreated in 2020, the service allows for structuring online signature workflows, with various authentication methods, document tracking, and resources for individual or business operations.

A platform It can be used on computers or mobile devices. The goal is to allow participants to access the document and complete the process without needing to install the same infrastructure used by the sender.

There are also resources related to sending via digital channels, including WhatsAppIn addition to email, links and integrations are available depending on the plan and configuration.

The business structure has also changed since the original publication. Currently, ZapSign offers four main models: Individual, Professional, Team and EnterpriseThe Individual plan costs R$ 0 and includes one user and three documents per month; the other plans expand capacity, users, and features.

More recently, ZapSign also became an accredited Certification Authority in the ICP-Brasil (Brazilian Public Key Infrastructure). This step adds a new layer to the company's infrastructure for operations related to digital identity and certification, without meaning that every document created on the platform will necessarily use an ICP-Brasil certificate.

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➡️ Need a free digital signature? Click here and create yours now!

How to make a free digital signature through the ZapSign platform

The free option allows you to test the flow before contracting a higher-volume structure. Our tutorial on free digital subscription It also deepens this process.

The nine images below have been preserved from the original version of this article. As the screenshots are from 2023, some names, buttons, and interface elements may be different now. Text guidelines have been adjusted to reflect the current workflow.

Step 1 – Log into the system

First, access the our website and log in to open your account dashboard.

Step 2 – Generate a new document

In the dashboard, use the current document creation option to start a new submission.

Step 3 – Upload the document

Select the correct file and verify that it is the final version before starting to collect signatures.

O PDF It remains a widely used format for this stream. If it becomes necessary to convert another file, it remains available. this converter quoted in the original version of the article.

Step 4 – Configure digital certificate when necessary.

After adding the signer, open the authentication settings. If the process requires a qualified signature, select the option to... digital certificate.

ZapSign's current documentation maintains four important conditions for this method:

• the resource currently costs 5 credits, equivalent to R$ 0,50 per subscription Made with a digital certificate;
• A signature made with a digital certificate cannot yet be positioned or edited in the document.
• Signatories configured for digital certificates must be the last ones in the document's order;
• Before shipping, it is necessary check the validity of the certificate that will be used.

It's important to distinguish between two ideas: activating a method called "advanced authentication" within a platform does not automatically make every signature a [signature/signature]. advanced electronic signature In accordance with Law No. 14.063/2020. The legal classification depends on the requirements actually met by the method.

This attention to risk also appears in ZapSign's more recent initiatives. In the Open Gateway project, we use information from the mobile network infrastructure to strengthen signer validation and combat identity fraud. The point I consider most important is precisely being able to increase security and governance without adding new friction for those who are signing.

Step 5 – Add your own signature, if needed.

If you are also among the signatories, please include your name in the flow before proceeding.

Step 6 – Position signatures and endorsements

In the placement stage, you can choose where signatures, initials, or other fields should appear in the document.

According to current ZapSign documentation, placement is optional: you can proceed without displaying a signature or initial in the file body, keeping the records in the signature report. When you decide to include them, avoid covering clauses, values, and other relevant information.

Step 7 – Generate and send the subscription links

After preparing the document, generate the access links. If the conversation with the signatory takes place via... WhatsAppThe link can be shared through this channel. It's also possible to copy it and use another available method.

The features for automatic sending via email, WhatsApp, or other channels vary depending on the plan and configuration. Before sending, check recipients and the message to reduce the risk of sending the document to the wrong person.

Step 8 – Sort the signatories

If the process needs to follow a specific sequence, configure the order of signatures. This allows a participant to be triggered only after the previous step is completed.

Step 9 – Finish the procedure

Review the message, recipients, reminders, deadline, and other settings before completing the sending process.

After that, monitor the status on the dashboard to see which participants have already opened or signed the document and which ones still have any pending issues.

Step 10 – The signatories finalize the document.

The final step is up to the people invited to sign. They receive access through their chosen channel, open the document, and must review the content before expressing their agreement.

The data and authentications requested vary according to the configured workflow. The drawing made with a finger, mouse, or pen may appear visually on the document, but the strength of the evidence does not depend exclusively on the appearance of that signature: authentications, records, the final document, and other process information are also relevant.

After completion, preserve the final electronic version and the report generated by the platform. Avoid recreating the document by printing or altering the file if this could eliminate or compromise information related to signatures.

Does a digital signature platform guarantee legal validity?

Not automatically. A platform provides the technological means to record signatures, authentication, and evidence, but the validity of a document also depends on the expression of will, integrity, the capacity of the parties, and the formalities required for that transaction.

Provisional Measure No. 2.200-2/2001 establishes the effects of documents produced with ICP-Brasil certification and, in article 10, § 2, admits other means of proving authorship and integrity when accepted by the parties or by whoever receives the document.

Law No. 14.063/2020, in turn, distinguishes between simple, advanced, and qualified signatures. Therefore, choosing the appropriate level is more important than generically stating that any signature made on a platform has exactly the same degree of security or probative value.

This distinction also helps to understand ZapSign's recent evolution as a Certification Authority. Becoming part of ICP-Brasil does not replace the other signature methods that already existed on the platform; it adds additional infrastructure for cases where a certificate and identity within this chain of trust are required.

When choosing a digital signature platform, compare not only price and document quantity, but also evidence, authentication, security, integration, and the experience of the person actually signing. To test ZapSign, You can select the free plan and get started here..

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