EchoSign White Paper:
Empowering Business Performance with
Contract Signature Automation
EchoSign White Paper: Empowering Business Performance with Contract Signature Automation
2
www.echosign.com
August 2007
Contents
Executive Summary: Why e-Signatures, Why Now?................................................. 3
The Benefit of Signature Automation in the Enterprise: Operational Efficiency,
Visibility, and Reduced Revenue Cycles...................................................................... 4
Critical Criteria For Evaluating Signature Automation Applications ........................... 5
What is Unique About EchoSign’s Application?..........................................................6
EchoSign for Salesforce.com.......................................................................................9
For More Information ...............................................................................................10
EchoSign White Paper: Empowering Business Performance with Contract Signature Automation
3
www.echosign.com
August 2007
Executive Summary:
Why e-Signatures, Why Now?
e-Signatures represent an inexpensive and automated way to finalize contracts and
conduct business amongst trading partners. This technology empowers those who
want to expediently close business deals, as customers can sign on the “virtual
dotted line” in the blink of an eye. For several years, legislation in the US, Canada,
the EU, and the UK has permitted the use of electronic signatures:
US: The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (“E-
Signature Act”) became effective in the US on October 1, 2000.
European Union: The 1999/93/EC Directive on Electronic Signatures was
signed in December 1999 to establish a common framework for electronic
signatures.
UK: The UK has adopted and implemented certain provisions of the EU’s
Electronic Commerce Directive in the Electronic Communications Act 2000,
which makes e-signatures legally admissible in the UK.
So if e-signatures have been le