Chasing down wet-ink signatures slows every contract down. An electronic signature lets you sign — and get signed — in minutes instead of days, without printing or scanning anything.
What Is an Electronic Signature and Is It Legally Binding?
An electronic signature is any electronic mark that indicates a person's intent to sign a document — typed text, a drawn signature, or an uploaded image. In most jurisdictions, including under the U.S. ESIGN Act and the EU's eIDAS regulation, electronic signatures are legally binding as long as intent and consent to sign electronically can be shown.
When Do You Need an Electronic Signature?
Contracts, NDAs, offer letters, and vendor agreements are the most common cases — anywhere a physical signature would otherwise require printing, signing, scanning, and emailing back. Electronic signatures are especially valuable when multiple parties in different locations need to sign the same document quickly.
How to Add an Electronic Signature to a PDF
First decide where the signature goes and how it will be created (drawing it by hand, typing your name in a script font, or uploading an image of your signature). Upload your PDF to a signing tool, place your signature in the right spot, and save the signed copy. Before you sign, always confirm you're looking at the final version of the document — re-signing after last-minute edits is a hassle worth avoiding.
Once everything is signed, manage who can view the document and how widely it's shared — that's just as important for security as the signature itself. With these steps in place, you can turn a multi-day paper trail into a process that takes minutes.