face-to-face signing

One of SigniFlow's groundbreaking features added in 2016, Face-to-Face Signing entails the conversion of an electronic signature (usually created with a mouse, signature pad, tablet or smartphone) into a cryptographic digital signature. In other words, this powerful tool takes a simple drawn electronic mark and turns it into a fully-fledged, legally certifiable digital signature with all the security and non-repudiation benefits that come with it.

Face-to-Face signatures are produced in the presence of a SigniFlow user, who then also signs the document with their SigniFlow digital signature as a witness. Face-to-Face (in the physical presence of the other person/s) signing gives the SigniFlow user the opportunity to witness any third party person signing a document electronically during the same signing session. 

Face-to-Face signatures are well suited to agreements that need to be signed in the presence of a witness, for instance contractual signing between an attorney and his client, or contracts prescribed by Law (i.e National Credit Act) requiring the presence of a witness. 

To set up a Face-to-Face signature (predefined, follow these steps: 

1. Follow the steps of creating a new workflow up to Step 3: Set up your workflow.
2. Click on Add Face-to-Face.
   
   

3. You will be prompted to add a signer. This is usually the witness, which can be yourself or another signer.  As per the normal workflow process, you can also add yourself, an approver or viewer - or a combination of these.

4. Once you have set up all the necessary recipients and actions, click Go to Doc Prepper.  

5. In Doc Prepper, you can add the third party (Face-to-Face) and witness (signature) fields.
   NOTE: It is possible for multiple Face-to-Face signatories to sign with just one SigniFlow user as witness. In this case, you would  simply drag and drop as many Face-to-Face fields  (signature and/or initial) as necessary, with the single signature field for the witness. 

   

6. In the example above, an employment contract, the SigniFlow user and witness is the employer (top signature field), and there are two Face-to-Face signature fields for two individual employees. 

   NOTE: You can add an Initial field for the Face-to-Face signer/signers too, but (in version 3.2) you can only add one field, which means all Face-to-Face signers will need to initial in one modal during the signing process. For more on how to set up this and other fields, see the article on Doc Prepper.

   Initialling has no legal implications and is purely for practical/personal purposes. See the article on Initialling a document for the history behind initialling, and for more info. 

7. Click the Release Document button in the right-hand actions column to send your document to the designated witness/witnesses for signing.

8. The recipient/s will be able to open the document, sign it with their SigniFlow signature, and have the face-to-face signee sign the document in their presence. 

9. The signing process for Face-to-Face fields is different to the normal SigniFlow signing process (for example, there is an order in which signatures must be applied). 

   NOTE:  The Face-to-Face feature allows businesses to activate an OTP (one-time pin), which is sent to the mobile number of the signatory at  he time of signing (only available to SigniFlow Business users).

Ad hoc face-to-face signing

predifined face-to-face signing

group signing

Group Signing is a parallel workflow feature that allows you to set up a group of users - for instance a list of mandated directors or a sales department - where any number of specified users from the group can sign the document.

For example, let's say there are four directors of a company who have signed a mandate authorising them to sign annual facility letters, but the bank only requires signatures from two directors. The bank would then set up a group called something like “Company Directors”, and load all four directors as signers. The document is prepared with two signature fields and sent to all directors simultaneously. As soon as any two of the ten have signed, the workflow is complete (or, depending on how it is set up, it may continue to completion).

What makes SignFlow’s Group Signing feature unique, is the fact that it allows a combination of sequential and parallel workflow – also known as Advanced Routing – which lets users combine individual signers and group sign-offs, in a single workflow configuration (see Step 2, point 10). 

This is how it works:

Step 1 - Set up Document Information as per normal procedure:

1. Go to Create New to start a new workflow
2. Upload: Click to import your document, select the document you wish to send to the designated group
3. Document Info: Enter document information including (where applicable) Priority, Due Date, etc and click Proceed

Step 2 - Set up your parallel workflow (group):

When you get to the third step of setting up a workflow - i.e. eSign Workflow, where you add signers - you will notice a new icon, Add Group:

1. Click the Add Group icon 
2. A dialogue box requiring 3 information fields from you will pop up:
   
   

   For the sake of this example, my group is called Company Directors and I require only two out of four directors to sign the document. 

3. Enter the name you wish to assign to the group in the Group Name box
4. Enter the number of signatures your document requires for validation in the Required number of signatures box
5. Select the Action Required (Sign Document/Approve Document)
6. Click Next

   The next dialogue box you will see will look like this: 

   

    

7. Fill in the details of the first mandated signer and click Add User (or Add Yourself, if applicable, and the relevant info will auto-populate)

8. If all details are correct, you will get a message saying "User added successfully" and, as you continue to users, they will be added to a list at the bottom of the information fields 

9. When you have added all of the mandated signers for the group in question (in this case, four, as in the image below), click Add Group

   

   You will be taken back to the New Workflow page, which will display the group you have just set up:

   
10. You can now either release the document (via Doc Prepper, or Skip Doc Prepper) or combine the parallel (group) workflow you have just set up with a sequential workflow by going into further options, i.e. Add Yourself, Add Signer, Add Face-to-Face, Add Approver or Add Viewer (Advanced Routing)

As soon as two of the four designated signers have signed the document, you will receive a Group Workflow completed email, indicating who has been notified, as well as which two of the four directors signed the document, which will look like this:

No Video Please Refer To Text Guide

Docprepper

Let's go through the Doc Prepper process, after which you will release your document and the workflow process will be complete.

So, you clicked Go to Doc Prepper at the end of the Create New Workflow process and now have a page that looks something like the image below (your document thumbnail and image on the left; and your field options on the right) in front of you: 

Step one is to choose the user you want to action the document. You simply click on the relevant name. 

Now, going through step two for each of the four sub-sections: 

1. Signature Placing

There are two options here: Signature Field (left icon) and Initial Field (right icon). A signature field is the graphical representation of the signer’s signature - either in the form of a font-based signature or a custom signature. This field is not resizable and is a standard 250 x 150 pixels. An initial field is a shortened version of a full signature, representing the initials of the person

1.1 Signature Field 

1. Click on the name of the signer (Choose a person, in the image below)
2. Click on an action tag (Signature Field or Initial Field).
   The action tag will appear on the left-hand side of the document. 
3. Drag the action tag to the desired location and size it as needed.
4. Click Click to Affix to secure the field in this position. 
5. Once the box is affixed, it will read "[name of signer] SIGN HERE".
6. You can redo the placing if you make a mistake at any time (before releasing the document), by clicking the X on the top right of the signature box, and starting over.
7. Repeat this for each person that needs to sign the document. 

1.2 Initial Field 

Initialling was historically used to bind contract pages together into one document to prevent pages being added after all the parties had initialled and signed the document. 

Strictly speaking, the initial is a mark, and therefore one would think it constitutes a form of “signature”, but we are yet to find reference to it in law. We can therefore draw the conclusion that the initial is nothing more than a method to bind the agreement together. In the electronic world - and especially using SigniFlow digital signatures - the document is locked for editing and becomes tamper-evident after signing, thereby eliminating the need for initialling.

Using the initialling option, you can have the signer initial on every page, or selected pages. This function does not make use of cryptographic digital signatures; it simply applies an image of the initial to the document where it is applied. This type of signature is still an electronic signature, which is binding and auditable via the audit log in SigniFlow.

Although redundant in the world of digital signatures, SigniFlow offers this service to its users in the form of an electronic signature.

The SigniFlow team added initialling for two reasons:

1. It caters for customers that are accustomed to seeing initialling on pages, and who want to keep this culture going on electronically-signed documents.

2. Because the initial is an electronic signature, it places far less overheads on the document. It is recommended that initials are used instead of overloading a document with digital signature fields, which will slow the signing experience down.

This is how it works:

1. Click the name of the person you need to initial a page/pages (unless already selected).
2. A square pink box will appear on the left-hand side of your document.
3. Drag this to where you want the person to initial, and drop. 
4. You will be asked whether you want to apply this initial field to all pages. 
5. If you select Yes, the initial box will be duplicated automatically on all pages of the document, in the same position on each page.
6. Select No if you only require the recipient to initial the current page. 
7. Once you have selected Yes or No, the Initial Field is applied and the arrow icon in the initial box will be replaced by "INI".
8. If you want to remove the initial field, you can do so by clicking on the red X in the top-right corner. If you have set the initial field for all pages, you will be given the option of removing the field from all pages, or just the current page.

2. Form Field Placing

There are five different options here, as per the five icons. From left to right, these are: Mandatory Open Text Field; Non-Mandatory Open Text Field; Checkbox Field; Checkbox Group and Dropdown Field.  

2.1 Mandatory Open Text Field

1. Click the name of the person you need to fill in the mandatory text field (unless already selected).
2. As with Signature Placing, the text box (which, unlike a signature field, you can resize) will appear on the left-hand side of the document.
3. Move the Mandatory Text Field box to the correct place on the document and size it to your liking. 
4. Click to affix.
5. In the image below, Company Name and Registration Number are mandatory text fields, and the user will not be able to move on to signing the document without filling these in.

NOTE: When resizing the text box, bear in mind the amount of information that is expected to be filled in. If the box is too small for the information that needs to be entered, some of the text will be hidden.

2.2 Non-Mandatory (optional) Open Text Field

Take the same steps as in 1. Mandatory Open Text Field above. 

The difference with this form field is, as the name suggests, the recipient does not have to fill it in, and will be able to move on to signing the document without doing so, should they so wish. 

Examples of when you may use this include when you are asking for a voluntary opinion or comment, or when there is information that needs to be optional, like Fax Number. 

2.3 Checkbox Field

1. Again, first click on the name of the signer, unless already selected.
2. Click on the Checkbox Field icon.
3. The checkbox will appear on the left-hand side of the document.
4. Unlike text fields, this box cannot be resized, and is affixed automatically when you drag it to the desired location on the document and release. (You can still redo this as many times as you want, using the X.)

NOTE: This is a non-mandatory/optional field and users do not need to tick this in order to move on to signing. Do not use this when there is information you must get from the signer. 

2.4 Checkbox Group (mandatory fields)

Use these when you need to get compulsory information from a document recipient, and when the recipient needs to choose between different prescribed options (e.g. "Yes", "No", "Unsure"). Depending on the way you configure these fields, they can replace radio buttons.

1. Again, first click on the name of the signer if not already selected.
2. Clicking on the Checkbox Group icon brings up a menu (as in the image below), which gives you 3 options, i.e. Add Checkbox, Save Checkbox Group & Cancel Checkbox Group.
   
   

3. Click Add Checkbox.
4. The checkbox will appear on the left-hand side of the document.
5. Again, this box cannot be resized, and is affixed automatically when you drag it to the desired location on the document and release. (You can still redo this as many times as you want, using the X.)
6. Repeat this process, placing as many boxes as are needed in the desired locations. In the example below, I require six checkboxes for three statements the recipient must respond to, each with a "Yes" and "No" option.

   NB: When placing checkboxes, be sure to make sure they do not overlap any text on the document. We recommend using double-line spacing in between options if you are working with a Word document that will include checkboxes (this will ensure the boxes don't eclipse any text).

7. Clicking Cancel Checkbox Group will take you back to where you have to click on the name of the signer, and you will have to start the checkbox group process again. 

8. Once you have placed all the checkboxes you need to, click Save Checkbox Group.

9. The Checkbox Group Settings box (below) will immediately pop up:

   
10. Enter the minimum and maximum number of checkboxes you need to be ticked by the signer. (The signer will not be able to move on to signing if these are not ticked, or if the incorrect number has been ticked. The system will prompt and guide the document recipient as to the correct number of boxes to tick, as well as alert them to the fact that they need to choose between the different options. 

Click Save Settings.

2.5 Dropdown Field (mandatory)

Again, this field must be filled in by the recipient, otherwise they cannot move on to signing. It helps you ensure recipients don't fill in unwanted answers on your document/contract. 

In the example below, an insurance company needs to know what kind of insurance the signer is interested in. The document originator simply needs to ask a question (on the document) and provide dropdown fields with a variety of possible answers (in the dropdown field in DocPrepper). 

1. Click on the signer's name if need be.
2. Click on the Dropdown Field icon.
3. A single text box will appear on the left-hand side of the document. 
4. Move the box to the desired location (next to the question or statement that needs to be responded to). You can resize this according to your text length.
   
   
5. As soon as you click Click to affix, the Add Values to Dropdown field box will appear:
   
   
6. Start by filling in the first option, in the box under Please Select.
7. Click the blue + icon (Add line) to bring up the next box, and fill in the next option you want to appear on the signer's dropdown field.
8. Repeat this process until all the options you wish to include are completed. You can delete your entries at any time by clicking on the reddelete icon.

   NOTE: While you can enter as many dropdown options as you wish, we recommend keeping it to a maximum of ten, to avoid the box eclipsing any of the other text on the document.

9. Click Save.

3. Set User Info Fields

There are four different options (pre-populated fields) here, as per the icons above. From left to right, these are: Name Field, Date Field, Email Address and Contact Number.

3.1 Name Field

This is where the name of the signer that is signing the document, as entered when they’ve registered on the SigniFlow system, will go. This is a resizable field.

3.2 Date Field

This field will ultimately show the date the document was signed. You will notice when setting up your document in DocPrepper, that the date will initially be shown as the date the field was placed. As soon as the recipient signs the document, this changes to the signing date. 

NOTE: This date is received from our servers, and not the local machine. This is a security feature preventing users from turning back their local clocks and signing documents in the past

3.3 Email Address

The signer's email address, as entered when the user registered on the SigniFlow system, will be pre-populated in this field. This is a resizable field.

3.4 Contact Number

The signer’s telephone number, as entered when the user registered on the SigniFlow system, will be pre-populated in this field. This is a resizable field.

The steps for all of the above user info fields are the same. You can use all or some of these when setting up a workflow - or you may choose to use none.

1. Click on the name of the person you want to place the info field for.
2. The info field box will appear on the left-hand side of the document, with a "Click to Affix" box in the middle. 
3. Drag the field box to the desired location and size it as needed. 
4. Click Click to Affix to secure the field in this position. You can redo the placing if you make a mistake at any time, by clicking the X on the top right of the box, and starting over.

4. Face-to-Face Fields

Face-to-Face gives the signer the opportunity to witness a third party signing a document with an electronic signature (created with a mouse, signature pad, tablet or smartphone), which SigniFlow then converts into a certified cryptographic digital signature. These signatures are produced in the presence of a SigniFlow user, who then also signs the document with their SigniFlow digital signature, positioning them as a witness.

Face-to-face signatures are ideal for agreements that need to be signed in the presence of a witness, for instance contractual signing between an attorney and his client, or contracts prescribed by Law (i.e National Credit Act) requiring the presence of a witness. These signatures are compliant with Law and can legally replace wet ink signatures.

You can place either a Face-to-Face Signature Field (left icon) or a Face-to-Face Initial Field (right icon): 

4.1 Face-to-Face Signature Field

1. Click on the name of the person you want to place the Face-to-Face Signature Field for.
2. The Face-to-Face Signature Field box will appear on the left-hand side of the document, with a "Click to Affix" box in the middle. 
3. Drag the field box to the desired location (it is not resizable).  
4. Click Click to Affix to secure the field in this position. 
5. Once affixed, the box will read "Face-to-Face Signee". 
6. Repeat this process for as many third-party signers as you require. 
7. You can redo the placing if you make a mistake at any time (before releasing the document), by clicking the X on the top right of the box, and starting over.

4.2 Face-to-Face Initial Field

1. Click the name of the person you need to initial a page/pages.
2. A square pink box will appear on the left-hand side of your document.
3. Drag this to where you want the person to initial, and drop (this is not a resizable field). 
4. You will be asked whether you want to apply this initial field to all pages. 
5. If you select Yes, the initial box will be duplicated automatically on all pages of the document, in the same position on each page.
6. Select No if you only require the recipient to initial the current page. 
7. Once you have selected Yes or No, the Initial Field is applied and the arrow icon in the initial box will be replaced by "INI".
8. If you want to remove the initial field, you can do so by clicking on the red X in the top-right corner. If you have set the initial field for all pages, you will be given the option of removing the field from all pages, or just the current page.

Step 3: Apply/save a template

The last thing you need to consider before moving on, is whether you want to save your document (including the various fields you have applied) as a template. that you can apply to the same document, for different signers, instead of redoing the whole process in future. 

If you choose to save your document as a template (left icon with up arrow), the template will remain exactly the same - with all of the same options - regardless of who you send it to. This feature is ideal for static application forms and contracts, where the only thing that differs in each case, is the signer. 

1. Click the Save as Template icon.
2. If you belong to a business profile, you will need to select the pre-defined group you want the template to be stored in.
3. If you are a private user, step two does not apply.
4. Type in the relevant template name and click on the blue + to confirm the name.
5. Click Save.

The Load a Template option is what you would use on landing on the DocPrepper page, before placing any fields. All of the templates you saved, as in Save as Template above, will appear in the Please Select drop-down menu in the Load Document Template box that pops up when you click the icon. Again, only if you belong to a business profile will you see the top bar with drop-down group options. 

1. Click the Load a Template icon.
2. Click on the top box to select the group to which your saved template belongs (if applicable). 
3. Click on the Please Select box and select the template you wish to apply.
4. Click Load.

The selected template will be applied to the document and you will have saved yourself a heap of time, seeing as you did not have to go through the process of clicking, placing, sizing and affixing all the relevant fields again. 

Below is an example of a saved template that was loaded on the same document going to a different signer. It gives an idea of the time-saving value this feature holds:

And that's it - you've just experienced some of the digital power, speed and efficiency SigniFlow has to offer. All that's left to do, is send your document out...

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