How to Sign a Document on Your Computer (Step-by-Step Guide)

Are you tired of using pen and paper to sign a document? Gone are the days when people printed out and then scanned documents to add a signature to them. Thanks to technological advancements, the process of signing a document is much easier.

Many large and medium-sized businesses have started migrating to digitizing all their business operations. With just a computer, it is possible to append an electronic signature on a document from anywhere in the world.

In this article, we will take the time to give you a step-by-step guide on how you can sign a document on your computer. First, you have to know what an electronic signature is and how you can generate one.

Electronic Signatures

An e-signature is a signature drawn on an electronic document by the use of any electronic device. Unlike the signing of physical papers, the use of e-signatures is way cheaper and quicker. No paperwork and stamping is required here.

With the use of an electronic signature, you can create agreements and contracts in minutes. At this point, you must be thinking that creating an e-signature needs one to have some programming knowledge. 

Well, that might be true until you learn about online e-sign generator sites. Nowadays, there are numerous e-sign providers that you can find on the internet. Choosing the most reliable one is crucial to prevent your documents from falling into the wrong hands or somebody forging the signature. 

With a site like CocoSign, you will be amazed at how easily you can create a legally binding electronic signature. 

CocoSign is a known player when it comes to collecting and appending electronic signatures on documents. It is a cloud-based software which means that you can access it from anywhere with your computer. 

This ensures that none of your business operations are halted. CocoSign boasts of a vast cloud storage space that uses military-grade encryption links to keep your documents safe. So you do not have to worry that confidential information will be tampered with. 

CocoSign adopts a user-friendly interface that makes the signing of documents look like a breeze in its usage. As if that is not enough, it can support multiple file formats, unlike other players in the market. 

Some of the supported file formats include Word, Excel, PNG, and JPG documents. So if you are looking to create a professional signature, this is the platform for you.

Signing a Document Online

Signing a document online is simple when using a reliable e-sign generator software. Below, we have broken down the steps needed to sign a document using a computer. For demonstration purposes, we are going to use CocoSign.

Step 1: Setting up an account

The first step is setting up an account on the official CocoSign website. CocoSign offers its users a free 14-day trial period. After the expiry of this period, you will need to subscribe to a service plan. Don’t worry, though. It’s cheap, and you only pay yearly. 

Step 2: Upload the document

Once you have the account in place, head to the e-signature feature provided by CocoSign. To upload the document, use the drag and drop feature to move it in the highlighted area. Alternatively, click the “Choose File” button or directly upload from Google Drive, One Drive, or Dropbox.

Step 3: Sign the document

The third step is now signing the document. For this, you first have to choose the signature type. Then with the help of a mouse, a trackpad, or an electronic pen, easily craft a signature for free.

Once this is done, go ahead to place the signature anywhere on the document. If drawing one seems to be a challenge, CocoSign provides ready-made signature templates that you can utilize. 

Once you are satisfied with the signature, click on the “Next” button to permanently save the changes. At this point, you can also invite other parties to sign the document via their emails. CocoSign has a feature for that too. 

Step 4: Get the document

After everyone has signed the document, you will get an alert. It’s also possible to view the progress on your dashboard. You can download by just clicking the “Download” button, send it via email or upload to your preferred cloud storage. 

CocoSign will also safely store the files for you. 

Importance of Electronic Signatures

Numerous advantages come with signing a document online. Some of the main benefits include:

Saves Time

With electronic signatures, the signing of documents is carried out virtually. Therefore, you do not have to spend time going to your colleague to present them with the documents physically. In this way, you spend your time only on the things that matter.

With a site like CocoSign, you can easily share documents via email and get them signed by everyone concerned. 

Saves Money

Unlike the physical signing of documents, an electronic signature does not need any paperwork. This means that money used on buying papers is saved for other essential business operations. 

What is more, e-signatures will help you cut down on printing and even shipping costs. With CocoSign, the need for hiring a professional to manage your documents is also eliminated. 

Enhances Professionalism

Imagine this. You have finally closed the deal on that project. You go to the CocoSign website without wasting time, and free append your first e-signature on the contract. Once that is done, you send the contract to the other parties to get their signatures.

This quick and effective way of doing business creates an impression of professionalism to the other parties involved. This goes a long way in growing your business.

More Secure

It is next to impossible for anyone to forge an electronic signature. Moreover, electronic signatures come with timestamps that help know who signed a document and at what time. In short, there are digital footprints here, and CocoSign offers an audit trail. 

Conclusion

We have attempted to give you all the information you need to sign on to your computer. We have proved that signing a document online is not a process that requires you to be a tech pro. All you need is a reliable e-signature generator site to do the job for you.

With a site like CocoSign, anyone can create professional electronic signatures in just a few clicks. So hop onto the bandwagon and start signing your documents online.