Use MeSign App to digitally sign document and contract locallyComplete digital signature locally without uploading documents to be signed to the e-signature platform.

1. Document E-signature Introduction

At present, all kinds of PDF documents were basically not digitally signed. These documents with no digital signatures are untrustworthy documents, because anyone can easily publish such documents by impersonating as an organization, or even anyone can counterfeit and tamper with the documents published by the government. Therefore, the electronic documents do not have trusted identity is not only an issue of compliance, but also a security risk. These electronic documents are easy to deceive people, make them lose money and even endanger their life. Therefore, the publisher of the document should pay high attention on this issue.

Adobe officially released PDF format files in 1992 to vigorously promote the electronization of documents. In 1999, Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader began to support digital signature technologies, intended to promote the credibility of electronic documents. According to the introduction on Adobe website, Electronic Signature is a broad term referring to any electronic process that indicates acceptance of an agreement or a record. Typical e-signature solutions use common electronic authentication methods to verify signer identity, such as an email address, a corporate ID, or a phone PIN. If increased security is needed, multifactor authentication may be used. The best e-signature solutions demonstrate proof of signing using a secure process that includes an audit trail along with the final document.

But, if the user sets to use the graphic of the handwritten signature, electronic signature has a problem that it is impossible to verify whether the graphic of the handwritten signature is indeed the signature of the signer. The signing parties of the contract only either trust the signature graphic or verify the authenticity of the signature graphic by other means. This is the deficiency of the electronic signature.

Digital Signature is one specific type of electronic signature, which is an improved and more reliable electronic signature. Digital signature use certificate-based digital IDs to authenticate signer identity and demonstrate proof of signing by binding each signature to the document with encryption, there is no need to include an audit trail along with the final document. The signer’s identity validation occurs through trusted certificate authorities (CAs) or trust service providers (TSPs).

MeSignDoc Services only support digital signature, and does not provide electronic signature, because we believe that only validating the signer’s email address is not enough, especially for online electronic contract signings that do not meet in person, the real identity of the signer must be validated. MeSignDoc service automatically configures Adobe global trusted PDF signing certificate for each signer to digitally sign PDF documents, including electronic contracts.

2. How to use the Document Signing

MeSign App is not only a free email client software, but also a document e-signing and encryption tool, it provides one-click document digital signature services and document encryption services for users that have purchased MeSignDoc service, which meet user's demands on trusted paperless application.

Users do not need to spend time and money to apply the Adobe trusted PDF signing certificate from a CA, and they do not have to worry about how to manage the certificate and how to use the signing certificate in the Adobe Reader. As long as they use Document Signing function, the documents can be digitally signed by Adobe global trusted PDF signing certificate automatically with Adobe LTV (Long Term Validation) feature and attached Adobe trusted timestamps signature automatically.

MeSignDoc services enable each document has a trusted identity, which makes users easy to identify whether the identity of the document is fake or not at a glance, so that it can completely solve the problem of the document fraud and protect the user's personal property and personal safety. For the publication of government documents, displaying the authentic identity information of the publishing organization is helpful to prevent counterfeiting and the tampering of official documents; for the release of business documents, displaying the authentic identity information of the document publisher can effectively enhance the document trust and promote more business cooperation.

MeSignDoc services provide document single signer signing services. Users only need to select the "Document Signing" in the menu and select the local PDF file to be signed to complete the digital signing by one-click. Before agreeing to sign the document, users can choose the different methods of document encryption: Unencrypted; Encrypted (Readable for myself only); Encrypted (Readable for specified persons). This function can effectively prevent confidential document to be leaked, but it does not affect the person who has the right to read this document to decrypt it unintentionally.

Unintentional decryption means that the authorized reader can directly open and read the encrypted document by using the Adobe Reader smoothly, and the user is not aware that the document is encrypted, because the Adobe Reader can automatically decrypt the document with the encryption certificate automatically. However, for the readers who do not have the right to read this document will be notified from Adobe Reader that "This document is encrypted by a digital certificate, but there is no digital certificate for decrypting this document." MeSign uses the same encryption technologies on document encryption and email encryption by using public key for encryption and private key for decryption.

When encrypting a document, users can also choose whether to add a watermark using the email address of the person who has the right to read this document as anti-screenshot and anti-photograph protection, which can effectively track the path of leakage of confidential information in the encrypted document and reduce the risk of leakage of confidential information. This protection measure is more guaranteed than the traditional management of paper confidential documents, and effectively solves the risk of leakage of paper confidential documents being copied and photographed.

The system will lock the document after signing by default, so that re-signing on that document is not allowed. It is optional for users to allow re-signing after the signing, and if so, please remember to unselect this option. This function can be used in situations that require multiple signatures, such as, manually signing a contract or agreement, the user firstly signs by the MeSign App, and sends it to other signers, and the other signers can use MeSign App or Adobe Reader to sign it. Or sometimes it is necessary to sign the organization's e-seal first, and then attach a personal e-signature . These application scenarios require that the document is not locked after the first signing, but only locked the document after the last signing. Please note, the first signing will use the certifying signature method, and the signer’s identity information will be displayed on the top of the document. As shown below:

3. How to use the Contract Signing function

For small and medium-sized enterprises that only need to sign a small number of electronic contracts, it is recommended to use the MeSign App to manually sign electronic contracts. Users can purchase the Pro Edition service with unlimited number of signings per year, or the Starter Edition service with 20 signings. After completing the identity validation as required, they can use the document signing service to complete the electronic contract signing. MeSignDoc service uses digital signature and does not provide electronic signature method to sign contract that only validate the signer's email address, because the true identity of the signer is very important for signing the contract. After the signer completes the identity validation, MeSignDoc service will automatically configure Adobe global trusted PDF signing certificate for each contract signer for free to digitally sign the contract.

MeSign App (an email client) integrates document signing function, providing global users with a one-stop e-contract signing service based on email transmission, which ensures that the entire process of e-contract signing is encrypted, and the signed contract file are encrypted stored in the user’s mail server. The contract signing initiator must use the MeSign App to sign the contract, then send it to another signer, all contract signers also must use MeSign App to sign the contract, to guarantee the entire process of contract signing can be encrypted, ensuring the security of personal privacy and commercial confidential information in the contract. The contract e-signing is completed by the MeSign App on the user's computer, and it do not upload the original contract to the e-signature platform, protecting the confidential information in the contract effectively.

Using MeSign APP to sign the electronic contract, the signing process is the same as the paper contract signing process. User completes the digital signature locally on his computer, which is equivalent to the stamping or handwritten signing process of a paper contract, and then the "stamped or signed" contract can be sent to the other party for signature in various ways, and it is recommended to send it by encrypted email. The user does not need to upload the contract to be signed to the e-contract signing service platform to sign in order to protect the confidential information of the contract.

The process of the e-contract signing by using MeSign APP is proceeded based on the email transmission, as long as all signatories can receive email, the contract signing can be done by themselves. This solution is especially suitable for the users who use emails for business communications. These users can complete the e-contract signing instantly by clicking the contract files attached on the email. MeSign contract e-signature service is not only suitable for the signing e-commerce contracts, but also very suitable for cross border trading and cooperation contract and agreement signing with China partners, to achieve global business contract signing and global legal effect.

Users can not only use MeSign APP for signing various commercial contracts manually, but also can use it for signing employment agreements, just need to buy the Employee Signing Service. As long as the employee finish the employee identity validation, then all employees can use MeSign APP to finish the employment agreement with encryption for the entire signing process.

4. How to use Approval Signing

The Approval Signing is used for the approval of office documents and is very suitable for digital signatures of office documents that require approval. Users can use the "Approval Signing" function of the "E-sign" menu to complete the approval signing of office documents. It is especially suitable for office approval of government agencies and enterprises. Users can use MeSign App to implement approval signatures after purchasing the MeSignDoc service, which completely solves the problem of printing paper documents and manual signatures for office approval, and completely realizes the legal effect of paperless office approval signatures and has non-repudiation and non-tampering. At the same time, each approval signing is attached with a timestamp signature, which can effectively prove that the approval time is trusted and undeniable.

The “Document Signing” in the “E-sign” service menu in MeSign App refers to the document digital signature service of one signatory, and the signature of internal document approval is more than two signatories, so we call it as "Approval Signing". Since approval signing is generally multi-party signatures, the approval signature like contract signing is used. All parties who approve the office document must be MeSign App users, and they must have purchased document digital signature services. Organization users must purchase the employee signing services for users with approval signing need. There is a fixed annual fee and no limit on the number of approval signing.

5. The signed PDF file sample download

Please click to download various types of signed documents sample files:
Single Signing (Organization) Single Signing with Encryption Signed document has been tampered with (Organization) two signers signed (one use MeSign App, another use Adobe Reader)

Please click to download the signed contract sample files:
Two companies One company and one individual