Docusign seems to be the most popular and trusted digital signature system for automated or online systems. The reason there are multiple words used is because there are many variations for what people consider a system and how and where these electronic systems signatures can be used.
They can be used with both Online Systems for process management, as well as systems that are managed on a network, not online or accessible via an Internet Account.
Examples where E-Signature Systems work best:
Online process systems – such as a School Application for College or any system that requires understanding and acknowledgement where an agreement exists and a person must sign their name saying they agree to whatever is offered – usually a contract.
It seems these systems are best used when an entire system goes through a systems management process that follows contracting laws where terms are consolidated and agreed upon using a few signatures.
Systems Integration is important because when there are multiple accounts, companies, institutions, agencies, or people, then all agreements must make sense, share optimized and accurate data, not conflict, and can and should be easily consolidated for an overall agreement that includes all systems involved.
This type of integration does not yet exist.
Since systems are not yet integrated, the people on the contract (usually account holders, students, all people that use online systems) read a page on a screen and click a button, affirming truth, or agreement; a promise to pay, participate, or follow the rules or terms of the agreement. This approach became routine and many words were ignored, especially when things were built on an honor system – causing many fraudulent transactions and dishonest dealings or lack of follow up, or odd follow ups with threats and other bad management tactics. Dishonesty was and is not the only reason; standardized contracting and agreements, using a standard process by all online systems who create or make terms and conditions beyond more than just money. If they are all different, then it shows severe disorganization in American Business, Law, and Finance, as well as a non-successful approach to management of contracts. If standardized, organized and individualized, without connections to each other, then it requires several humans to coordinate data sharing and verification tasks, using the mail, the phone, and other mean ways of that which a computer is most qualified and more efficient to handle.
Example: A person agrees to loan a person a large sum of money to accomplish something. They agree that the person must stay in school and pay an unknown amount of money, at a set interest rate, 6 months AFTER they finish, on a known income or salary, which is subject to change. Both parties agree. Family Law is similar, where financial agreements are based on a known income (by the courthouse and processing agencies). Neither systems receive information from each other and require the student to update everyone.
This causes a heavy burden on the student, especially if threatening letters are sent that says one agency can take all of the student’s money. This approach shows an unsupportive system seeking to cause homelessness, educational failure, and has no real reason, other than lack of leadership, systems integration, proper and correct legal writing, and reasonability.