E-Signature Glossary

A

Advanced Electronic Signature (AES)

An electronic signature that is uniquely linked to and capable of identifying the signatory, created using data under the signatory's sole control, and linked to the signed data so that any subsequent change is detectable.

Audit Trail

A chronological record of all actions taken during a document signing process — including who accessed, viewed, signed, and completed the document, along with timestamps and IP addresses — providing evidence of the signing process.

B

Biometric Signature

An electronic signature that captures biometric data from the signing act — such as writing speed, pressure, stroke patterns, or fingerprint data — providing strong evidence of signer identity.

Bulk Send

The ability to send the same document template to a large number of individual recipients simultaneously, with each recipient receiving their own personalized copy for signing.

C

Certificate Authority (CA)

A trusted organization that verifies identities and issues digital certificates, which bind a signer's identity to their cryptographic public key, forming the trust foundation for digital signatures.

D

Digital Signature

A cryptographic mechanism that uses public key infrastructure (PKI) to verify the authenticity and integrity of a document, providing mathematical proof that the document has not been altered.

Document Workflow

The end-to-end process of creating, routing, reviewing, signing, and storing a document, often automated through a platform that manages each step and tracks progress.

E

E-Signature vs Digital Signature

E-signature is the broad legal concept of signing electronically, while a digital signature is the specific cryptographic technology that can be used to implement a secure e-signature.

eIDAS Regulation

The EU regulation (No 910/2014) on electronic identification and trust services, establishing a legal framework for electronic signatures, seals, timestamps, and delivery services across all EU member states.

Electronic Signature

A digital indication of a person's intent to agree to the content of a document, applied electronically rather than with a handwritten signature.

Envelope

A container in e-signature platforms that groups one or more documents with their associated recipients, signing fields, and workflow settings into a single signing transaction.

ESIGN Act

The U.S. federal law (Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act of 2000) that grants electronic signatures and records the same legal validity as handwritten signatures and paper documents in interstate and foreign commerce.

G

H

Hash Function

A cryptographic algorithm that converts any input data into a fixed-length string (hash), used in digital signatures to create a unique fingerprint of a document that changes if even one character is modified.

I

Identity Verification

The process of confirming a signer's identity before they can sign a document, using methods such as email verification, SMS codes, knowledge-based authentication, or government ID checks.

L

Legal Validity of Electronic Signatures

The principle that electronic signatures are legally enforceable and admissible as evidence, as established by laws like the eIDAS Regulation, ESIGN Act, and UETA, with validity depending on the type of signature and the jurisdiction.

N

Non-Repudiation

A security property that ensures a signer cannot credibly deny having signed a document, achieved through cryptographic evidence, identity verification, and comprehensive audit trails.

O

OTP Verification

A two-factor authentication method where a one-time password is sent to the signer's phone via SMS or authentication app, providing additional identity assurance before they can access and sign a document.

P

Parallel Signing

A signing order where all recipients receive the document simultaneously and can sign in any order, independent of each other, enabling faster completion of multi-signer documents.

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

A system of cryptographic keys, digital certificates, and certificate authorities that enables secure electronic signatures by verifying signer identities and protecting document integrity.

Q

Qualified Electronic Signature (QES)

The highest tier of electronic signature under eIDAS, created using a qualified digital certificate and a qualified signature creation device, carrying the same legal weight as a handwritten signature across the EU.

S

Sequential Signing

A signing order where recipients sign one after another in a defined sequence, with each signer receiving the document only after the previous signer has completed their portion.

Signing Ceremony

The complete user experience a signer goes through when electronically signing a document — from opening the signing link to reviewing the document, applying their signature, and receiving confirmation.

Signing Order

The defined sequence in which multiple signers must sign a document, which can be sequential (one after another), parallel (all at once), or a hybrid combination of both.

Simple Electronic Signature (SES)

The most basic form of electronic signature — any electronic data attached to or logically associated with other electronic data used by the signatory to sign, such as a typed name, checkbox, or click-to-sign.

U

UETA (Uniform Electronic Transactions Act)

A U.S. model law adopted by 49 states that provides legal recognition for electronic signatures and records in state-level transactions, working alongside the federal ESIGN Act.