E-Sign Launches eWitness Feature

The E-Sign team are delighted to announce the launch of our eWitness. This feature allows users to create an envelope for recipients and allocate a requirement for a witness to sign the document.

eWitness is particularly beneficial to industries like real estate, legal, and finance, which handles several types of documents that require a witness signature as well as the recipient’s. eSign’s eWitness is available to customers on our Business and Enterprise plans. 

How does eWitnessing work?

eSign’s eWitness supports scenarios for multiple witnesses, and if the witness is unknown by the author of the document.

• The author creates the envelope in the eSign platform, uploads the document, and add the signers as they normally would. When entering the signers details, author will have the option to select ‘Witness Required’. 
• They will then be prompted to enter the full name, email address, and phone number of the witness(es).
• If the witness(es) are not known by the author of the document, the signer has the option to enter their details upon receipt of the document
• Once the signer receives the document they will be prompted to input the details of the witness, including their name, email address, and phone number for SMS verification.
• After the signer has added their signature, the witness will receive an email asking them to add their signature. They will then follow the 2-factor authentication and input the one-time passcode sent to their phone number before accessing the document.
• A pop-up will then appear for them to check that the name and email address specified for them are correct and for them to enter the mandatory information requested. The witness will receive a copy of the signing certificate after they add their signature.
• Following return of the document after the signer and witness have signed, you can download a Certificate of Completion. Which provides valuable evidence of the signing and witnessing with an advanced audit triaL

View our eWitness user guide

Why is eWitnessing important?

Traditional, paper-based eWitnessing can take a significant amount of time as documents to be witnessed would need to be sent to the witness by email or post. Then the witness needs to print the document (if sent by email), sign it and send it back to the relevant party.

This involves multiple steps and time from both parties and could lead to potential delays in completing the document. Therefore, one of the biggest benefits of eWitnessing is how much time it can save during important document transactions and improve efficiency. Other benefits of eWitnessing include:

• Reduces risk – each witnessed document comes with a certificate of completion that includes relevant details about the signer and witness which can be used as evidence to confirm the authenticity and validity of the document. 
• Improves compliance – eWitnessing can ensure that documents are fully compliant with relevant regulations, adhering to the highest standards of security and legality.
• User-friendly – the eWitnessing feature is easy to use and configure for all parties, supporting a seamless transaction.
• Enhanced security – eWitnessing utilises robust security features including strong encryption practices and SMS multi-factor authentication.
• Improves sustainability – eWitnessing can significantly reduce paper waste and carbon emissions by removing the need for physical documents.

Can a witness be used on HM Land Registry documents?

eSign’s eWitness is compliant with HM Land Registry requirements. Our solution supports 2-factor authentication for both the signer and the witness(es), using a one-time passcode that is sent via SMS.

Find out more about HM Land Registry requirements and Practice Guide 82 here.

What types of documents need a witness?

In some circumstances, a witness is legally required for example a deed execution. eSign’s eWitness can be used for many types of documents, including:

A witness can be used for legal documents, such as:

• Land Transfers
• Deeds
• HM Land Registry Deeds
• Shareholder Agreements
• Loan Agreements
• Mortgage Agreements
• Transfer of Assets

Interested to find out more?

Contact us today to find out more about our new eWitnessing feature, and our digital transformation team can discuss your requirements to implement the right solution for your document processes. If you’re new to E-Sign, you can also get started with us by registering for our 14-day free trial to give the platform a try for yourself.