Some company documents require, for legal purposes, an handwritten signature.
The documents most affected by this requirement are DDT and accompanying invoices.
These documents are signed by the person who collects the goods to prove the delivery.
In the event of a dispute about the delivery, the supplier can always present the signed document to prove that the goods have been delivered to the customer.
In the context of efficient document management, however, this manual signature process entails a penalty in terms of speed and practicality of management.
In fact, in order to save the signed document, you have to scan the previously printed document itself.
The steps of scanning documents are not practical, but they can be avoided by introducing signature mechanisms performed with a signature pad or tablet.
If, instead of signing by hand on the physical document, you request the signature with an electronic tool, you can obtain a digital document that is both final and inclusive of signature, without scanning.
This process represents an optimization that leads to important time savings on the part of the employees, at least in the case where the company archives its documents in digital form.
For those who also carry out the replacement storage procedure, there is an additional benefit. You do not need to print your own copy of the document (the “sender” copy). Considering the cost of toner and paper, on an annual basis, this is a significant saving.
From a legal point of view, the signature made with this function of Validoc has a limited validity. It is a simple “electronic signature“, that is, not “advanced” nor “qualified” nor “digital”.
In practice, it is a simple graphic sign produced by the customer on the PAD and present on the document, but without the value of the handwritten signature or, in any case, of minimal legal value.
The assessment of whether to use this type of electronic signature or a more demanding one (equivalent to the handwritten signature), depends almost exclusively on the value of the shipment.
If the goods you are transporting are of great value and you are willing to engage in litigation, should the recipient disavow the signature on your document, then you must consider using more advanced systems such as the graphometric signature which, as a form of advanced electronic signature, has a stronger legal value.
If, on the other hand, the goods you are transporting do not have great value or, in any case, you would never engage in litigation (which involves considerable time and cost) with your customer, the simple electronic signature, shown on this page, can make you great savings and is relatively simple to activate.
The method provided by Validoc to give you the functions of electronic signature (graphic), is particularly suitable for signing at one’s own warehouses or stores, where the customer turns up to buy or simply pick up the goods.
