CoSign Digital Signatures & Adobe Reader Extensions Transforming Paper Documents into Dynamic Electronic Documentation

The purpose of this document is to describe a model approach to transforming forms-driven business processes from a paper to an electronic foundation. The deployment scope is limited to a single, but globally-distributed management domain or organization, and assumes the users are the employees of, and operate under the internal standard operating procedures of that organization.

When it comes to filling forms or placing authorization signatures on documents, organizations generally rely heavily on paper. As document volume, signature volume, and breadth of physical distribution increase, the logistical and management drawbacks of a paper-based workflow compound. Even within a small organization, where documentation is only circulated amongst a relatively limited number of employees, the process of completing forms or acquiring signatures for documentation becomes both costly and cumbersome. For an organization that has multiple locations or roaming employees, the financial and time burdens with paper documentation are even greater.

The ideal solution for distributed organizations that route, ship, and track paper forms and documents, is the implementation of an electronic process. Electronic forms and documents are tremendously easier to route, as well as archive. Moreover, employees generally have a quicker response time for documents that can be accessed, completed and routed electronically, than paper documents that also require manual completion and physical routing.

In order to transform dynamic documents (those that require information filling) from paper to electronic, organizations can utilize an innovative solution comprised of ARX's CoSign® digital signature solution, a Roaming ID capability, and Adobe® LiveCycle® Reader® Extensions Enterprise Suite (ES). This CoSign-Adobe driven approach provides a turnkey solution that requires almost no integration or allotment of IT resources and no end-user software. This straightforward design means the individual's completing, signing, and saving a form requires nothing more than the free Adobe Reader, version 8 or higher.

The model for transforming paper forms and documentation is extremely simple and involves the following process:

• ARX's CoSign digital signature solution is installed and attached seamlessly to the organization's User Directory. CoSign is deployed and setup once, and requires no further administrator intervention. Once installed, CoSign creates a signature credential (key pair and an ID certificate) for each employee within the organization's User Directory.
• Document authors/owners insert signature fields, configuring them to work with Roaming ID. This allows CoSign's Roaming ID feature to be used anywhere a signer may be located at the time they need to sign.
• Utilizing Adobe LiveCycle Reader Extensions ES enables PDF forms to be filled, signed with CoSign's Roaming ID feature, and saved with Adobe Reader version 8 or higher.
• Once CoSign has been deployed and the PDF has been enabled for form-filling, signing, validating and saving, forms can be distributed throughout the organization for completion and signatory/validation purposes.
• Employees that have received the enabled forms can fill in the required fields, sign, and save the document as a standard PDF. Once complete, the employees can then electronically route the document back to the document's originator or to the next person in the workflow.
• Individuals receiving and/or examining signed documentation can validate the signatures using nothing more than the free Adobe Reader.

Users can fill and sign documentation and verify signatures from any computer, within or outside the physical location of the office. Because the recipients are not required to install any additional software, they are not bound by a specific computer or location at which they can fill, sign, and save documentation. All user authentication done prior to permitting a signature operation is handled by CoSign. As such, document processing is expedited, and can remain completely electronic from generation to transaction completion.

By employing this CoSign-Adobe based solution featuring CoSign signature-credential management, CoSign Roaming ID server, and Adobe LiveCycle Reader Extensions ES, both small organizations with intensive documentation processes and larger organizations with multiple locations or substantial employee workforces gain from the benefits of electronic documentation. These benefits include the ability to electronically route, sign, validate, and archive documentation.

ARX (Algorithmic Research) is a global provider of cost-efficient digital signature solutions for industries such as AEC, life sciences, healthcare, government, energy, and manufacturing. ARX CoSign® is the market leading digital signature solution. CoSign digital signatures fully automate signature-dependent processes affordably and compliantly, allowing organizations to go paperless and save time and money. Compatible with major document types including Word, Excel®, PDF, PDF/A, and IBM Forms, CoSign signatures are globally verifiable without requiring proprietary validation software. CoSign is also centrally managed by your organization for reliable control over signature privileges. Learn more about the CoSign digital signature solution.