Online signing of accounts and/or other documents

TreadStone

Does anyone use or know of a system for clients to sign accounts and other forms online via email ?

Currently we maybe email clients pdfs and ask them to print,sign & return. Is there a facility for clients to "sign" documents and return via email a bit like you do when you apply for a credit card and click the box with the red cross to act as a signature.

The boss has asked so I thought I'd ask on here

knightyo

Hi @TreadStone. I think you can do this through Adobe (think its called Adobe Sign or something like that). But I'm pretty sure the customer would have to have an app installed on their phone/tablet to do this. Sorry I'm not much help!

CeeJaySix

Yes, no expert, but I have signed forms in Adobe using a normal desktop reader (ie. the free one) - I think it is just the originator who needs the paid software to create the 'signable' forms.

I imagine you would also have to be careful with your Ts&Cs and systems to make certain the signature is valid.

Not sure how this could be integrated to get accounts signed digitally, or indeed whether HMRC/CoHo would accept...??

Willo

Hi there,

I have used Iris Openspace, I can not fault the software to be fair.

Regards

Wilo

burg

We use Adobe Sign. You create a document usually as a PDF and upload to the website. Enter the email address for the signer(s) and where you want them to sign on the document.

The customer receives an email with a link to the document. Only they can sign I.e. It cannot be forwarded (but you can have multiple signers who sign in succession).

Signature is via typing your name. Once signed everyone gets a final copy and you can see an audit trail.

This is our default method of getting accounts/tax returns signed

TreadStone

Cheer folks

Gem7321

I also use Iris OpenSpace - it's free and has built-in approvals for tax returns and accounts, or you can customise your own.

Gem7321

Do any of you who use OpenSpace use it for company accounts? And if so do you customise your approval so that it clearly states they are signing the directors report and balance sheet? I am reluctant to use it for companies as I'm not sure the approvals provided are sufficient.

Any comments gratefully received!

Rozzi Rainbow

Interesting question Gem. We have just started using OpenSpace - love it so far! - and haven't yet used it for company accounts, but I was about to in the next few days. I hadn't thought of the point you've raised, I'll be interested to see others' responses.

Rozzi Rainbow

I've asked the partner in our practice who set up OpenSpace for his thoughts on this and he says:

"I had also hoped to use this for company accounts but when I saw the options offered I decided that it could only be used for tax returns. Thinking about it logically, tax returns can be submitted by agents as long as they have the relevant confirmation but Companies House require a director to sign a set of accounts - which I can understand given the declarations made by directors in the accounts. On this basis I don't think accounts will be applicable on Open Space and therefore, we will have to keep on sending them for signature."

burg

Unsure about Openspace but on Echosign you place where you want the signature to actually be on the document so I place one on the directors report and the other on the balance sheet as required. Been using electronic signatures for around 4 or 5 years now.

Gem7321

I like the thought of that @burg but the price tag puts me off!

burg

Not sure what you are looking at but I paid about £100 for the year?

See here - https://acrobat.adobe.com/us/en/sign/pricing/plans.html

Business is only required if you want multiple people to access the account from your end. Only one person send out documents to sign in our practice so the individual account is fine for us

Gem7321

I can't justify it, not yet anyway and not when OpenSpace is free. I only have a handful of companies but if this area increases then I'll have another look

TreadStone

Just an update on this.

I managed to get time to set-up a trial of Adobe Sign today and found it really easy to send a pdf set of final accounts for client signature and then sign and return too. No problems.

The only issue I had was that the recipient doesn't have to log-in to view the attachment. You simply click on the link and it opens the document. What if you accidentally send it to the wrong client ?

Is there a setting to avoid this ? I did it all quickly before i left work so haven't been through all the guides/help etc yet.

I'm going to try Iris OpenSpace tomorrow

TreadStone

I've registered with Iris but still waiting for the them to supply the free 1GB before I can upload any documents......

TreadStone

Right, I've given OpenSpace a whirl and it does the job.

I'm much happier with the security aspect in that the client has to create a password themselves in order to view and approve the relevant documents. So they have their own access to the portal.You don't get an actual signature on the document but an e-approval is fine by me.

I like Adobe Sign but the fact anyone can open the document on the recipient email causes concern for me.

Unless, of course, there's a secure way around this ?

AAT_Team

You can password protect PDFs by going to view > tools > protect > open > encrypt > password

TreadStone

AAT_Team said:

You can password protect PDFs by going to view > tools > protect > open > encrypt > password

Is there not a monthly subscription for that though ?

burg

TreadStone said:

Right, I've given OpenSpace a whirl and it does the job.

I'm much happier with the security aspect in that the client has to create a password themselves in order to view and approve the relevant documents. So they have their own access to the portal.You don't get an actual signature on the document but an e-approval is fine by me.

I like Adobe Sign but the fact anyone can open the document on the recipient email causes concern for me.

Unless, of course, there's a secure way around this ?

Ther is an option to password protect the PDF before you sent it to the client (see the attached screen shot)

TreadStone

Thanks Ian, I've literally just been messing around with Adobe and found the option to password protect in the last 10 minutes.

Both seem good

Cheers.

AAT_Team

TreadStone said:

Thanks Ian, I've literally just been messing around with Adobe and found the option to password protect in the last 10 minutes.

Both seem good

Cheers.

Does that mean you didn't need a subscription @TreadStone ? It's really hard to tell if that feature is part of the subscription when looking at Adobe's website. Would be good to know for the future.

burg

AAT_Team said:

TreadStone said:

Thanks Ian, I've literally just been messing around with Adobe and found the option to password protect in the last 10 minutes.

Both seem good

Cheers.

Does that mean you didn't need a subscription @TreadStone ? It's really hard to tell if that feature is part of the subscription when looking at Adobe's website. Would be good to know for the future.

I believe all features are available on the free version it's just that the volume you can do within 30 days is limited.

TreadStone

Does that mean you didn't need a subscription @TreadStone ? It's really hard to tell if that feature is part of the subscription when looking at Adobe's website. Would be good to know for the future.

It's currently free as it's a 14 day trial but it's a paid for subscription after that.

MarieNoelle

TreadStone said:

I've registered with Iris but still waiting for the them to supply the free 1GB before I can upload any documents......

Hi @TreadStone may I ask how long it took them to supply the free 1GB? I registered with them a week ago and still unable to upload! Thanks.

TreadStone

It says "within 48 hours" doesn't it ? I waited for 4 days then went onto live chat with them.

"The 1gb doesn't need to be activated" was the reply. "Oh yes it does mate, according to the account settings" I said.

I received an email about half hour later:- " Your free 1gb has now been activated" it said.

I'm sure the account still shows 0gb used of 0gb available

MarieNoelle

Thanks for this @TreadStone I might give them a call on Monday.
Tried to upload a file and got an email saying "you have 0gb out of 0gb available." Very helpful!

TreadStone

Same here. It's decent though once you can start to upload and use it.