What is Up with Signing Documents Online?

As a venture capital advisor, I discuss these types of issues with the OpenView portfolio of expansion stage companies. So what is up with signing documents online? Well, what is up is that it is becoming mainstream really fast, and is a great way to speed up the process of having written contracts signed (no more faxes, mailing contracts for signature, etc).

So here are some thoughts: 

1) Give it a Try. Maybe try it first for NDAs/Confidentiality Agreements, Channel Agreements, End User Agreements, Employment Agreements, and other more routine contracts (probably not the right thing for your signature when you sell your company as part of your company exit strategy).

2) Different from Clickwrap Agreements. These types of electronic or online signatures are fundamentally different from the clickwrap type agreements (press or click to Agree or Reject type contracts). These are supposed to take the place of your written signature on a written contract. 

3) Vendors Seem the Same. It looks like there are 3 main vendors, EchoSign, DocuSign and RightSignature. They all look fine/the same to me, so maybe pick the one with the (a) right workflow, (b) price point, (c) features, and (d) easiest interface. 

So give it a try, as it could help your employees become more productive while ensuring you get your contracts signed. Just a thought for any company seeking growth capital.