Is a typed name an electronic signature?

It is one form of electronic signature. SignAndGo lets signers draw or type their signature.

What does a signer need?

An email address and a browser. There is nothing to install and no account to set up.

What proof is there of who signed?

The audit trail records each view and signature with the person's name, email address, the time and the IP address.

Guides · Getting started

What is an electronic signature?

An electronic signature is any way of signing a document on a screen instead of on paper. That covers a lot of ground, from a typed name at the bottom of an email to a signature drawn with a finger on a phone. This guide explains the common forms, what happens when someone signs through SignAndGo, and why the record behind the signature matters as much as the mark itself.

The forms it takes

People sign electronically in more ways than they realise. Clicking a button that says you accept a set of terms is one. Typing your name into a box is another. Drawing a signature with a mouse, trackpad or fingertip is the form most people picture.

What they share is intent: the person is showing that they agree to, or approve, what is in front of them. The method is just the way that intent is captured.

A drawn signature, made with a finger, stylus or mouse.
A typed name, turned into a signature style.
Initials placed on individual pages.
A tick in a box confirming a statement.

What happens during a signing

In SignAndGo, the sender prepares a document and marks where each person signs. Each signer receives an email with a secure link. They open the document, read it, complete their marked fields and confirm. If they disagree with something, they can decline and give a reason instead.

The signer doesn't need an account. That matters for the person on the other end, who might be a customer, a contractor in Hamilton or a family member overseas, and who simply wants to read and sign.

The record behind the signature

A signature on paper says little about when it was made or who was holding the pen. An electronic signing can say much more. Each SignAndGo envelope keeps an audit trail of every view and signature, recording names, email addresses, times and IP addresses.

Once everyone has signed, each person receives the finished document along with a completion certificate summarising the signing. The document also carries a verification ID, so someone receiving a copy later can check it online.

Where they get used in New Zealand businesses

Day to day, electronic signatures turn up in employment agreements, supplier terms, tenancy paperwork, client engagement letters, quotes and change approvals. Anything that would otherwise be printed, signed and scanned is a candidate.

Some documents have their own formal steps, such as a witness or a particular way of being executed. If you are not sure whether a document is one of those, ask your adviser before you send it.

Making the experience easy for signers

A clear message helps. Say what the document is, why they are receiving it and when you need it back. If the document is long, you can switch on AI document summaries so signers can read a plain-language overview before they sign.

Common questions

Is a typed name an electronic signature?: It is one form of electronic signature. SignAndGo lets signers draw or type their signature.
What does a signer need?: An email address and a browser. There is nothing to install and no account to set up.
What proof is there of who signed?: The audit trail records each view and signature with the person's name, email address, the time and the IP address.