Make signing PDF documents easy with Revv
Regardless of whether you’ve spent time in an office environment, you have definitely encountered PDFs. The PDF is one of the most common document formats. Nearly every document word processor will export to PDF if you want a secure document that can’t be easily manipulated after production.
PDFs are designed to maintain their format and look the same, and they can only be edited with very specific software. So, how do you edit a PDF? Typically, you don’t. That’s the point of PDFs.
Traditionally, if you needed to sign a PDF, you would print the document, sign it, scan it, and return it. This process takes time and energy that could be better spent doing other things, and it is not terribly secure.
Unless you went through the trouble of having a document notarized, there’s no guarantee the signature is even valid. You could sign it in person, but that defeats the purpose of emailing the PDF in the first place.
This process of sending, printing, signing, scanning, and returning the PDF, especially with the added hassle of notarization, is inconvenient for your customers. Inconvenience to your customers is not the best way to build loyalty. Anything you do that requires additional work from your customers increases the likelihood that your customers will find someone else who can serve them without requesting undue labor.
This is why eSignatures are so popular. They allow you to sign a document with a quick click instead of the process taking four or five taxing steps. No paper is involved. No additional hardware is required, and it can be done from a cell phone (Android, iPhone, iPad). This makes signing efficient and easy for your customers, which makes them more likely to actually sign and return your documents.
In order to eSign a PDF, you will have to make a few edits to it. Since PDFs aren’t easily edited, this will require specialized software.
There are many eSign software providers online, but most of them will only allow you to sign documents that are created within their software. The ability to sign a document created in a specific software is nice. However, if you already have your business’s forms completed as PDFs, having to create a new contract using these templates and editing tools is not ideal.
Revv is one of the most user-friendly options available on the internet.
Instead of asking you to recreate your documents from scratch, Revv lets you edit existing PDFs using our software. Revv users can take an existing PDF, upload it, add a signature block, and sign (or request signature from others). Let’s show you how.
1. Click “create document”
The steps to create a new document in Revv are so simple that you don’t actually need a how-to lesson. (although we’ll provide you with one anyway). First, you click Create Document to open a new document.
Once you’ve created your document, one of Revv’s most user-friendly features is the ability to easily import existing PDFs into new documents from anywhere.
To import into Revv, you can use a PDF that has already been created. If you have already created the document, but it isn’t a PDF, go to your file commands and click “export as” PDF or “save as” PDF. Once you’ve exported or saved your document as a PDF, you have a durable PDF version of your document. A PDF’s immutability and consistency across devices make it the perfect way to save your contract forms.
Once you have created your document using your imported PDF, it is time to attach your PDF.
2. Attach your PDF
Take your newly created document and attach your PDF of choice. Your existing PDF will remain intact.
The only way you can edit the PDF is to add or remove a signature block. This allows a business to rest assured that the only change to their documents is the ability to sign. No one can modify it without your knowledge and permission, so the integrity of the contract remains intact.
3. Drag and drop a signature block
Once you have created a document from your PDF, it is time to add a signature block. You can add as many as needed. If you need signature blocks or initial lines on each page of a document, you can do that as well.
If you need just a single block at the very end, that’s an option. If you have added one too many blocks and need to remove one, that’s no problem, either. Basically, what we’re trying to say is that Revv can do it all.
4. Assign signer
eSign is a secure format. Each signer must have a unique security code attached to them. Once you have created your signature blocks, you need to designate who is authorized to sign your document. Otherwise, it can be argued in court that a random person scribbled in the signature line.
The process of assigning a signer within eSign designates who will be signing your document on both ends.
5. Send!
Send your document to its recipient. Revv will keep you in the loop as the document is received, opened, signed, and returned, so you know when the deal is done.
Even if the signer doesn’t want to log into their Revv account, you can send a magic link that will allow them to view the document without needing to log in. They won’t be able to sign without signing into their account, but this allows them to view the document at a glance. This is especially helpful if they are on a shared or borrowed device. When they log in and sign, you will be notified.
You don’t have to worry about security
eSign is a secure format. It’s considered as legally binding as a traditional wet signature, so you are covered. The process to complete an eSigned document requires verification of all parties involved, so any signatures are binding. Since the federal eSign act of 2000, courts are required to recognize properly configured eSign files as legal contracts.
If you’ve been asking your customers to print pdfs, sign them and return them without notarization, eSigning will actually be more legally binding than your current practices. A customer could argue that anyone was able to sign the printed PDF and return it, and you would have no way to legally guarantee that they signed it themselves.
E-sign uses authentication procedures to ensure that no one signs but the authorized party.
Once your document has been signed and returned to you, it’s stored in Revv’s secure cloud-based servers forever. This means it won’t be damaged in a flood or fire, it won’t get damaged by bugs or mildew, and you aren’t obligated to find space for a filing cabinet full of contracts you might never need to reference.
Revv is here to help
Many businesses choose Revv because it’s simple and intuitive to use while still providing reliability and all the features that you need. Even still, everyone needs a little help sometimes. One of Revv’s most important services is our knowledge base.
Revv has tutorials with helpful videos and blog posts to explain every step of the signing process. This knowledge base can help you create, send, sign, and store your contracts. It can also provide insights on the best way to use Revv’s integration tools to incorporate your document signing solution with your other favorite software.
Arguably the best part is Revv’s 24/7 customer support. If you encounter a problem while putting together a contract for someone in a different time zone, Revv has you covered.
In summary, Revv will help you turn a simple PDF form into a fully functioning interactive digital contract, then help your business implement that contract, right down to processing payments!
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