With the combination of the “slim” and secure SIGNificant Generic POS Connector used at POS in retail outlets and the SIGNificant Server infrastructure used in the datacenters, expensive traditional paper-based processes efficiently transform into full electronic processes. This cutting edge solution is tailor-made for POS systems, characterized with a generic interface supporting any POS system.

Paper-based business transactions are time consuming and expensive as they require slips to be printed twice, one slip to be signed by the customer for archiving purposes and another to be given to the customer. The customer signs the paper slip and the POS system sends the slip’s raw data to the company’s back-office, while the signed paper slip is sent via physical mail to the back office or third parties. At the next stage the signed paper slip is scanned and archived with the raw data or manually archived in a physical archive.

The fully electronic process is done easily and intuitively. It starts with the customer’s handwritten signature on a signature tablet and followed with an option to verify the signature with the SIGNificant Biometric Server. Then a customer copy of the slip can either be printed by the POS system or be sent to the customer via email by the SIGNificant Server. At the next step the SIGNificant POS Connector encrypts the raw data and signature data and transfers them to the back-office. In case a network connection is not available, data is cached locally and retransmitted when online connectivity is achieved again. The SIGNificant Server converts the raw data into signed and sealed PDF slips at the back-office and then sends the PDF and raw data to the archive.

Advancing to a fully electronic process offers companies in the retail arena the benefits of a secure paperless environment. These valuable benefits include elimination of costs associated with paper-based POS (reduction of between 50%-100% in paper slips printing; reduction of 100% physical mails and scans), acceleration of business processes, avoiding lost slips and enabling retailers to perform transactions faster compared to their competitors. Additional benefits include fast and easy integration, thanks to the similarity of this process to the current paper-based process and the generic interface suiting any POS system and any archive at any IT environment. Furthermore, by adopting electronic signatures in the retails industry, companies provide customers with an easier, less time consuming experience and enable the generation of an audit trail necessary for compliance. Finally, last but not least is the significantly improved security aspect, based on automatic data encryption at the POS side and secure identification of customers.

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Signing a document with wet ink handwritten signature used to be the most common method of authorization for many years. A more advanced use of this traditional method is via electronic signature solutions that were upgraded by the biometric technology like the one offered in the SIGNificant Suite which enables a dynamic handwritten verification. This technology leveraged electronic signatures to more than just an electronic image identical to a person’s wet ink signature, as it records the handwritten signature of a person by parameters of pressure, acceleration, speed and rhythm. These parameters are unique to every individual (similar to one’s finger-print) and cannot be easily reproduced by a forger. Once a signature including all the biometric parameters has been embedded into a document it is turned into a signed and sealed PDF, thus guarantying authenticity.

The dynamic signature verification is part of a wide range of biometric technologies being used for identity verification by means of unique physiological traits or behavioral characteristics that cannot be forgotten, lost or stolen, including fingerprint identification,  face recognition, retina or iris scan. The biometric handwritten signature is differentiated from other methods of identification as in oppose to other biometrics it is based on the commonly used practice of signing with a handwritten signature and in addition it lacks an invasive nature, making it more easily accepted by people in their business and daily transactions.

In addition to the obvious benefits of dynamic signatures, deriving from its cultural acceptance and easy implementation in any organization, dynamic signature verification is one of the most accurate methods as it cannot be copied or duplicated the way fingerprints or other physical biometrics can. Furthermore it is intuitive, rapid, cost effective and involves compact data. These benefits make it a superb solution for document authentication in most business environments and workflows.

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When evaluating electronic signature solutions, companies are confronted with the question whether to use neutral software or software bundled with signature devices which is typically provided by the pad manufacturer itself.

Device independent solutions hold many benefits in comparison to signature solutions which are bounded to a specific device. A device independent solution enables the use of a broad range of signature capturing devices from various manufacturers. As some companies require basic signature pads, while others require more advanced devices, a signature pad independent solution offers the needed flexibility and leads to an improved satisfaction rates due to the fact that each customer integrating this solution can choose the signature pad that most fits its needs.

To make the argument that a signature pad independent solution is beneficial more concrete, let’s examine some examples illustrating its main benefits. This kind of solution enables a mix of tablets for different applications. As each tablet was developed with a specific set of customer requirements in mind, different applications have different needs in terms of tablet size, cost, paper trail or LCD features. In addition, the implementation isn’t bounded to a specific pad or pad manufacturer. It is only with neutral software that the pad can easily be replaced without the need to change the software integration itself.  Furthermore at the end of the signature pad’s lifecycle, the company can choose the best pad available on the market at a certain time and not be limited to only one manufacturer. This enables companies to avoid being on the hook of signature pad manufactures and lets them make an informed desiccation each time the need to replace the existing pad infrastructure arises.

Another practical issue that definitely makes an independent solution valuable is that companies have the possibility to distribute parts of their software also to business partners that might wish to use different signature pads than the company uses for its purposes. It is a basic fact that the typical core competence and focus of pad manufacturers is hardware and not software, meaning pad manufacturers typically provide only an SDK or not much above it; therefore it cannot be compared to a total solution like the SIGNificant Suite.

Last but not least if you are looking for an enterprise platform that is capable of other forms of digitally signing a document like smartcards, tokens, Click2Sign and software certificates for different needs in various business processes, a pure pad based software is anyhow not what you are looking for.

Bottom line is that being obligated to only one manufacturer or one device in your business will usually engage more disadvantages than advantages, therefore being at this position is never really recommended. To make the right strategic decision for your company you should think outside the box.

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Click2Sign requires to identify the signatory, and to keep track of the signing process in an audit trail. SIGNificant Click2Sign is taking care of these challenges by various ways of identifying the signatory, as well as keeping the audit trail with the signed document, which makes these documents legally binding. Click2Sign offers various ways to identify a signatory. From a simple „I agree“ checkbox to a sophisticated challenge/response protocol using different channels.

PIN by SMS
The most sophisticated identification method is the PIN by SMS functionality. The user signs on the web using a PIN code. This PIN is sent to a cell number the user has to specify. Logging all the steps („SMS was sent to at with PIN code “ and „PIN was entered at from “) into an embedded audit trail, it can be assured, that the signatory is the holder of this particular cell phone. This is e.g. used today by wireless providers, who know their customer’s cell number.

PIN by E-Mail
The PIN by E-Mail method works the same way as PIN by SMS; the PIN is delivered to an E-Mail account instead. Useful if e-mail addresses are known upfront. A blacklist for e-mail domains is configurable, so known SPAM e-mail domains can be avoided.

Sign by Name
The User signs by entering his Name instead of a PIN. Optionally the name can be provided to the system by a backed system, and be compared when signing. The audit trail will show „User entered at from “

Sign by Click
The User signs by clicking an „I agree“ checkbox.The audit trail will show „User clicked I ‚agree’ at from “

External audit trail
The system can take external audit trail data. For example a calling application could first authenticate users by having them enter their credit card information, and provide the response from the clearing house to Click2Sign.

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Although it might be tempting to consider using an SDK when integrating electronic signature solutions, thinking it could make for an easier, cheaper and seamless integration, actually starting with a total solution is usually a better choice for most companies. One shouldn’t underestimate the efforts that need to be invested in making a working solution from an SDK, resulting in much higher costs when programming your own solution in comparison to customizing a standard solution. Starting with a total solution is critically faster as typically the customization process is done within a few days. Furthermore there are additional costs that should be taken into consideration like maintenance and future developments.

Another important aspect, especially when integrating electronic signature solutions is that when using an SDK, the company’s IT department will need to manage all security issues independently. For instance protecting customers’ handwritten signatures from being transferred to an unauthorized document or stored somewhere in raw format, which is an enormous burden on the company’s internal IT department. This includes efforts to avoid misuse and careless coding by the company’s own employees, turning the task of providing a sufficient level of security tougher. The fact is that even if all security actions are implemented, this issue is usually not easily explained to end customers and third parties, as theoretically the company has the possibility to misuse this sensitive data. Whilst in the scenario of a total solution, the company can easily proof to end customers and if necessary also to court in case of a legal dispute, that it had no possibility to manipulate signatures.

Besides of the security aspects, a total solution offers much more than “just” embedding a signature into a PDF document. Including capabilities like automation of different documents with flexible signature fields positioning; PDF conversion; digital signing (sealing) of documents; encryption and embedment of signatures securely into the document, support for different signature pads and attachment of additional documents and scans. Furthermore the total solution offers predefined and ready to go interface functionalities; Citrix support; audit trailing and many other valuable features.

At the end of the day, each customer must decide what the best solution is for his purposes, but remember that in contrary to what is maybe expected at a first glance, a total solution might be cheaper and deployed faster than an SDK based approach.

To learn more about xyzmo SIGNificant’s solutions, please visit: www.xyzmo.com

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Some companies require basic signature pads, while others require more advanced devices, which include LCD displays and the possibility to add additional information while signing a document. xyzmo SIGNificant signature solution enables the use of a wide range of signature capturing devices from various manufacturers. Three examples of devices that range from a basic device to an advanced one include the Wacom Mini Signature Tablet, the Wacom STU-300 and Wacom STU-500.

The Mini Signature Tablet is a very good solution when there is no real requirement for a display. This option has definitely not been outdated despite the fact it doesn’t include an LCD display as it possess some other strong benefits. A company can integrate a signature solution without investing high sums when purchasing the signing devices, thanks to its attractive pricing – the costs of such devices are typically ~30%-40% of the costs of LCD devices. In addition this device is very robust making it less damage vulnerable. Large customer installations show that it is no real issue for customers to sign on such a device where they do not see their signature whilst signing. Due to its size, form factor and weight, the Mini Signature Tablet is also an efficient tool for mobile services and sales forces. Thanks to these benefits the Mini Signature Table is often used by large companies looking for a cost efficient solution.

The STU-300 Signature Tablet includes a one line LCD display on which the signatures are easily captured. In addition to these capabilities the STU-300 is compact and resistant, turning it to a suitable solution for mobile professionals. Best example: insurance agents working in the field, or service staff carrying out repair and maintenance tasks on site. This device enables customers to view their signature during the signing process, but as it designed to also be portable, it doesn’t include a real dialog or rich text capabilities like the STU-500.

The STU-500 Signature Tablet features a compact, reflective 5″ TFT LC display with a VGA resolution (640 x 480 pixels), hence being a cutting edge solution which enables companies to present additional content like back-ground images, the company logo or text on the display where the customer signs as part of the signing process. Thus receipts, deposit slips or any kind of textual background (“herewith you approve…”) linked to the signature can be shown on the device. An additional valuable benefit is the possibility to enter numbers and short text via a displayed keyboard, enabling the completion of the approval process through the device.

All three devices offer the ability to record the biometric traits of a signature and can be used together with the SIGNificant Biometric Server to perform the comparison of signatures against pre-installed profiles, reducing the odds for forgery dramatically.

Each company should choose the signing device that most fits its needs in order to make the electronic signing process efficient and beneficial.

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Can documents signed by SIGNificant be viewed and verified by users who don’t have SIGNificant installed?
Yes. Viewing the handwritten signature and verifying the digital signature can be done by any user using the free Acrobat Reader.

What happens if my signature changes over time?
All signatures naturally change over time. SIGNificant recognizes the natural fluctuations in your signature and verifies that it still belongs to you. Because the SIGNificant engine updates the personal profile as each new electronic signature is aded, it detects the natural changes or drift that occurs in each individual’s signatures over time.

Does your system work with various signature pads?
SIGNificant is tested with more than 20 different devices from various vendors. Support for new devices is added to the product suite in an ongoing effort.

Where does your system store the signature(s)?
SIGNificant stores the signature(s) in the document only, so no database or any kind of repository is needed to verify the authenticity of the document at a later time. SIGNificant creates self contained documents. The signatures are visible in the document, however, signature dynamics are encrypted within this document, and can only be extracted using a key owned by your company, in case a document gets challenged.

Does your system generate legally binding documents?
SIGNificant is in compliance with various laws e.g. the E-Sign Act, the UETA and its adoptions in 46 states, the ESRA (NYS) and various international laws. SIGNificant is creating legally binding documents according to these laws.

Can your system compare signatures, and possibly authenticate the signatory?
SIGNificant Biometric Server can compare signatures (based on speed, acceleration etc.) in real time. Thus, the signature can be used to authenticate a signatory (e.g. a returning customer)

Can the signature be analyzed at a later point?
The dynamic (biometric) signature is stored in the document in an encrypted way. Using a key owned by your company, it can be extracted at any later point, and compared to a signature sample using SIGNificant PenAnalyst. PenAnalyst is a tool to help forensic experts to compare speed, acceleration, pressure, angle and the time used to sign.

What file formats does your system work with?
SIGNificant can sign ANY document which is printable in Windows by using a printer driver. However, the final signed document will be a standard PDF file. In addition to the printer driver, SIGNificant Server comes with various native converters (e.g. html, doc, docx, xls, xlsx, ppt, pptx, GIF, JPG, TIFF to PDF)

Contact Us:
sales@xyzmo.com or call us directly at: +43 (0) 7229 88060 or +1 (631) 619 5511

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Although one of the main benefits of adopting electronic signature solutions is going paperless, there are cases in which the use of paper is inevitable. For instance when the customer requires a printed receipt, in this case he will receive the signed hardcopy and the company would use the electronic copy of the receipt. This inking pen solution is also a valuable tool in countries or sectors where electronic signatures are not yet legally binding and require a physical archive of signed documents. Another possible scenario is when due to conservatism; a fully paperless process is still not accepted.

These inking pen solutions, despite the fact that they don’t fully eliminate paper processes, still hold many other benefits of the immediate electronic copy. Including improved document security, as the biometric signature traits which are unique to each person’s signature (pressure, speed, acceleration and angle) are collected when the document is electronically signed, enabling with the SIGNificant Biometric Server the performance of a real-time biometric verification of the person’s signature in the future. In addition to a streamlined business process thanks to the use of the electronic document by the back office systems for real-time decision making or immediate electronic archiving. Finally this could be a first step towards the full elimination of paper as it is fairly easy to advance to a complete paperless solution if the circumstances would change in the future.

WIND Hellas, One of the largest telecommunications operators in Greece is using a simultaneous inking pen device with xyzmo SIGNificant’s solution in their signature gathering process, in order to include a wet-ink signature on a hardcopy contract in addition to the electronic signature.

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A captured handwritten signature looks identical to a person’s original wet ink signature. But if you use xyzmo’s technology it is much more than just an electronic image. We record the handwritten signature of a person by parameters of pressure, acceleration, speed and rhythm.

The Biometric Server automatically detects variations between signatures to build the personal profile as secure as possible, since some users sign in a very consistent way, whereas others sign with a greater discrepancy between signatures, resulting in an automatic detection of variations. The verification results are clear and fast as the verification is performed in a transparent manner. The server compares the signature to the updated personal profile in the database and enables or rejects the entry within less than a second.

This new and improved version optimally offers a balance between customer acceptance and security thanks to a versatile threshold factor, enabling a varying authentication process for different environments. Therefore bringing the correct fraud detection rates to a maximum while bringing the false positive (detecting a fraud mistakenly) and false negative (missing a fraud when there is one) to a minimum.

A constant profile enriching based on a dynamic mechanism recognizes the fluctuation rate in each of the signature parameters in real time, thus nourishing the authentication engine with added parameters and enhancing the profile every time a signature is profiled.

Further improvements of this new version include a seamless integration thanks to an extensive API that allows biometric authentications and enrollment of profiles to be an integrated part of any legacy application. In addition to an easy to use Interface featuring an intuitive graphical user interface for enrolling, making it very user friendly.

The possibility of a detailed protocol of each signature relevant action makes it a total solution, thus documents are only processed if their signers were authenticated and companies can prove who signed which document and when it was signed.

This solution can be used in various business scenarios in which no signature comparison is in place or in those the comparison is still performed manually by people. In both cases the security of the business process can be increased dramatically, as an automatic comparison allows for a 100% check of all signatures with better results than a typical human being can ever achieve. Thus banking transactions, signing credit card slips, approval processes and all other procedures where there is high importance to verify that the person signing is really the person he is claiming to be. The system can be implemented either as big bang or in a gradual way, where each signature captured from a person is used to sign the document and build this person’s signature profile at the same time. Once the signature profile has sufficient samples, the automatic verification begins and the company increases it’s process security continuously.

Contact us to learn more about xyzmo SIGNificant’s Biometric Server and get a feel of the system yourself.

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(CNN)

Twenty years after that unmet deadline, a national survey found that businesses have chosen to use paper printouts to archive 62 percent of important documents. The survey of 882 companies, released in February by the content management association AIIM, indicates that most businesses believe paper documents are needed for legal reasons.

So what happened? Where is this streamlined office of the future, free of clutter and file cabinets, that was promised back in the ’70s?

By the mid-1990s, the nation was actually moving in the opposite direction. More and more workstation computers and printers contributed to a big jump in office paper consumption well into the 2000s, according to industry experts. Before taking a hit from the recession, the estimated number of office pages printed, copied and faxed annually in the U.S. peaked in 2007 at more than 1.019 trillion, according to InfoTrends, a Massachusetts-based market research and consulting firm. InfoTrends analyst John Shane blamed the nation’s love of office printing and copying on convenience.

Many people can’t bring themselves to let go of the convenience of a printed hard copy, said Shane. For some, printed paper may be more portable, and easier to read in a cramped airliner seat than reading on a laptop. Some people may find paper more comfortable and preferable to read during a meeting, instead of reading a document on a tiny smart-phone display.  ”Most of what people print now is for temporary read-and-discard purposes and for transactions,” said Shane. “People like to read paper. Then they throw it away. Then they may want to read it and throw it away again. That behavior needs to change if we’re really going to see a paperless office.”

There are plenty of motivating factors that would push managers to adopt the idea of a paperless office. Cost saving is one. Paperless-office advocates say they save the cost of paper, envelopes, postage, couriers, printers, copiers and, of course, filing cabinets. The idea of helping the environment also might push a change in behavior, Shane said.….

The technology is available to give even home-based businesses the option of going paperless….

Although Shane does see offices in the near future reducing their printing and copying, he says, “I wouldn’t call it the paperless office — that’s not going to happen for ages. But the less-paper office is coming.”

For the whole article click here.

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