DocuSign Does Android

One of the great promises of the mobile device explosion is increased productivity. But productivity is in the eye of the beholder, and many mobile users still haven't caught on to the notion that you can sign documents digitally, with a legally binding signature from a mobile device. Whether the goal is paperwork reduction or expedience, DocuSign combines the power of digital ink and a slick, cloud-enabled document-handling framework to put an end to the likes of scanning and faxing. And now, those of us with Android devices can use DocuSign, too.

DocuSign is the global leader in electronic signature technology, and it first hit the mobile world in November 2011. DocuSign Ink for Apple iOS caught on fast, and was picked as a Top 5 iPad productivity app by Apple. DocuSign knows it has a good thing going on, and the company is now taking aim at a market of Android users that it believes is some 60 million strong.

Being an Android user, I recently took the Ink app for a spin. A lightweight download gives way to quick application setup, and first-time DocuSign users will get their accounts squared away in seconds. Pull a document from your local files or have one sent to you, and you're in the e-signing business just like that. It's free, and has the power of the law behind it. Depending on what you do for a living or how you'd like to improve your business processes, DocuSign can be transformative.

Another recent DocuSign announcement makes the point. Cartavi is a cloud-based real estate document management platform. If you've ever bought or sold a home or property, you know that there can be a tremendous amount of paperwork involved, and getting involved parties together can be a scheduling nightmare. But when those same documents can be accessed online in Cavarti's virtual "transaction rooms," the process can be much smoother and involve far less stress.

DocuSign has recently been integrated with the Cartavi platform. Gone are the days of driving to the office to close the deal, and now DocuSign Ink support for multiple mobile devices means that agents can do business more efficiently from their choice of device, from anywhere. DocuSign claims that more than 4 million real estate transactions have been closed to date through its e-signing capabilities.

Given the acceptance of DocuSign by industry biggies like Salesforce.com and its compliance with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) requirements, there's little doubt that e-signing will only get more prevalent as mobile devices displace desktop workstations. DocuSign did well to add support for both of the major mobile platforms, and this is will continue to be an exciting space to watch.

As of publication, Lee Badman has no business relationship with DocuSign.