EDSign

EDSIGN is the program superstructure for Microsoft WORD for creation and signing of the electronic document EDS providing complete analogousness of the electronic document (ED) to the paper document at all stages of its signing. During the work with ED becomes possible to use the same processing procedures and signings of the document which are applied to paper documents.

Now using EDSIGN you can easily sign the EDS electronic documents as you got used to work with paper documents.

During creation of EDSIGN promoting of the EDS was the main objective. In this product we tried to repeat working methods with paper documents. In the same way as in paper documents, fields are offered: where to sign, where to enter the text and so on. Also function of entering of the additional information into already signed document is implemented, in business practice the document without registration number is not considered the document, and a part of details is put after its signing. The EDSIGN format allows to enter in strictly taken away document fields information after the first signing without its destruction. I.e. everything happens the same as to the paper document: at first the head appends the signature, and then the registrar enters number. In the new version we also tried to consider needs of users which amount promptly grew lately, and respectively, also the amount of requests on expansion of opportunities of the application increased. And it is not a limit, we will work further.

Why EDSIGN is necessary

There are many programs providing a possibility of signing of documents with electronic digital signatures. A row from them considers the document as contents of the file which is signed by the EDS others can sign separate parts of the document. The file signed with the EDS or a part of the document cannot be changed without violation of the EDS any more, and, therefore, the integrity and the invariance of the text of the document together with identification of the person, it signed and, in some cases, dates of drawing the signature is guaranteed to these. Thus, in the electronic document after drawing the EDS it is already impossible to change anything.

In real life of the paper document everything occurs not absolutely so, and the document in really changes after its signing though people often also do not notice it. For example, after signing of the letter it is registered, and enter registration details in the text of the letter. Or, for example, the agreement at first is signed by one party, and then other party. Or, the seal is set the document. Or, even, the set of signatures of different persons which sign it in a certain sequence is provided in the document. Such examples it is possible to bring a set, and from the normal point of view all these adding into the text of the document, as its change cannot be considered in any way. They were provided by a document type, and rules of its design.

The attempt to undergo usual operations of an execution of the document electronically using the EDS leads to, apparently, unsolvable problem. After at least one put-down EDS cannot change the text already, and, therefore, all subsequent signatures will not be able to be reflected in the text of the document any more. The electronic document at once loses in visualization in comparison with the paper document.

EDSIGN solves this problem and provides a possibility of entering of the changes provided by a document type into the text of the document, saving at the same time all advantages of the EDS.

As EDSIGN works

To understand in what the idea of signing of the electronic document using EDSIGN consists, we need to formalize process of signing of the paper document. Nobody thought of such formalization as process seemed absolutely obvious. Let's consider in detail and formally what happens to the paper document at its signing and a design and that is provided in the text of the document.

Fields which will be filled at its signing and a design are, as a rule, provided in the text of the paper document ready to signing. Really, there usually there are spaces or underlinings, in the places provided for drawing sign manuals, or registration numbers and dates, or other texts. Also, in the paper document it is possible to meet often reduction of "L. S." that means the place for putting of printing of the organization. Rather often sign manuals are followed by date of their putting.

Let's try to describe formally types of fields which are filled during the signing and execution of the paper document. These are the following data types:

• Text (registration numbers and document dates, Full Name of persons and their details, and other similar texts);
• Graphic (Facsimile of sign manuals, images of printings of stamps, etc.);
• Signature dates or registrations (current dates of the signature or design, etc. For example, registration date).

Let's transfer this formalization to the electronic document. We should provide in it a possibility of an insert in it above-mentioned fields. There are no values in this field. They will appear only at the time of signing and execution of the document.

Let's consider further signing process formalization. What means to sign the paper document? Throughout already rather progressive tense it means graphically to represent own signature. And here to fill out registration data, to enter some text, or to deliver a stamp is something another. From the formal point of view of people makes one and too action. It enters at execution of the document data in the fields which are in advance provided by the document.

And what fields it fills? Those which it should fill according to the duties. Let's transfer this formalization to the electronic document again. Then any action made by the person means signing of the document by it using the EDS mechanism. And at the same time at the time of signing it can enter required data of above-mentioned types. Then from the point of view of signed contents it will look as follows. There is a text further of the invariable document in which the insert fields referring to future values are previously placed.

Insert field

Value

Work of EDSIGN

At the time of signing using the EDS the person enters value which will be kept in the EDS. Thus, all initial text of the document together with the link to future value and field value delivered at the time of drawing the EDS EDSs will be protected. And it is already necessary to provide in the electronic document by analogy required quantity of such fields of an insert. And at putting down of the corresponding EDSs values of this field will appear. From the point of view of the person submission of the electronic document at any stage of its signing will be to absolutely similarly paper document. Moreover, the EDS gives the chance to identify not only the one who filled a field of the graphics image of the sign manual, but also any person who filled other fields. For example, registered the document, set the seal, etc.

The document EDSIGN is stored in a format of the attached EDS. This format provides a possibility of storage and a source text of the document and all its EDSs in one file. If to continue analogy to the paper document, then it will correspond to the fact that all pages of the document are together stitched, and all of them are fastened by each of the EDS of the document.

Appointment and scopes

EDSIGN can be applied everywhere where signing and execution of electronic documents is required. Applying EDSIGN, it is possible to sign practically any text documents. Therefore applying EDSIGN, it is possible to replace paper document flow electronic without any loss of quality or change of the processes which developed business. Process of signing of ED is simple, evident and happens in the usual interface of the Microsoft Word text editor.

EDSIGN can be used in any automation systems of document flow in which Microsoft Word is applied to editing and viewing documents. In the same way EDSIGN can be used also out of any EDMS on separate computers.

The documents created using EDSIGN can be used in legally significant document flow, and in this case the EDSs delivered in the document will be equivalent to sign manuals of the persons who delivered the EDS.