Contract execution is often where deals start to lose momentum. Negotiations move forward, drafts are approved, and terms are agreed upon, but the final step still takes far too long. Printing documents, scanning pages, chasing signatures, and storing files slows everything down at a stage that should be quick and simple. As contract volumes grow and teams rely more on digital systems, businesses are questioning whether manual signing still makes sense. This is why esigned agreement is becoming a standard part of modern contract workflows.
To see how this shift works in practice, you first need to understand what an eSignature, or digital signature, is.
How digital signing actually works
An eSignature allows people to sign documents electronically using a laptop, tablet, or phone. There is no need to print, scan, or email files back and forth. Contracts can be reviewed and signed within minutes, helping teams close deals faster and move work forward without delays.
eSignatures can take different forms, such as typing a name, uploading a signature image, or using a secure code. Digital signatures add an extra layer of security by verifying the signer’s identity and protecting the document from changes after it is signed.
Choosing the right way to sign an esigned agreement
Different contracts need different levels of security. For routine agreements like NDAs, sales orders, and standard service contracts, speed is usually the priority, and eSignatures work well. For high-risk or regulated agreements, such as financial transactions or government filings, digital signatures offer stronger protection. They verify identity, prevent tampering, and create a clear record of who signed and when. This helps legal, sales, and compliance teams stay protected without slowing down the business.
Why eSigning matters for businesses
Even after negotiations are complete and terms are agreed, many contracts slow down at the signing stage.This final step is where most delays occur. When signing is manual, approvals take longer, errors increase, and visibility drops. eSigning matters because it keeps momentum going, reduces risk, and ensures contracts move forward instead of getting stuck.
- Delays in approvals and decisions: Printing, scanning, and emailing documents adds unnecessary waiting time. With multiple reviewers involved, what should take minutes can stretch into days. This slows down deal closures, onboarding, and vendor payments.
- Higher risk of mistakes: Manual processes increase the chances of missing signatures, unsigned pages, and outdated versions being sent. These mistakes are often caught late, forcing teams to resend documents and start the process again.
- Lack of visibility and ownership: When teams cannot see who has signed and who is pending, follow-ups increase, and responsibilities become unclear. This leads to confusion and duplicated effort across teams.
- Legal and compliance risk: A properly esigned agreement creates a clear record of who approved what and when. This reduces uncertainty during audits, internal reviews, and disputes.
- Poor experience for customers and partners: Customers and partners expect fast, digital interactions. Manual signing feels slow and outdated. Long waits and repeated follow-ups create frustration and can even cause deals to fall through.
- Delays in downstream activities: Many business actions depend on a signed contract, including billing, onboarding, and service delivery. When signing is slow, everything else is delayed too.
How smartContract CLM simplifies signing
Once teams recognize where manual signing slows things down, the next step is choosing a solution that removes those delays. smartContract CLM is designed to make esigning simple, structured, and easy to scale. Teams can get started quickly, set clear roles and approvals, and begin signing without disrupting their existing workflows. Contracts can be uploaded directly into the platform, signature fields can be placed where needed, and signers can be added in the correct order. Legal, finance, and business teams can each review and approve at the right stage, so nothing moves forward without the necessary checks.
Once sent, signers receive secure links and can review and esign from any device, whether they are in the office, at home, or travelling. Teams can track progress in real time, view the status of an esigned agreement to see who has signed and who is pending, and send reminders without chasing people via email.
After all parties sign, the contract is automatically finalized and stored in a central repository. From there, signing can trigger steps such as billing, onboarding, or service delivery so that work can begin without delays or manual handovers.
Why an esigned agreement is more than just a formality
Contracts do more than just close deals. They affect how revenue flows, how risk is controlled, and how confidently a business operates after an esigned agreement is in place. When signing is slow or visibility is poor, the impact goes far beyond the legal team. Sales cycles lengthen, cash flow is delayed, compliance becomes more complex to manage, and customer relationships suffer. This is why signing is no longer just an administrative step, but a strategic part of how businesses grow.
Ready to simplify contract execution?
If you’d like to explore how e-signing can simplify contract process and remove execution delays, feel free to get in touch with our team to learn more.
FAQs
Yes. An esigned agreement is legally valid when created using compliant platforms and includes proper audit records and consent tracking.
Yes. eSignatures use encryption and identity checks to ensure documents remain secure and cannot be altered after signing.
No. Signers can review and sign an agreement via a secure link from any browser on any device.
Yes. e-signing can be integrated into existing workflows, so signed agreements can trigger actions across connected systems.
