Google will finally offer support for digital signatures in Google Docs. It is a feature that has been missing for years in its cloud document service, which is finally here and will simplify processes for millions of users of the service.
Through digital signatures it will be much easier to share documents to be signed by one or more parties without the need to print and then scan, as is still the case today. The other alternative was to use third-party services, such as Dropbox, Echosign, SignWell, Signaturit or similar, with the problems that this entails.
The other alternative, and probably the most popular, is to use Adobe Acrobat, which offers a free local solution for digital signing of documents. Even with digital certificates, which makes it valid in Spain.
Although Google says that later in the year it will allow digital signatures on PDF documents saved in Drive. But it is not entirely clear if it will be possible to sign using digital certificates.
The feature is currently in beta and available to all Google Workspace users, but only on individual accounts. To access the beta on company accounts under the Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Starter, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Essentials Plus, Education Plus, or Workspace for Non-Profit plans, you need to fill a form.
How Google Docs and Drive digital signatures work
Google has published screenshots showing how digital signatures work directly from Docs. Anyone creating a document can include a field asking for a digital signature and/or initials. You can keep track of the date you signed and whether or not all parties have already signed.
At the moment it will only be possible to request digital signatures in Google Docs via email to Gmail users. Google says in its statement that it will be extended to any email service “this year, but later.”
Google Docs has become one of the most popular word processors in the world.
Google Docs is one of the most popular word processors in the world, thanks to the fact that it is free, you do not need to install software to use it, it is always available from a browser. Also for its real-time collaboration tools. The cloud service was launched in 2006, when the company acquired a company called Upstartle, responsible for developing an application known as Writely.
Writely was relaunched under the name of Google Docs and its main goal was to allow users to create, edit and collaborate on documents quickly and easily. This idea of working in the cloud, where files are stored on remote servers instead of on the users’ local drive, was groundbreaking at the time and paved the way for real-time online collaboration.
The ability to collaborate in real time came after the purchase of another startup called DocVerse in 2010. That way, multiple users could edit a document at the same time, see the changes in real time, and leave comments on the content. This feature has been especially useful for teams and projects where real-time communication is essential. In 2012, Google acquired Quickoffice and launched Google Sheets (spreadsheets) and Google Slides (to make presentations).
Over time, Google Docs has become a must-have tool for both individual users and businesses. The ability to access documents at any time and from any device, as well as integration with other Google applications, has made it a popular choice in the digital world.