Digital Signature

What is a Digital Signature?

In today’s environment of extreme security and “fake” documents, it is becoming more important that document creators and reviewers be assured the document is real and cannot be modified without their permission. Digital signature permits users to assign a non-revocable, non-modifiable user digital signature to a document or drawing signifying their authenticity and approval of the document or document markups. Unlike e-signatures, there is no need to communicate with outside third-party vendors or send files outside the organization’s four walls.

Once signed the digital signature on a document or document markup guarantees users of the document that it has not changed since it was signed and the signer is really who they claim to be. For audit purposes, this non repudiation process provides the assurance that the document signer cannot deny the authenticity of their signature or the act of signing itself, at the time of the signature.

Using ImageSite Digital Signature is fast and simple, yet the underlying technology is extremely sophisticated. ImageSite creates public and private encryption key pairs for each authorized signer; these key pairs are related in such a way that only one key can be used to encrypt and only the other key can be used to decrypt the file.

• Documents are automatically verified for authenticity (the signer exists and is who they say they are), with caution symbols indicating a document has been changed
• Individual users can be granted digital signing privileges, with each signer maintaining a unique identifier
• Signers can sign a document, or individual document markups, or both
• Multiple signers can be permitted on a single document or markup
• Document markups can be signed independently allowing for progressive approval of required revisions
• Signatures include date and time of entry
• Signatures can include comments from the signer
• Digitally signed documents are indicated with a special file thumbnail icon
• Great for also signifying document approval or review completion
• Makes the act of signing a document irrevocable from the database.

Using Digital Signature For Formal Drawing Approvals

A formal design drawing may require several revisions prior to its release as a production or as-built file.  Each revision may require project managers, professional engineers, or project owners approve of the changes prior to a new revision or final release of the document.  The approval and final release of the drawing may entail large or expensive changes, that if not implemented accurately can lead to financial disputes, rework, and lost project time.  Resolving disputes can often revolve around who approved changes and when.

A digital signature is a perfect mechanism for ensuring an approval or markup review was completed by the digital signer at the exact date timestamp indicated and that no changes could have been made to the file from that moment.  Releasing a digitally signed document then ensures that any third parties attempting to modify the file, in any way, invalidates the signature.  Conversely, third-parties are assured the file received is authentic and has not been altered since being issued.