hybridSign - the digital signature for businesses

For businesses, digitalisation means not only increased flexibility, but in many areas also higher security and added convenience. One convenient option is the legally valid electronic signature via a mobile phone or another mobile device. Digital signatures are the clients' virtual IDs for their paperless interaction with bureaucratic processes. 

With just a single solution by Österreichische Post, digital signatures can be created and received across all devices. Whether via smartphone, tablet or notebook - with the digital signature, you and your customers can enjoy the full potential of digitization.

hybridSign gives you the option of assigning signature fields that are integrated into the document process. Users can also determine the signature quality needed for each document. In addition, users themselves can add and sign signature fields on an ad hoc basis. 

Benefits of hybridSign for businesses

For entrepreneurs, the legally correct processing of contracts can be a huge bureaucratic challenge. Signatures must be received within certain deadlines and contracts needed to be signed in time. The digital signature allows you to take care of these processes online. The digital signature has many other advantages:

  • Simplified processes
    The digital signature is easy to integrate into existing processes as an add-on and allows businesses to have clients sign digitally right at the point of sale. 
  • No media inconsistencies
    Thanks to digital signatures, processes can be handled completely paperless and no scanning processes are necessary.
  • Many areas of use for your business
    Time records and other internal documents can also easily be signed electronically using the digital signature.
  • Maximum security and sophisticated technology
    Many years' experience and the latest technological standards ensure maximum security and processes compliant with data protection regulations.
  • Many industries and fields
    Digital signatures have many areas of use and are useful in various industries. The insurance companies Donau Versicherung and Wiener Städtische, among others, use the digital signature for electronic insurance documents.
 

Types of digital signature

Businesses have several options of having clients digitally sign or countersign business documents, contracts, and other documents.

 

If you give your clients the option of signing PDF documents with their own mobile phone signature, neither you nor your clients need an additional mobile device. This is how it works:

  1. The document is opened in hybridSign.
  2. The clients will add the signature field themselves or use a pre-defined field.
  3. As a next step, clients can choose the signature type (mobile phone signature, remote signature, etc.)
  4. Then, clients will log in using the access data for the mobile phone signature (telephone number, password, and TAN) and will then sign the document.
  5. As a final step, the document with the legally valid signature can be downloaded.

Even though the mobile phone signature is not a handwritten "signature" in the true sense of the word, it officially and unequivocally identifies the signer and is legally equal to a handwritten signature.

For electronic signatures on smartphones or tablets, no additional device is needed. If you have suitable devices at your company, you can use them to sign documents personally with your finger. In addition to signature images, other data can be saved for unequivocal identification: writing speed, pen pressure, etc.

There is also the option of sending documents that need signing to the persons in charge. They can then sign the documents wherever they are during a pre-defined timeframe.

Supported digital signature levels

Österreichische Post supports all signature qualities used in and recognised by the EU. This includes, in addition to the simple electronic signature, the qualified electronic signature, which comes with special requirements.

The simple electronic signature is linked to a natural person and includes, as a minimum, the person's name or pseudonym.

This signature type needs to be unequivocally linked to the signer. This can be done by uploading an ID. In addition, the signature must be made via means that are under the sole control of the signer.

Qualified signatures are legally equivalent to handwritten signatures on paper. The qualified signature uniquely identifies the signatory. The deposited certificate can be validated online for verification. Qualified signatures are issued and validated in the EU by trust service providers. hybridSign uses ID Austria and HandySignatur via A-Trust in Austria and also integrates trust service providers from other EU countries. Companies use this type of digital signature for concluding contracts and for internal approvals.

The official electronic seal labels documents from the authorities as such. This seal is affixed on decisions and documents on a clearly visible spot.

The guarantees that a given document actually comes from the authority in question and that it will still be valid if printed. This also ensures that official documents that you receive via electronic delivery from the authorities are valid.

The corporate seal is the electronic version of a company's official corporate seal. With this seal, important documents can be unequivocally matched to your company.

Typical areas of use for the digital signature

The digital signature for businesses supports many industry-specific applications and is the flagship example of successful digitalisation:


Insurance and finance

  • Valid contract signature
  • Unequivocal assignment of financial documents


Human Resources

  • Signing working time confirmations
  • Signatures on employment contracts