Signature Application signotec signoSign/Universal

signoSign/Universal is a web-based product which serves for the integration of an electronic signature within a workflow without media discontinuity.

The special feature of signoSign/Universal is that it can be used both stationary with signature pads (e.g. at PC workstations) and on mobile devices.

The PDF viewer, which is based on HTML5 and JavaScript, can be called from an existing application. Within the viewer, common PDF documents can be displayed and processed. For example, it is possible to fill in existing form fields, insert handwritten notes, create signature fields and then sign the document.

The software works with all common browsers, such as Internet Explorer 11, Edge, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. For the use of a signature pad only the installation of the signotec WebSocket Pad server is necessary.

As iOS or Android users, the proven signature apps are also available. These offer extended functions, such as "Open with" functionality, camera access, GPS coordinates and pen input.

Please note that the software needs to licensed and is therefore not free of charge.


Flexibility and Integration Possibilities are a Top Priority


Highlights

signoSign/Universal is a web application for displaying, editing and signing PDF documents and can be used flexibly from any end device. Apps and a small web application are available for simple applications. For more complex use cases, the application can be seamlessly integrated.

  • Electronic signature according to ISO standard with incremental insertion of individual signatures
  • Support of common PDF formats and conformities
  • Platform independent web solution
  • Executable on all HTML5-capable devices
  • Automatic and dynamic recognition of signature positions for each document
  • Fill in and save PDF forms
  • Function for sharing with external users (remote signature)
  • Individual certificate management for signature and encryption
  • Browser and app usage support

In addition, the software offers many functions and application possibilities (more on this in the other tabs).


Features

signoSign/Universal offers a variety of features for users and developers. Depending on usage and integration, different features may be available.

General functions
  • Generation of an advanced or qualified electronic signature according to eIDAS requirements
  • Support for mandatory and optional form and signature fields
  • Optical highlighting of optional and mandatory fields
  • Support of all common form field types and signature fields
  • Certificate management on the server (not within the potentially insecure and/or unknown device)
  • Automatic verification of document integrity when opening a document
  • Support of mobile devices and signotec signature pads

User functions
  • Easy navigation through the document
  • Filling out form fields
  • Add signature fields
  • Sign signature fields
  • Inserting handwritten notes
  • Share Document (Create Sharing Case)
  • Print document
  • Export document
  • Save document
 
Developer functions
  • Configurable user interface: Show/hide functions
  • Add signature fields programmatically
  • Control signature fields programmatically: show/hide, define sequence
  • Fill out form field checkboxes using a signature pad
  • Automatic start of signature process, starting with any signature field
  • Automatic storage, flexibly configurable
  • Individual message/error messages for the user
  • Split document programmatically (create/manage sharing cases)
  • Information when saving: How many signature fields are available and signed, separated between mandatory and optional fields
  • Certificate administration

Browsers and
Apps

signoSign/Universal can be used flexibly in the browser (desktop and mobile) as well as with the mobile, native apps for Apple iOS and Android. The use of the apps is optional, e.g. to benefit from the "share" or "open with" function of the app.

signoSign/Universal can be operated completely in a browser, e.g. via the signotec "document pool" or by direct integration into existing web applications.

Requirements:

The browser must support HTML5 and JavaScript.

Functions:

  • Open, edit and sign PDF documents directly in the browser
  • Share documents with external users
  • Simple document management in the signotec "document pool"
  • Support for Windows Tablet PCs and Convertibles
  • Use of signotec signature pads. (To use signotec signature pads in the browser, the signoPAD-API/Web is required.)

Native apps are available for the use of signoSign/Universal on mobile devices. The use of these apps offers some advantages and can facilitate the use of signoSign/Universal.


Note: The use of the apps is not mandatory. The application can also be operated and used completely in a browser.


 

Features of the App
  • "Open with..." function
    In the app it is possible to open and edit documents that come as downloads from a website, as email attachments or e.g. from Dropbox, OneDrive, etc. without further effort. Open in signoSign/Universal" opens the document directly in the app.
  • GPS data
    The GPS coordinates can be taken into account when capturing the signature. A device with GPS function is required to use this option.
  • Camera support
    An image can be added to the signature, which can be captured via the integrated camera.
  • Pen support
    In addition to the Apple Pencil, the iOS App also supports pens from the company "Adonit". In addition, it can be controlled whether signatures can only be captured with the pen.



Mobile Apps

Apple iOS

The Apple iOS app can be found in iTunes under the link:

https://itunes.apple.com/de/developer/signotec-gmbh/id524332913

 

Prerequisites

Apple iPhone or iPad with iOS 9 or higher


Configuration

After installation, you can log in directly with your login data on the server provided by signotec GmbH or you can store the data of your own signoSign/Universal Server.

 

App Settings

  • Site access
  • Camera access
  • Access data
  • Pen support


Android

You can find the Android app under the link:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.signotec.signosignuniversal&hl=gsw


Prerequisites
Android 5.0 or newer


Configuration

After installation, you can log in directly with your login data on the server provided by signotec GmbH or you can store the data of your own signoSign/Universal Server.

 

App Settings

  • Access data
  • Pen support


Windows Store

The Windows Store App can be found under the following links:

Windows 8

http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/app/490579c8-9ab0-4216-9759-f71758fa47bf

Windows 10

https://www.microsoft.com/store/apps/9NBLGGH1NRB

 

Prerequisites:

Windows 8.1 or newer


Configuration

After installation, you can log in directly with your login data on the server provided by signotec GmbH or you can store the data of your own signoSign/Universal Server.

 

App Settings  

  • Site access
  • Camera access
  • Access data
  • Pen support

Document Pool

The signotec "document pool" is an additional web application that is delivered with signoSign/Universal and can be used optionally.

The application is used for simple document management in the browser or via the mobile apps.

Documents and templates can be saved in the web application so that they can be called up from any end device at any time and changes can be made or signatures entered.

In addition, documents can easily be released for further persons via the "Share" function using a link for editing and signing ("Remote Signature").

Features
  • Simple document management
  • Templates for Recurring Forms
  • Retrieval from any device
  • Flexible use in the browser or via apps
  • Document sharing via link
  • Management of released documents

Remote Signature

Due to the used web technologies and the platform independence of signoSign/Universal, the product offers not only possibilities for stationary or mobile signing, but also the sharing of documents with external signers.

Using the "Sharing Case" function of the application, documents can be forwarded to persons via a link so that the document can be opened and edited by the person.

In this way, documents can be sent from the office, for example, to customers who are not currently on-site. This completely eliminates the need to send the document in paper format or sign it on site.


Integration

signoSign/Universal consists of a front end, which is displayed to the user in a browser or one of the signoSign/Universal apps on the client, and a back end, in which the documents are processed on a Java server. Depending on the integration scenario, the backend accesses a persistence in the form of a database, a persistence provided by the integrator via a plug-in interface or data stored in the session. Both the database and the data stored in the session can be accessed via a REST web service. H2 is supplied as a configured database. Depending on the application scenario, it is recommended to configure a different database in productive environments. If you integrate your own persistence or save the data exclusively in the session, no database is required.

signoSign/Universal can therefore be integrated into existing processes in different ways. The type selected depends on the requirements and the underlying technology of the existing customer system. Basically, the same workflow is always followed:

Classic Integration:

  • Upload of a document to signoSign/Universal.
  • Configure the document and the viewer.
  • Open the document to edit and sign it.
  • Download the completed document.

Note: In the case of integration, the signoSign/Universal server is always operated on-premise by the customer or integrator himself in order to be able to fully use and control all functions.



The REST-API is developed according to the Open-API standards and is the preferred method of integration for many web developers. Most of the functions of signoSign/Universal can be controlled very easily via the REST-API in order to provide users with documents and signature functions. A document can be handed over to signoSign/Universal at any time and from anywhere and opened so that the user can edit and sign the document.

The REST API is very easy to integrate and is supplied with the popular Swagger-UI in addition to the technical documentation. A session of the document viewer can be managed via each token. This makes it possible to provide different documents and configurations with each call/token. The special thing here is that documents can also be completely processed in the temporary memory, without having to be stored in a database. The document is loaded directly into the viewer (the session). While it is loaded in the viewer, a lot of information and details about the document can be called up and settings can be made for the document and the viewer. A URL is generated to call up the document. After completion, the modified document can be downloaded again and deleted. In such an integration scenario, the system can be operated completely without a database.

The main API functions include in particular:
  • Generate tokens, which are needed for communication and administration of sessions.
  • Provision of PDF documents directly in a session or via a database.
  • Generation of "sharing cases" for sending to external (unknown) users for a remote signature.
  • Configuration of the viewer and the behavior of some functions.
  • Generation of dynamic and static signature fields.
  • Storage and assignment of certificates for signature and encryption.
  • Retrieval of documents, information and configurations.
An example API sequence could look like this:
  • POST/instancetoken => Generate a token to use further API methods.
  • POST/viewer/document => Upload a (temporary) document to the viewer session.
  • (Optional) PATCH/viewer/configuration => Configure the viewer.
  • (Optional) POST/document/dynamicsignaturefields => Create dynamic signature fields based on keywords in the document.
  • POST/viewer/accessurl => Generate an access URL to open the document in the viewer.
  • [User edits the document]
  • GET/viewer/document => Download the document from the viewer session.
  • DELETE/viewer/document => Delete the document from the viewer session.
  • DELETE/instancetoken => Revoke the token.

Diagram REST-API of signoSign/Universal © signotec GmbH

An integrator can use the plug-in to transfer user-related documents and configurations to the backend or receive them from the backend. The interface is particularly suitable if the customer application and signoSign/Universal directly or indirectly e.g. can be connected to each other via a common database. Documents and configurations can then be exchanged directly between the systems.

The implementation of the interface in Java is necessary for this type of integration. The own implementation then replaces the implementation contained, which accesses the supplied database and some of the static configuration parameters. This makes it completely or partially obsolete. The standard implementation can therefore be partially overwritten by your own code or completely replaced. This means that signoSign/Universal can also be adapted to very special requirements. With the disadvantage that development, testing and configuration effort arise during installation and updates.

The following functionalities can be adapted through your own implementation
  • Custom or dynamic application configuration
  • Use of your own document source or storage
  • User-specific or dynamic document configuration
  • Adjustments to the locking function of loaded documents
  • Adjustments of the document sharing function to your own requirements
  • Use your own source for certificates
  • Definition of a signature time independent of the server time (e.g. via a time server)
  • Evaluation and validation of URL parameters that were given when the viewer was called

Diagram - Plug-In-Interface of signoSign/Universal © signotec GmbH

The frontend offers various JavaScript functions that can be used to programmatically control the viewer when it is embedded in another web application via an iFrame. So, for example, the signing is started or the saving is triggered. In addition, the surrounding application can be informed about certain events and react to them. The special thing about an integration via an iFrame is that the surrounding application can be blocked and that it remains in control until the work in signoSign/Universal is finished.

JavaScript functions

Essentially, all the button functions of the viewer can also be called up from the surrounding application using JavaScript functions. These include in particular:

  • Start the signature process
  • Start the process of adding more signature fields
  • Start the save process
  • Logout (log off the session from the signoSign/Universal Server)
  • Scroll to the previous, next or a specific page
  • Call up the thumbnail menu
JavaScript events

If signoSign/Universal is embedded as an iFrame in another application, the surrounding application can be informed about certain events. Depending on the event, the behavior of signoSign/ Universal can be influenced by calling the "preventDefault" method of the object passed to the event within the defined event handler.

The main events include:

  • Message event: Occurs when signoSign/Universal displays a message in a dialog.
  • Signature-Performed: Occurs when a signature is made and sent to the server.
  • Document-Saved: Occurs when the saving process has been performed.
  • Update Form Fields: Occurs when changed form fields are synchronized with the backend.
  • Pad-Opened / Pad-Closed: Occurs when the connection to the signature pad has been started or ended.
  • Pad-State-Changed: Occurs as soon as the status of the opened pad changes.

Requirements

signoSign/Universal is a Java-based server application and can be operated both under Windows and Linux. The required server performance depends strongly on the load. To use signotec signature pads, the "signotec WebSocket Pad Server" is additionally required on the client.


 

System environment

If you run signoSign/Universal on your own systems "on premise", there are some requirements for the system environment:

Operating system

  • Windows
  • Linux

Java

signoSign/Universal is developed against Servlet specification 3.0 and requires at least Java 7.

Deployment

  • Servlet Container (bspw. Tomcat)
  • Application Server (bspw. WildFly)

Server performance

The hardware requirements of the signoSign/Universal Server scale with the load. The load of the server strongly depends on the number of concurrent users, the complexity of the documents and the lengths of the keys used. The server is primarily used for rendering and signing. We recommend (without obligation) Intel Xeon server processors with min. 4 cores and 8 GB RAM.

Compatible signature devices
  • All signotec signature pads are supported. (WebSocket Pad Server required)
  • Input via Windows Tablet-PCs and Convertibles is supported
  • All common smartphones and tablets (Apple iOS and Android) are supported.
Scope of Delivery
  • Web application "signoSign/Universal"
  • Web application "Document Pool"
  • License information
  • Installation manual
  • User manual
  • Technical Documentation

The delivery is exclusively digital. We do not ship CDs or license certificates.


Live Demo

In principle, signoSign/Universal must be licensed differently depending on the integration and usage scenario. However, before you purchase the licenses, you can test and integrate signoSign/Universal without obligation.


You can also find a live demo of the signoSign/Universal PDF Viewer directly on our website. You can either open an example form or upload your own PDF.


Scope of Functions of signoSign/Universal


As a platform-independent system, signoSign/Universal offers numerous application areas and corresponding number of functions. These can be used flexibly in a wide range of applications, both mobile and stationary.

(1) - Viewer

signoSign/Universal is basically a PDF viewer for editing and signing PDF documents. The viewer is web-based and can be operated from all HTML5-compatible end devices. In addition to signature capture, functions for filling out PDF forms and handwritten notes are also available.

(2) - Apps

The application can be used via mobile apps to access documents. The use of the apps is very easy, because any PDF document can be opened easily by using the "Open with..." function of Android or Apple iOS. This works from almost any app, e.g. an email attachment, a cloud storage or other apps.

(3) - Browser

In addition to using mobile end devices, signoSign/Universal can also be used in the browser on stationary PCs with signature pads or Windows Tablet PCs. This option offers the greatest possible flexibility in the fields of application, because stationary and mobile users can be covered with a single application. This positive effect is further enhanced by integration.

(4) - Integration

In order to integrate signoSign/Universal absolutely and as deeply as possible into existing processes, various programming interfaces are available. The signoSign/Universal functions can be flexibly integrated into almost any existing application via web service (REST/SOAP), a Java interface or app integration (Intent/X-Callback).

Norms and Standards of signoSign/Universal

signoSign/Universal was developed taking into account and complying with various technical and industry-specific standards in order to offer the greatest possible compatibility and investment security.

  • Support for all common PDF documents that comply with the PDF standard. PDF/A conformity is also supported.
  • Signed according to ISO Standard 19005-1:2005 and ISO 32000-1:2008
  • Signed documents can be checked at any time, anywhere and by anyone without any technical effort.
  • The biometrics can be extracted from the document according to "ISO/IEC 19794-7: Biometric data interchange formats - Part 7: Signature/Sign Time Series Data".
  • Advanced or qualified electronic signature according to EU-wide eIDAS regulation as well as trust service law (VDG)
  • BiPRO Standard 262: The standard defines the procedure for providing signatures in business processes of the insurance industry in which documents with the need to make a declaration of intent are used.