Getting Started with Authentisign E-Signature

By William Thompson, NJ Realtors® Director of Technology

While electronic signature has been around for quite a while, and early adopters could see the convenience, the pandemic transformed the service into an industry standard. In addition to a Transaction Management System, Transactions (zipForm Edition), included in your membership, you also have unlimited access to the e-signature service through Authentisign. Sending a document for signature couldn’t be easier!

1. Accessing zipForm

NJ Realtors® has a single-sign-on integration with zipForm, allowing you to create, fill out, and save all of your forms quickly and easily. To get started you’ll need to log into zipForm using your NJ Realtors® credentials. Visit njrealtor.com/zipform and click the “Log in to zipForm Plus!” button. If you’re not already logged in, you’ll be prompted to do so, otherwise, you’ll be brought right into your zipForm account. If you’ve forgotten your password or never created an account, you can use the “Forgot Password” tool to get set up.

2. Create a Packet

Once you’re logged in, you’ll want to create an e-sign packet. An e-sign packet in zipForm is essentially one or more documents sent out for signature. Once sent, the documents inside cannot be modified, and any changes would require a new packet to be created. This is to ensure the integrity of the signatures and the documents themselves. From the transaction section of zipForms, if you already have a transaction created in zipForm, open the transaction, and click “E-Sign” on the second navigation bar, then click “New.” If you don’t have a transaction and are sending a scanned document or other files on your computer, you can click “New,” select “Quick E-Sign,” and enter a name for the signing. Quick E-Sign will create a simplified transaction without needing to enter any unnecessary information.

3. Add Signers

Now that our packet is created, we can add the participants of the e-signature transaction. This includes anyone who needs to sign, review, or receive a copy of the completed documents. From the “Signers” tab on the right panel, click “Add Participants.” If you’re sending forms completed from the NJ Realtors Library of Forms, you can select “Add from Transaction,” which will pull details directly from the form, otherwise click “Add New.” You can then enter the signer details, and select a role, or enter a new one, for the signer. Then select a signer type: remote signer, someone who signs the document; reviewer, someone who can review the document; or CC, someone who receives a copy of the completed documents. As an added security measure, you can enter a signing PIN that will allow you to enter a password you can separately share with the signer to access the documents. Finally, click “Save” to add the signer. Repeat these steps for all participants. Once sent, all participants receive an email to review and sign immediately, however, if you need to set an order of events, you can use the “Set signing order” feature. This allows you to, for example, send a contract to an attorney for review, then continue to the buyer, and finally yourself. You can even set participants with the same signing order, which, for example, allows multiple buyers to simultaneously be requested to sign, but only after their attorney reviews.

4. Adding Documents

Now that we have our signers, we can add the documents and forms we need signed. Head to the “Docs” tab on the right panel and click “Add a Document or Form.”

You’ll have the option to add completed forms directly from your transaction, upload a file, such as a PDF or Microsoft Word document, from your computer, or even connect to your Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, or Box account. Select any documents to send for review and signature. Finally, you can change the order of the documents by dragging the handle to the left of the document name up or down.

5. Adding Fields

One amazing benefit of using the Authentisign integration is that all forms in the NJ Realtors® Library of Forms come pre-tagged, meaning the signature, initials, and date fields are all programmed directly in the form, saving you hours of time and potential mistakes.

If you are using a scanned document or your own form, you’ll need to add the signature fields yourself. Don’t worry, it’s easy! Head over to the “Tools” tab on the right panel. From here, you’ll see a dropdown that includes a list of your remote signers; select the signer to which you’re adding fields. Underneath the signer, you can drag and drop the actions directly onto your form. The most commonly used actions are the “Sign Here” and “Initials,” however, you could allow the signer to fill out a form during the signing process by adding text boxes, dropdowns, and checkboxes. Repeat the steps for each of your signers to complete the document setup.

6. Sending Invitations

Now that our packet is set up, we’re ready to send it out for signature! At the top-right, click the “Next” button. In the pop-up, select an expiration date, the date for which the packet, if not signed, is invalidated, and optionally set up email reminders. Email reminders send regular emails to pending signers, keeping the invitation at the top of their inbox. Once you’re ready, click the send button to start the signing process. As each party signs, you’ll receive an email update, and once the packet is complete, you, as well as all participants, will receive the final, executed version. Documents are automatically saved to your zipForm account for safekeeping, along with a signing certificate.

Embracing Authentisign E-Signature through zipForm not only streamlines the document signing process but also ensures the integrity of signatures. As the real estate industry continues to evolve, this integrated solution enhances efficiency and convenience for you and your clients, making transactions smoother and more secure in our digital age.