How to Scan and Sign Forms Using iPhone or Android Phone
Have you ever wondered how you can scan and sign forms using your iPhone or Android device? There are many potential advantages to scanning and signing electronically, and it pays to learn more about these solutions.
How Does Scanning a Document Make Life Easier?
If you’re not in the habit of scanning documents for your business, you could be missing out. However, when you take advantage of this strategy, you can help reduce your costs, boost efficiency and save time.
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
You can cut down on your paper consumption, which could help you reduce the size of your carbon footprint. An enormous number of trees are chopped down each year to service the paper industry, and any steps you can take to reduce your paper consumption will only help. Remember, the information doesn’t have to be on paper if you can store it in digital format instead.
Improve Security
You can also improve the security of your organization by scanning as many documents as possible. When you digitize your information, you can store it behind a high-tech firewall. And if you operate in some sectors (like medicine, government or education), you have a duty to keep any sensitive information protected. When you scan, information can be encrypted and will be very difficult to access in the conventional sense.
Optimize Space
As you continue to scan, you’ll be amazed at how much you can de-clutter your workspace. Finally, you can start saying goodbye to those bulky cabinets and outdated filing systems. You’ll probably have a better indexing system online as well, so you can easily find the information as and when you need it.
Save Time
You’ll save a lot of time when you scan documents instead. When your staff is searching for hard copies to gather information, they won’t be working on other, potentially more lucrative activities. Note that workers can spend up to 19% of their time searching, according to a McKinsey report.
Why You Might Need To Scan and Sign Forms on an iPhone or Android
Now that you can see the general benefits of scanning, why should you use your smartphone to complete such a task? There are many potential benefits, the most important of which is convenience. Phone manufacturers and app makers have created several mobile scanner apps to help you seamlessly transition between any mobile device and a desktop or laptop. You don’t have to be near your desktop device or printer to convert a document from print to digital.
It’s also far better to use a scanning app to capture important information rather than simply taking a photograph with the phone. Certain apps can automatically adjust the captured image to define the scan area, alter the resolution and spice up the color. Also, both devices will have a seamless connection to cloud services and storage accounts.
Almost everyone in the U.S. owns a smartphone — 97%, according to Pew Research. Consequently, employees can almost always connect with their work environment through their iPhone or Android devices. They can quickly scan and send documents to co-workers whenever needed without having to be close to a desktop device.
Other Benefits of Scanning and Signing Forms on Your Smartphone
Most smartphone apps are well-designed and often offer high-quality output compared to a conventional photo. While it can be okay to send a photo from a mobile device for personal reasons, business communications often demand much higher quality. Where accuracy and readability are essential, it pays to scan and sign forms on an Android or iPhone device.
Mobile scanning is becoming more common by the day and is increasingly important in the workplace. Scanning will increase business efficiency and introduce new collaboration methods. As remote working gains even more acceptance, staff will have another tool available to help them keep in touch and communicate more effectively.
How To Scan a Document with an iPhone
Many ask, “Can I scan a document with my iPhone?” The short answer is that you can, and it’s relatively easy. You can scan documents using the Notes app on either iPhone or iPad.
- Start by opening Notes, creating a new one or selecting an existing note
- Then, tap the camera button and tap “scan documents”
- Place the document squarely in front of the camera
- The document will automatically scan when the device is placed in “auto” mode. However, if you need to capture a scan manually, you should tap the “shutter” button or one of the volume buttons on the side. You can then drag the corners to adjust the scan to fit the page before tapping “keep scan.”
- Tap “save” when you have finished, or add additional scans to the document if not
How To Scan a Document with Android
You can scan a document to your Android device using your Google Drive account. Typically, this will be pre-installed on any Android device, but you can always download it from the Google Play store if not.
- Open Google Drive and Tap the “+” symbol
- Underneath the “Create New” tab, select “Scan”
- You can then position the camera over the document and, when you’re ready, tap the “Shutter” button to capture the image
- If you’re happy, tap the “checkmark” to keep the scan, or go back and retake it
- If you need to scan any more images, tap the “+” symbol or “save” to finish. You then upload your document to Google Drive but will also have the opportunity to rescan, crop or rotate if necessary.
- Add a filename for this newly created PDF and choose where to save it
How To ESign Forms on iPhone
If you want to sign a form using your iPhone, you can do this through the Notes app.
- Open Notes and tap on the document within the note
- Tap on the “share” button and then “mark up”
- Next, tap the “add” button, followed by “signature,” before you create a new signature or add one you already have saved. The system will then allow you to adjust the signature box size before placing it wherever you need to on the document. If you’re not sure how to make an electronic signature, here is more information.
- Once you are happy, tap “done”
- You can also manually sign the document if you don’t have a saved signature or don’t wish to create one. Once you tap the “add” button, followed by “signature,” you will then use a pop-up tool, which will allow you to sign the document with your finger.
How To ESign Forms or Android
You will need to use a third-party app if you want to know how to do an electronic signature on an Android phone. For example, Adobe has the Acrobat Sign app, which is free.
- Once you have installed the app, you can open the document (you might need to save it on your phone first as an email attachment)
- Tap on the “blue pen” icon, then tap “fill and sign”
- Open the “fountain pen” icon from the menu and then tap “create a signature”
- You can now draw your signature, although if you already have a signature saved, it will appear instead
- Tap on the location within the document where you’d like to place your signature and adjust for size
- When you’re happy, tap the “blue tick” icon to finish
If you don’t want to use the built-in solution on your iPhone or one of the third-party apps for your Android, why not look at a state-of-the-art solution from jSign? You’ll be more inclined to use a solution like this when you learn about potential security implications.
Support Legally Binding Electronic Signatures
jSign’s option can be particularly beneficial when you can’t afford any disputes over the legality of an electronic signature. Sometimes, you might need to prove that your electronic contract is still in its original form and hasn’t been tampered with. You might also have to prove that the signer intended the agreement to be legally binding, that the signature is authentic and that you obtained the consent to use an electronic signature solution.
Take Advantage of Blockchain Technology
jSign uses state-of-the-art technology to create records through blockchain. The app will automatically record the timestamp for the e-signature, its geolocation coordinates, the signatory’s IP address and its unique device ID. jSign will then store all this data in a decentralized and redundant digital ledger, meaning no one can modify the original record without the system detecting it.
Final Thoughts on Scanning and Signing Documents
While you can certainly use your iPhone or Android device to scan and sign documents, consider using an e-signature provider that takes cyber security protocols into account and uses blockchain technology to safeguard your information. To learn more about this, download the free white paper “a key capability to demand from your e-signature solution” or find out more about the business at this blog. Or sign up for a free trial of jSign today.
