PDF and Electronic Signature
Electronic signature uses PDFs to edit the documents offered for signature. The main reason for this choice is that a PDF document, once opened and closed without being modified, remains strictly identical to the original. This is not the case for "Office 365" documents for example, because when a document of this type is opened, some "metadata" is modified and the document that was opened and then closed is no longer strictly the same.
The most secure method for safeguarding documents is encryption and "anchoring" in the BlockChain BitCoin. Indeed, the BlockChain edits a specific code (called Hash code) which can only correspond to a single document in the world (yours) and which could no longer be attached to a modified document (even a file opened and then closed without being modified would no longer match due to the automatically modified metadata).
For these reasons, leaders in electronic signatures use the PDF format or transform “Office 365” type formats into PDF at the time of signing. However, some providers do not use the BlockChain to anchor the document and edit an irreversible, tamper-proof date, the security of which is currently the strongest in the world. Some still use an old system: the trusted third party. The notion of trusted third party refers to the law of December 29, 1990 on the use of cryptology. Then, 20 years ago, the technology was very different from what exists today. The use of BlockChain implements a much more efficient security and encryption system than those used in 1990. This is why the technology used by e-signproof.com is that of BlockChain.
PDF (created by ADOBE) is a format called "stable". This format, as part of the electronic signature, not only makes it possible to edit a document that cannot be modified by the signer, but also to integrate various data fields. For example, in the case of e-signproof.com, it is possible to integrate a text with a checkbox (for example □ Read and approved, good for agreement) or a “text” space to be filled in by the signatory (compulsory or not before signing) or answers to questions (single and multiple choices), or even insertion of data inside a text, or even insertion of a calculated field. As we can see the possibilities are numerous and in addition the requestor (who will send a document to be signed to a signer) can choose that all or only some of this information be saved in the signed PDF which will then be stored on the ultra servers. -secure of e-signproof.com and which will also be anchored in the BlockChain and thus dated and become tamper-proof.
Very few providers offer all these possibilities to their customers and in the majority of cases these functions are optional and over-billed.
The best is to compare the prices and features of the different providers in order to choose the one that offers the best quality / functionality / security / price ratio.