The sheer volume of documents that need our feedback, approval, and sign off can easily overwhelm us. Nearly 20 percent of the workweek is spent looking for internal information or tracking down colleagues to complete tasks, according to a study from McKinsey Global Institute.
Within Citrix Workspace, employees engage with a single destination for document storage, electronic signature and collaboration. Integrated electronic signature features combine Citrix RightSignature — legally binding and industry-compliant signatures — with Citrix Content Collaboration, enabling enterprise grade document security and workflows.
In this post I want to share five ways you can improve document approval workflows, including legally binding electronic signatures. Let’s walk through an example of how Citrix streamlines the remote hiring process with Citrix Content Collaboration electronic signature features. Lisa, an HR manager, collaborates with the hiring manager to create a statement-of-work contract.
1) Secure Access to Collaboration Apps
An electronic signature may be the final step when approving a document, but the document itself is needed to start the process. A simple task is met with trying to remember another log-in credential to Microsoft Office 365. Within Citrix Workspace, the team is already connected via single-sign-on. They simply click the icon to launch Microsoft Word Online to collaborate in real time. IT admins have peace of mind as sensitive data is tracked via Citrix Analytics and accessed within a secure browser. Lisa keeps track of her files within the Citrix Workspace user interface due to a secure connector to OneDrive for Business. The image below shows options to share, edit or send for signature directly within Citrix Workspace.
2) Simplify Approvals
Once copywriting is complete, Lisa needs approval from her director. Because the project is beyond the collaboration phase, Lisa is seeking sign off on a finalized document. How many times have you experienced an email chain with multiple comments and conflicting direction? Lisa also has several different projects in review she needs to track. She uses Citrix Content Collaboration’s feedback and approval workflows to collect final approval and comments directly within the document as seen in the below screen shot. By initiating within this format, comments can be applied to the items of concern. Sign-off is tracked directly on the document, not lost in e-mail. Check out how the feedback and approvals feature helped an international waste disposal and recycling company expedite the switch to digital workflows.
3) Integrate Electronic Signature
The hiring manager prepares the final document for electronic signature. Because it’s initiated directly from the file within Citrix Workspace, she can customize fields, set automatic reminders, and assign to both internal and external signers. We’ve increased the limit of email reminders to six, with an option to send daily reminders. The new employee receives an email and follows simple steps to provide inputs and execute the document. Before, recipients signing lengthy contracts could lose their progress or be forced to complete the contract in one sitting. Now, the signer has the option to save their progress and pick up from where they left off.
Once signed, the waiver form moves in sequence to the HR manager for signature. She receives a notification via email and the Workspace feed. After the employee and HR manager both sign the document, a signed copy is archived back to Workspace with a signature certificate containing detailed authentication information represented by a SHA-1 checksum, timestamp, IP address, and audit log.
One new feature now available is our bulk-send capability, which enables multiple signers on one document. Lisa uses this feature for a separate project to distribute an updated non-disclosure agreement (NDA) across all departments in her organization. With a simple csv file upload of a list of signers, she can distribute to >1 individual users including automated reminders and reporting.
4) Capitalize on the Extensible Integration Framework
Business processes can be completed directly within applications without a user having to switch context, supporting greater productivity. Using the rich, public API, Citrix Workspace’s electronic signature capability is integrated into line of business applications. Lisa uses this capability to trigger a health insurance waiver document for signature natively within her HR portal software.
5) Workflow Automation
Configure any business process workflows before or after document signature. With Citrix workflow automation, you can automate key tasks and set up triggers for essential time-sensitive actions, which includes electronic signatures that are triggered from Citrix Podio. Lisa can remove the dependency to manually initiate the onboarding process. Once a candidate’s status changes to “selected” on Citrix Podio, the offer letter can be automatically generated and shared with the candidate for electronic signature.
See Citrix Content Collaboration and RightSignature in Action
See how both the employee document owner and external client quickly capture legally binding electronic signatures fast, without ever worrying about losing a document.
