Finago electronic signature service
Electronic or digital signature is an encrypted signature for which the signatories’ identity is verified. Electronic signatures are legally binding and secure.
The Finago Signature service is designed for signing documents and agreements electronically. Compared to traditional signatures, Finago Signature service is extremely fast and easy. Signature processes that would normally take days or weeks can be completed in minutes as you will not have to mail papers back and forth. Not having to set up meetings or other means to get the signatures will save you a lot of effort.
Opening this additional service is free of charge for all Procountor customers. This service allows you to sign documents such as customer agreements, work contracts and minutes. Agreements are added to the service as PDF files, after which the service creates a signature page for each agreement. The signature page indicates the signatory’s identification information and right to sign the company name. The service always sends signature invitations by e-mail, but signatories must identify themselves using online bank codes or personal passwords.
Once a document has been signed electronically, the markings on the document verify the signature. The marking can state, for example, “The document has been signed electronically”. An electronic signature guarantees that the contents of a document cannot be changed after signing. In addition, the signatories and the times of signing can be reliably verified, because if the contents are changed, the signature information will no longer be correct.
The legal validity of electronic signatures
The legal validity of an electronic signature is equal to that of a hand-written signature on a traditional paper document. The equal validity has been confirmed in the Act on Strong Electronic Identification and Electronic Signatures that entered into force in 2009 (617/2009). Legal uncertainty concerning the validity of signatures made through the service (and the validity of the contracts and other documents) is much less common than for traditional, hand-written signatures on paper documents.
Main features of the service
- The parties to the documents are identified through strong electronic identification (online banking credentials).
- The signatory’s authority to sign is confirmed in the Finnish Patent and Registration Office’s Trade Register.
- The service confirms that the document signed has been altered during the signature process.
As a Procountor customer, you can become a user of the service free of charge and only pay for its use, which is charged together with other Procountor invoicing. The price of one signature is EUR 2.25 (for instance, the price of an employment contract containing two signatures is EUR 4.50).
Service implementation
To start using the Finago Signature service, the company must have a valid Procountor customer agreement. The service is available for companies that have listed their authorities to sign in the Trade Register. As a result, the service is not currently available for associations and business names.
Read more about the service implementation.