Despite the number of digitally-driven disruptions that have occurred in the workplace over the past half-decade or so, paper retains a stubborn presence in many business activities – a fact that Adobe Systems Inc. would like to change.
Starting in May, subscribers to Adobe Marketing Cloud will be able to integrate the company’s digital signature service Adobe Sign (formerly Document Cloud eSign services) into their websites, apps, and online applications, Adobe vice president of product management Jon Perera wrote in an April 25 blog post announcing the change.
“We’ve all had to fill out applications or forms online – print them, sign them with a pen, scan them back into a computer and email or upload them electronically – only to be kept in the dark on what happens after they are sent,” Perera wrote. “It’s a waste of time and resources that has gone on for far too long.”
Perera cited a recent study by global market intelligence firm International Data Corporation (IDC) that discovered while 72 per cent of businesses believe streamlining their document processes would make customers happier, 80 per cent of their processes still rely on paper – an arrangement that he believes adding Adobe Sign to Marketing Cloud, which will allow the customers of banks, healthcare providers, and governments alike to easily find the forms they need online, fill them out, and electronically sign them using a mobile device, will render obsolete.
To help businesses further digitize their documentation processes, Adobe also announced that it would be integrating its Adobe Document Cloud service with popular online storage providers Box.com and Microsoft OneDrive, allowing users to view and edit PDFs directly in the cloud.
Users will also be able to open files from Box directly into Adobe Sign, allowing companies to use electronic signatures for important contracts and paperwork. The new updates are also being added to Adobe’s Creative Cloud apps, enabling business users to access their most important company documents from anywhere.
“If you subscribe to Acrobat DC, or use Document Cloud for your business, we hope these new innovations help you get work done smarter and faster,” Perera wrote.