Digital signatures come natively to SharePoint – a milestone for contract digitalization in Swiss enterprises. Microsoft integrates eSignature and Agreements Workspace directly into the platform that many organizations already use daily.
New Features
eSignature in SharePoint
With the native eSignature feature, users can send documents for signature directly from SharePoint libraries. The integration supports both simple and qualified electronic signatures and connects with Adobe Sign and DocuSign. For Swiss enterprises, compatibility with ZertES (Federal Act on Electronic Signatures) is particularly critical, as qualified signatures are legally equivalent to handwritten signatures under Swiss law.
Integration with Word
Contracts and documents can be prepared for signature directly in Microsoft Word. Signature fields can be visually placed, and signers are notified via email. The entire process – from drafting through approval to signing – stays within the Microsoft ecosystem, which significantly increases adoption among employees.
Agreements Workspace
The new Agreements Workspace provides a centralized overview of all contracts and their status. Expiring contracts are automatically flagged, and Power Automate flows can be triggered on status changes. For compliance officers, the complete traceability of all contract activities is a key advantage.
Benefits
Faster Processes
Contracts that previously required days or weeks for postal delivery and return are now signed within hours. Swiss SMEs report an average turnaround time reduction of 80%, which provides a significant competitive advantage especially for time-critical business closings.
Legal Validity
The eSignature solution meets the requirements of the eIDAS regulation (EU) and Swiss ZertES. Qualified electronic signatures through certified providers such as Swisscom or QuoVadis are legally binding and recognized in court. Audit trails document every step of the signing process.
Better Overview
With the centralized Agreements Workspace, contract managers have a real-time overview of all open, signed, and expired contracts. Dashboards reveal bottlenecks in the approval process, and automatic reminders prevent missed deadlines.
Conclusion
SharePoint eSignature & Agreements is an important step toward complete digitalization of contract processes. Swiss enterprises benefit from seamless integration into their existing Microsoft 365 environment and compliance with local signature laws.