Acrobat Sign

Small businesses often struggle with manual, paper-based processes that are time-consuming, error-prone, and costly. Securing documents and ensuring legal compliance, especially with sensitive contracts, adds complexity. 

E-signature tools like DocuSign and Acrobat Sign simplify approvals, offering secure and compliant solutions. Acrobat Sign integrates seamlessly with other Adobe products, making it a strong choice for businesses already using the Adobe ecosystem.

There are free alternatives as well, such as Dropbox Sign (with up to 3 signature requests per month), SignRequest, DocHub, and Smallpdf, offering basic e-signature capabilities. While these free tools may have some limitations, they are suitable for businesses with lighter document workflows.

Acrobat Sign can help small businesses streamline document workflows, improve efficiency, and ensure legal compliance across various business functions. Here are some of the most common use cases:

1. Contract Management

Small businesses often need to manage contracts with vendors, clients, or partners. Acrobat Sign allows businesses to quickly send, sign, and track contracts electronically, making the entire process more efficient and transparent. 

2. Sales Agreements

For businesses that rely on sales agreements, for example real estate agencies or car dealerships, Acrobat Sign offers an efficient way to get sales documents signed quickly and securely. This helps businesses close deals faster and eliminates the need for in-person signings.

3. Employee Onboarding

HR departments can use Acrobat Sign to streamline the employee onboarding process by sending employment contracts, tax documents, and other forms electronically. This makes it easy for new hires to sign and return necessary documents from anywhere, reducing the onboarding time.

4. Customer Approvals

Small businesses that require customer approvals for projects, designs, or services can use Acrobat Sign to get these approvals digitally. Creative agencies and construction companies, for example, can save time by sending project proposals or designs for approval via Acrobat Sign.

5. Legal Compliance and Auditing

Small businesses in regulated industries, such as healthcare or finance, can benefit from Acrobat Sign’s compliance with e-signature laws like ESIGN and eIDAS. The tool provides an audit trail for each signed document, ensuring accountability and meeting regulatory requirements.

Depending on your complexity of business, budget, and workflow integration requirements, you may want to evaluate other e-signature options such as DocuSign or SignNow. Here are some scenarios in which other software should be considered: 

1. Simple E-Signature Needs

If your business only requires occasional e-signatures without the need for advanced features or integrations, a more cost-effective tool like DocuSign or Dropbox Sign might be more suitable. These platforms offer more basic plans that cater to smaller volumes of document signing.

2. Advanced Workflow Automation

For businesses that require advanced workflow automation or extensive customizations in document processes, platforms like PandaDoc or SignNow may be a better fit. They offer deeper integrations with CRM systems and advanced document creation tools, which might be needed in larger organizations or businesses with more complex workflows.

3. Cost-Conscious Businesses

Acrobat Sign is often seen as an enterprise-grade solution, which may not fit into the budget of small businesses. Platforms like Dropbox Sign or Zoho Sign offer more affordable alternatives with essential e-signature functionalities, ideal for businesses looking to save costs without sacrificing reliability. Their pricing structures are designed for small teams, making them better options for businesses with limited resources.

Setting up Acrobat Sign for your small business is a straightforward process. The steps below will take you through the process of creating an account, customizing it, and starting to send documents for e-signatures.

1. Sign Up for Acrobat Sign

Visit the Acrobat Sign website and sign up for a plan that suits your business needs. Adobe offers multiple plans, including a small business plan with features tailored to your specific requirements.

2. Set Up Your Account

Once registered, set up your business profile, including your logo and any branding elements you'd like to include in your e-signature requests. You can also set up templates for frequently used documents like contracts, NDAs, or sales agreements.

3. Upload Your Documents

Upload the documents you want to send for signing. Acrobat Sign supports a wide range of file formats, including PDFs, Word documents, and Excel spreadsheets. You can organize these documents into folders for easy access.

4. Send for Signature

Select the document you want to send, enter the recipient's email address, and add any required fields (signature, date, initials, etc.). Acrobat Sign allows you to assign multiple signers, if necessary, and track the progress of each signature.

5. Manage and Track Documents

Once the document is sent, you can track its status in real time. Acrobat Sign notifies you when a recipient has viewed or signed the document, and all signed files are securely stored for future access.

Migrating to Acrobat Sign from another e-signature or document management tool involves several key steps to ensure a smooth transition:

1. Import Existing Documents

Begin by exporting your documents from your previous tool (e.g., DocuSign, HelloSign, PandaDoc) in a compatible format such as PDF or Word. Use Acrobat Sign’s import feature to upload and organize these documents into your new Acrobat Sign account. This process ensures that all your existing agreements and templates are available for use without the need for re-uploading them individually.

2. Recreate or Import Templates and Workflows

If you have custom templates or automated workflows set up in your old tool, you’ll need to recreate these in Acrobat Sign. Acrobat Sign offers tools to help you build new templates or import existing ones. For complex workflows, use Acrobat Sign’s workflow customization options to replicate the automated processes you had in place, ensuring consistency in your document handling.

Transfer Customer and Partner Data

To ensure continuity in your document signing processes, transfer your customer or partner data from CRM systems or email clients into Acrobat Sign. This involves exporting contact information and importing it into Acrobat Sign’s contact management system. Ensure that all parties involved in document signing are added to Acrobat Sign’s system, which helps streamline the signing process and minimize manual entry.

Set Up and Configure Integrations 

Integrate Acrobat Sign with your existing CRM systems or other business tools to maintain seamless operations. Acrobat Sign supports integrations with various platforms such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and Salesforce. Configure these integrations to ensure that your document workflows align with your existing processes and systems.

Test and Validate

Before fully transitioning, conduct tests to verify that all documents, templates, and workflows function as expected in Acrobat Sign. This helps identify and resolve any issues before the full migration. Review the migrated documents and workflows to ensure accuracy and completeness.

There are a range of tools that integrate seamlessly with Acrobat Sign, enhancing its functionality for document management, CRM, HR, and contract management. Here are some of the tools that integrate well with Acrobat Sign: 

Document Management and Collaboration

• Microsoft 365: Acrobat Sign integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Outlook and SharePoint, allowing users to send documents for signature directly from these apps. This is especially useful for businesses that already rely on Microsoft tools for document creation and collaboration.
• Google Workspace: With the Google Workspace integration, users can send documents for e-signature from Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Docs. This is ideal for businesses that use Google’s productivity tools and need a simple way to add e-signatures to their workflows.
• Dropbox: Acrobat Sign integrates with Dropbox, allowing businesses to send documents for signing directly from their Dropbox folders. This is useful for businesses that rely on Dropbox for cloud storage and file sharing.
• Box: Box provides secure storage and document management capabilities, integrating with Acrobat Sign for enhanced document workflows.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

• Zoho CRM: Through this integration, businesses using Zoho CRM can collect digitally signed documents directly into the platform.
• Microsoft Dynamics: Similarly, sales teams using Microsoft Dynamics can track agreements and receive e-signatures without leaving their CRM system.

Human Resources

• Workday: This integration allows businesses to streamline their HR workflows by automatically sending employment contracts and other HR-related documents for e-signature through Workday.

Legal

• Notarize: Acrobat Sign's integration with Notarize enables businesses to easily incorporate notarization in their e-signature workflows.

You can learn more about tools that integrate easily with Acrobat Sign on Adobe’s Integrations page.

Acrobat Sign offers a comprehensive and reliable e-signature solution, especially for businesses already using Adobe products or requiring advanced document workflows. However, small businesses with simpler needs or budget constraints may find more cost-effective or basic alternatives better suited to their operations.