Zoho Sign: Product Updates - Mid-2021

Zoho Sign: Product Updates - Mid-2021

Hello!

We are halfway through 2021, and it has been a busy journey for us at Zoho Sign.

Driven by the rise in remote work culture, the adoption of e-signatures by businesses and other organizations has become increasingly widespread. Here's an outline of all the features and enhancements we have introduced in Zoho Sign over the past six months and a sneak peek of what is coming.

What's new?
  • Document sharing
  • Template sharing
  • Windows app for signing with USB Token DSC
  • Print and sign support for regional conventions
  • Document type and folder management
  • On-demand bulk backup to cloud
  • Short-hand text tags
  • Merge enhancements in bulk send
  • Enhancements to limiting responses in SignForms
  • Enhancements to field properties in Document Viewer
  • Email bounce notifications
  • Support for spreadsheet upload
Document sharing
Administrators can now enable document sharing between users across the organization, allowing users to access and track the documents of other users that have been shared with them. This enhancement can be accessed by visiting the Users section and selecting the desired users to share documents between. It allows for better collaboration without compromising on internal data privacy.



Template sharing
Functioning largely similar to the document sharing enhancement, this allows administrators to now choose the users whom they want to share each template with. This helps with segmented access and prevents templates from being readily accessible to all the users upon creation. However, the users with whom a template is shared can only view and use it. Template creation and management is still only accessible to the administrators.



Windows app for signing with USB Token DSC
Zoho Sign now offers a USB Signer app on Windows that enables users to digitally sign documents using a USB token or drive carrying their digital signature. A USB token for digital signature is a digital signature certificate (DSC) in a password-protected device and in the physical form. This digital signature certificate is self-acquired by the signing individual from a regional certificate authority or identity provider. This type of signature is also referred to as advanced electronic signatures (AeS) in some legal contexts. Thus, this now allows users to sign documents using their personal or organizational digital signatures. The app can be downloaded on Windows from the Microsoft Store.



Print and sign support for regional conventions
Signers can now download the documents sent to them for signature, sign them physically, and then upload a scan of the signed paper documents back onto Zoho Sign to complete the digital signature process. Zoho Sign will attach its digital signature certificate onto the scanned copy that was uploaded and then proceed with the sign workflow as defined by the sender. This is handy in scenarios where regional conventions dictate that signers must sign documents physically and also maintain a copy in the form of signed paper documents. Alternatively, senders may also upload a scan of the signed paper documents they receive from signers, physically or via fax, on behalf of the signer and mark their signing activity as completed to advance the workflow onto the next recipient.



Document type and folder management
Users can now manage their document types and folders in Zoho Sign. By accessing the respective tabs in the Account settings section, users can edit or delete existing document types and folders or create new ones. Deleting a document type or a folder will not delete the documents associated with them. Users can associate documents with a document type and a folder, or modify existing associations, by editing the document signature requests from the Documents tab.



On-demand bulk backup to cloud
Users can now back up all their completed documents in bulk to one of the integrated cloud storage providers on-demand. Upon initiation, the backup task will immediately start saving a copy of all the completed documents belonging to their organization to the location specified in their cloud storage. Once the backup task is completed, an email notification containing a summary of the activity will be sent to the user from Zoho Sign. However, due to its potential to create a greater load on our servers, this feature will only be activated for organizations at the request of their administrators. Administrators can send a mail to our support team at any time requesting its activation.



Short-hand text tags
Users now have the option to use much shorter text tags in place of the older text tags in Zoho Sign. These tags function like merge tags for signer fields. When these tags are placed alongside the content in a document, they are automatically replaced by the corresponding signer fields upon upload to Zoho Sign for the signing process. An example of the newer short-hand text tag would be using {{FN:R1}} instead of {{First Name:Recipient1}}. For further information, users can send a mail to our support team requesting assistance and documentation.

Merge enhancements in bulk send
Apart from the predefined signer fields, users can now also merge recipient data onto custom text fields in documents when sending them for signatures using the bulk send feature. The data for the custom text field must be included in the bulk recipients CSV file in additional columns with the columns carrying the same headers as the respective fields' data labels. Similarly, a private note can also be added for each recipient by including the data in a column titled 'private_notes' in the CSV file.



Enhancements to limiting responses in SignForms
Users can now disable duplicate responses from the same email address in SignForms. When disabled, anybody trying access a SignForm document by entering an email address already used in a response made in the last 7 days, will, by default, be asked to contact the form owner. However, users also have an option to allow signers to resume signing the SignForm document if their previous response was incomplete.



Enhancements to field properties in Document Viewer
We have introduced new properties that can be set for signer fields in the Document Viewer screen - Resizable, Fixed width, Fixed height, and Character limit. It is now easier for users to duplicate a custom text field to create multiple occurrences of it containing the same data and properties. To do this, users can simply select the text field and then copy-paste it onto the document and reposition it wherever it needs to appear again. Alternatively, users can add more fields and set a common data label to make them share properties. This functions such that once the signer inputs the data in the first occurrence of the field, it is automatically filled into the subsequent occurrences.



Email bounce notifications
Users now get an email bounce notification when an email sent from Zoho Sign is not delivered to its recipient. This notification is received by the user in their mailbox and will carry a reason identifying the cause of failure due to which the email could not be delivered. This can be essential for organizations to identify and fix when a breakage occurs in communication related to paperwork due to email delivery issues.



Support for spreadsheet upload
Zoho Sign now supports the upload of spreadsheet documents for signing and sending for signatures. The supported file formats belonging to this type are XLS, XLSX, and ODS.

What's coming?
  • Qualified Electronic Signatures (QeS)
  • Signing with cloud-based identity providers for different regions
  • Trusted timestamping in documents
  • Offline signing
  • E-sign workflows in Google Docs
  • Software development kit (SDK) for mobile development
We are now in the final stages of introducing options to sign documents with several integrated regional and cloud-based identity providers. For the EU region, we will have Qualified Electronic Signatures (QeS) available via bit4id, a certified provider of digital signature services. For businesses in India, we will have cloud-based eSign or e-KYC (based on the guidelines laid out by the Controller of Certifying Authorities or CCA) available via eMudhra, a leading provider of digital identity services. We are also working with a few more vendors to make these capabilities available across other regions and hope to introduce them in the coming months.

Additionally, we are also working with several regional timestamping authorities (TSA) to introduce trusted digital timestamping in documents for added document security and validity. This also greatly reinforces Zoho Sign's legal applicability for use by governmental bodies and other public administration organizations.

Soon, there will also be an offline signing capability that enables agents to collect signatures in person from signers in remote areas without internet connectivity and also allows signers to download documents on their mobile apps and sign them offline at their convenience. Besides this, we are also nearing the release of a full-fledged software development kit (SDK) for mobile application and integration development using Zoho Sign's services. Users of the Google Workspace ecosystem will also soon have the capability to initiate sign workflows directly from their documents in Google Docs using Zoho Sign.

Do follow this space closely for our announcements (very soon!) introducing these capabilities.

If you need further details on any of these features or enhancements, feel free to comment below. For any other support or assistance needed, please write to support@zohosign.com.

Happy Zoho Signing!

Regards.
Sai Anand

    Access your files securely from anywhere









                          Zoho Developer Community




                                                • Desk Community Learning Series


                                                • Digest


                                                • Functions


                                                • Meetups


                                                • Kbase


                                                • Resources


                                                • Glossary


                                                • Desk Marketplace


                                                • MVP Corner


                                                • Word of the Day


                                                • Ask the Experts



                                                          • Sticky Posts

                                                          • Free webinar! Build smarter apps with Zoho Sign and Zoho Creator

                                                            Hello, Bring the power of digital signatures to the apps you build in Zoho Creator! Connect Zoho Sign as a microservice and enable seamless e-signature workflows in your applications. This integration allows you to automate signing tasks using Deluge.


                                                          Manage your brands on social media



                                                                Zoho TeamInbox Resources



                                                                    Zoho CRM Plus Resources

                                                                      Zoho Books Resources


                                                                        Zoho Subscriptions Resources

                                                                          Zoho Projects Resources


                                                                            Zoho Sprints Resources


                                                                              Qntrl Resources


                                                                                Zoho Creator Resources



                                                                                    Zoho CRM Resources

                                                                                    • CRM Community Learning Series

                                                                                      CRM Community Learning Series


                                                                                    • Kaizen

                                                                                      Kaizen

                                                                                    • Functions

                                                                                      Functions

                                                                                    • Meetups

                                                                                      Meetups

                                                                                    • Kbase

                                                                                      Kbase

                                                                                    • Resources

                                                                                      Resources

                                                                                    • Digest

                                                                                      Digest

                                                                                    • CRM Marketplace

                                                                                      CRM Marketplace

                                                                                    • MVP Corner

                                                                                      MVP Corner







                                                                                        Design. Discuss. Deliver.

                                                                                        Create visually engaging stories with Zoho Show.

                                                                                        Get Started Now


                                                                                          Zoho Show Resources

                                                                                            Zoho Writer

                                                                                            Get Started. Write Away!

                                                                                            Writer is a powerful online word processor, designed for collaborative work.

                                                                                              Zoho CRM コンテンツ






                                                                                                Nederlandse Hulpbronnen


                                                                                                    ご検討中の方







                                                                                                            • Recent Topics

                                                                                                            • Latest updates in Zoho Meeting | New top bar video layout, a revamp of our in-session settings and now import webinar registrations with a CSV file

                                                                                                              Hello everyone, We’re excited to share a few updates for Zoho Meeting. Here's are some of them : We have moved audio, video, virtual background and preferences under a single settings pop-up for better user navigation. You can now upload a CSV file containing
                                                                                                            • Important update: Changes in email sender policies

                                                                                                              Hello, This is to announce important changes to email sender policies from Google that may impact your use of Zoho Meeting. Restriction on public domains Effective February 1, 2024, Google is implementing policies that will affect the configuration of
                                                                                                            • Camera access

                                                                                                              My picture doesn't appear in a group discussion. (The audio is fine.) The guide says "Click the lock icon on address bar," but I can't find it. Advise, please
                                                                                                            • Chat for webinar session, schedule meeting session for 24 hours - Zoho Meeting iOS app update

                                                                                                              Hello, everyone! In the most recent iOS version of the Zoho Meeting app, we have introduced the chat functionality for the webinar session. To access this feature, the Organizer should have the 'Public chat' option enabled on the Zoho Meeting desktop
                                                                                                            • Invoice Copy 2005116990189

                                                                                                              Please provide the invoice for the trancaction 2005116990189
                                                                                                            • Darshan Hiranandani About

                                                                                                              Hi, I’m Darshan Hiranandani, a dedicated software developer with a strong passion for creating efficient and user-friendly applications. With a degree in Computer Science and several years of experience in the tech industry, I specialize in full-stack
                                                                                                            • Latest update in Zoho Meeting | On-demand webinars

                                                                                                              Hello everyone, We’re excited to introduce our new on-demand webinar feature, you can now provide pre-recorded sessions that your audience can access immediately, no need to wait for scheduled sessions. Benefits of On-demand webinars : Scheduling flexibility
                                                                                                            • Zoho Meeting iOS app update - Join breakout rooms, access polls, paste links and join sessions, in session host controls

                                                                                                              Hello, everyone! In the latest iOS version(v1.7) of the Zoho Meeting app, we have brought in support for the following features: Polls in meeting session Join Breakout rooms Paste link in join meeting screen Foreign time zone in the meeting details screen.
                                                                                                            • Zoho Meeting app update.

                                                                                                              Hello, everyone! In the latest Android (v2.3.7) and iOS (v1.7.1) versions of the Zoho Meeting app, we have brought in support for the following features: Report Abuse option. WorkDrive integration. Report Abuse option You can now report to us any deceptive
                                                                                                            • Zoho Meeting Android app update - v2.4.0

                                                                                                              Hello everyone! We are excited to announce that we have brought in support for the following features in the latest version of the Zoho Meeting Android app(v2.4.0): 1. Start Personal Meeting Rooms 2. Revamp of the schedule meeting screen and meeting details
                                                                                                            • Introducing Zoho Desk integration and a few minor enhancements

                                                                                                              Zoho Desk Integration We've now introduced an integration between Zoho Meeting and Zoho Desk to efficiently manage meeting-related customer inquiries. With this integration, you can track, respond to, and resolve meeting-related tickets directly from
                                                                                                            • Zoho Meeting iOS app update: Hearing aid, bluetooth car audio and AirPlay audio support.

                                                                                                              Hello everyone! We are excited to announce the below new features in the latest iOS update(v1.7.4) of the Zoho Meeting app: 1. Hearing aid support: Hearing aid support has been integrated into the application. 2. Bluetooth car Audio, AirPlay audio support:
                                                                                                            • Zoho Meeting Android app update: Breakout rooms, noise cancellation

                                                                                                              Hello everyone! In the latest version(v2.6.1) of the Zoho Meeting app update, we have brought in support for the following features: 1. Join Breakout rooms. 2. Noise cancellation Join Breakout rooms. Breakout Rooms are virtual rooms created within a meeting
                                                                                                            • iOS 12 update: Introducing autofill passwords and Siri Shortcuts in Zoho Vault

                                                                                                              With this iOS 12 release, Zoho Vault users can now autofill usernames and passwords on Safari and other third-party apps. Users can enjoy a seamless login experience to their everyday apps without compromising security and also access passwords stored in Zoho vault with Siri Shortcuts by adding personalized phrases. How to enable autofill password on your iOS device? First, you need to update your device to iOS 12.  Apple recommends you to take a backup before you update your device to the latest
                                                                                                            • Zoho Vault: A look at what's new for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS

                                                                                                              Hi everyone, At Zoho Vault, we constantly aim to improve your security experience. Based on both internal and external feedback, we have recently rolled out updates across our iOS, iPadOS, and support for macOS platforms. Introducing the desktop app for
                                                                                                            • Biometric Access Support on Zoho Vault Desktop App

                                                                                                              Is there any plans to add biometric authentication (fingerprint, face recognition) for Vault desktop apps (Windows/macOS) to enhance security and ease of access. I would love to hear other members view on this
                                                                                                            • Free webinar: Learn the benefits of migrating to Zoho Vault's new interface

                                                                                                              With remote work becoming more and more common across the globe, productivity and time management are now pivotal concerns for every organization. With the number of business applications employed by companies constantly increasing, a password manager like Zoho Vault saves a lot of productive hours for your team. Vault's new interface has been carefully designed to address these pressing needs, helping users increase their productivity while improving their overall online experience.  This July,
                                                                                                            • Free Webinar: An exclusive live Q&A session with the Zoho Vault team

                                                                                                              As 2020 draws to an end, we're closing out a year that has seen drastic changes all around the world. Many businesses have adopted cloud solutions and a remote work culture for the first time, and this has given rise to newer cyber risks and threats that
                                                                                                            • Why passwordless authentication should be your top security project for 2021

                                                                                                              Hello users! We know that nobody likes to remember passwords, yet they form an indispensable part of our lives. Many of us working with any kind of technology today manage numerous passwords for personal and business accounts. With the widespread adoption
                                                                                                            • Free Webinar: See why Zoho Vault is the best alternative to LastPass

                                                                                                              When LastPass was acquired by LogMeIn in Oct 2015, we expressed our genuine concern about how this would change the LastPass business model and how customer trust would transfer from one company to another. As we suspected, LastPass doubled their pricing
                                                                                                            • Managing cyber threats when working remotely | A Customer Survey Report

                                                                                                              The nearly universal adoption of remote work has changed the way businesses function. Globally, enterprises continue to work to find new ways to make life easier for employees working remotely. However, a commonly cited concern has been the lack of cybersecurity
                                                                                                            • World Password Day: 5 interesting facts about passwords

                                                                                                              It's World Password Day: that time of the year when we talk about password hygiene and the importance of safe password management. World Password Day is observed on the first Thursday of every May, and this year, we'd like to talk about some of the most
                                                                                                            • Free Webinar: Go passwordless in 2022 with Zoho Vault

                                                                                                              Passwords have long been the preferred authentication method, largely due to their universal appeal. While they're easy for people to use and implement, they're also convenient for hackers to exploit. Reports from 2021 state that weak and stolen passwords
                                                                                                            • Myki has announced EOL for its services | Learn why Zoho Vault password manager is the best alternative

                                                                                                              Hello Myki users,   Myki has announced end-of-life for its Teams, MSP, and GUARD services, after being acquired by JumpCloud. In their recent announcement, Myki stated that they will be removing their apps and extensions from the respective stores, turning
                                                                                                            • Join our exclusive meetup with Zoho's Real Estate community

                                                                                                              Hey there, The Zoho Vault team is conducting a meetup for all real-estate users from Zoho. During this session, we will be discussing the need for secure password management and how Vault can help you and your clients safely protect passwords and other
                                                                                                            • Free webinar: A quick walkthrough of Zoho Vault and major updates in 2023

                                                                                                              Managing passwords is crucial for all businesses. You can securely store, share, and manage passwords effectively from anywhere with Zoho Vault. We have introduced several new features in 2023 to offer the best online experience for our users. Join our
                                                                                                            • Free webinar: Why a password manager is a “must-have” for everyone in 2024

                                                                                                              In the past decade, we've witnessed numerous cybersecurity breaches globally, with a significant portion resulting from the "it won't happen to me" mindset. Shockingly, in 2023, 86% of breaches involved weak and stolen passwords. Password hygiene is crucial
                                                                                                            • Zoho Vault - Webinars 2023 - Video Recordings and Slide Decks

                                                                                                              Hello, We wanted to offer a consolidated list of Zoho Vault webinar resources from 2023. Therefore, we're putting together a list that includes links to our webinar recordings and slide decks for easy access. Webinar Video recording Slide deck Getting
                                                                                                            • Free webinar: ‌Focal point: Building a financial ecosystem with Zoho Vault and Zoho Workplace

                                                                                                              Hi everyone! Cyber threats against the financial sector are escalating. In the last two decades, nearly one-fifth of reported incidents targeted financial institutions, causing $12 billion in direct losses. Cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated,
                                                                                                            • New features in Zoho Vault

                                                                                                              We’re thrilled to introduce a wave of powerful updates in Zoho Vault, designed to enhance security, streamline workflows, and improve your overall experience. Let’s dive into what’s new! Folder creation restrictions Limit who can create folders in your
                                                                                                            • Join our World Password and Passkey Day expert Q&A 2025

                                                                                                              Hey everyone! World Password and Passkey Day is almost here, and there's no better time to talk about something we all rely on daily—secure authentication. Did you know that a staggering 60% of hacking-related breaches are tied to weak or stolen passwords?
                                                                                                            • Dashlane discontinued its free plan: Here's why Zoho Vault's free plan is worth the switch

                                                                                                              Hey everyone, Dashlane password manager has officially announced that its free plan will be discontinued starting September 16, 2025. This change means that current free users will need to either upgrade to a paid subscription or export their data and
                                                                                                            • Introducing SecureForms in Zoho Vault

                                                                                                              Hey everyone, Let’s face it—asking someone to send over a password or other sensitive data is rarely straightforward. You wait. You nudge. You follow up once, twice—maybe more. And when the information finally arrives, it shows up in the worst possible
                                                                                                            • Clickjacking: Zoho Vault's Response

                                                                                                              Issue: Password manager browser extensions are found to be vulnerable to clickjacking security vulnerabilities that could allow attackers to steal account credentials, TFA codes, and card details under certain conditions. Reported by: Marek Toth, Independent
                                                                                                            • Free webinar: Security that works: Building resilience for the AI-powered workforce

                                                                                                              Hello there, Did you know that more than 51% of organizations worldwide have experienced one or more security breaches, each costing over $1 million in losses or incident response? In today’s threat landscape, simply playing defense is no longer enough.
                                                                                                            • Free webinar—Redefining workforce security with Zoho Vault: Passwords, passkeys, and multi-factor authentication

                                                                                                              Hi everyone! Did you know that in Q2 alone, 94 million data records were leaked globally? Behind every breach is a combination of poor password habits, phishing attacks, privilege misuse, and simple human error. The fallout—including reputational damage,
                                                                                                            • Fill Colors

                                                                                                              Hello, Just curious, is it possible to manage the Used and standard colors in the fill drop down menu ? I would like to change/edit them is possible to colors I frequently use. Thanks for you reply, Bruce
                                                                                                            • Is there a way to generate a virtual meeting for a group service in Zoho Bookings?

                                                                                                              Are virtual meetings not supported for group services/meetings? I have integrated Zoom with one-on-one services, but I need a way to create an online group meeting. Thanks
                                                                                                            • Items Below Reorder Point Report?

                                                                                                              Is there a way to run a report of Items that are below the Reorder Point? I don't see this as a specific report, nor can I figure out how to customize any of the other stock reports to give me this information. Please tell me I'm missing something s
                                                                                                            • Client scripts for Zoho Books ?

                                                                                                              Good day everyone, I am looking for a way to be able to interact with the Quotes and Invoices as they are being created. Think of it like Zoho client script in Zoho CRM. But for the life of me I dont see a way to do this. The issue with having function
                                                                                                            • Next Page