Zoho Sign: Product Updates - Q3-Q4, 2021 and 2022 Preview

Zoho Sign: Product Updates - Q3-Q4, 2021 and 2022 Preview

Hello, everyone!

2021 has been a breeze of a year in the face of a seemingly unending global pandemic. And yet, businesses have displayed great resilience by quickly adopting a system of hybrid work that better suits their evolving operational needs.

At Zoho Sign, we have added multiple features and partnered services to address digital transformation at a regional level and enhance overall collaboration under these circumstances. With e-signatures surging in popularity, we plan to introduce many more integrations and regional services in 2022 to broaden Zoho Sign's scope of application and use.

We are also thrilled to note that Zoho Sign was recognised by top research firms such as IDC and SoftwareReviews in the following publications:
Here's a brief summary of all the additions made to Zoho Sign in the past six months and also what's in store for 2022.

What's new?

  • Revamped add-on system - Zoho Sign credits
  • Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES) for the EU via Uanataca
  • eSign for India via eMudhra using e-KYC-based signer authentication
  • Trusted document timestamping via GlobalSign, SEIKO Cyber Time, and Uanataca
  • Offline signing in mobile apps
  • Signer field - Image upload
  • Google Docs editor integration
  • Revamped blockchain timestamping via Bitcoin network using OpenTimestamps
  • Updated mobile apps for Apple devices
    • Zoho Sign for iOS 15 and iPadOS 15
    • Zoho Sign for macOS Monterey
  • Software development kits (SDKs) for mobile and web development - open BETA
  • Revamped certificate of completion
  • Sign templates in Zoho Writer
  • Developer API collections on Postman and SwaggerHub
Revamped add-on system - Zoho Sign credits
Organizations must now purchase Zoho Sign credits, a common add-on, to use features and integrations that incur additional cost. This replaces our previous add-ons - the API credits and the SMS credits, which have been discontinued - to establish a standardized credit consumption system. This strictly applies only to integrated services facilitated by third-party providers and high-volume automation features subjected to fair use to prevent their abuse. This does not, however, effect much of a change to the actual cost of using these features. Learn more



Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES) for the EU via Uanataca
Organizations subscribed to the Enterprise plan and based in our EU datacenter can now digitally sign documents with Qualified Electronic Signatures. This carries the legal equivalence of wet signatures or signing documents with pen and paper. Zoho Sign offers QES by partnering with Uanataca, an authorised Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP) as per the eIDAS regulation 910/2014, and integrating with their services. Documents signed with QES also carry an embedded timestamp. Learn more



eSign for India via eMudhra using e-KYC-based signer authentication
Organizations subscribed to the Enterprise plan and based in our Indian datacenter can now digitally sign documents via eMudhra, a leading certifying authority (CA), using their integrated e-KYC services. Zoho Sign offers this in conformity with the e-sign service specifications defined by the Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA), India's root CA, in accordance with the Information Technology Act of 2000. Documents signed via eMudhra also carry an embedded timestamp. Learn more



Trusted document timestamping via GlobalSign, SEIKO Cyber Time, and Uanataca
Organizations subscribed to the Enterprise plan can now add immutable third-party timestamps to digitally signed documents by enabling document timestamping. This makes the signed documents indisputable, proves their existence at the time and date of signing even if the digital signature certificates on the documents expire in the future, and reinforces non-repudiation. Zoho Sign has partnered with multiple timestamping authorities (TSA)—Uanataca for qualified timestamps in the EU, SEIKO Cyber Time for Japan, and GlobalSign for all other countries and regions—to integrate with their trusted timestamping services. Learn more



Offline signing in mobile apps
Users can now download documents for offline access in our iOS, iPadOS, and Android mobile apps when they are connected to the internet. This later allows them to open and sign these documents even if internet connectivity is unavailable. This also enables field agents to collect signatures in person from signers in remote areas without internet connectivity. Any document signed offline will eventually be synced with the Zoho Sign servers when the user reconnects to the internet and this allows their workflows to continue.



Signer field - Image upload
The new Image signer field allows signers to add images to documents by uploading them at the time of signing. This can be used to request signers to add any additional information which is needed in the form of an image. We have also introduced another field property—Movable—that allows signer fields to be moved by signers in the Document Viewer screen at the time of signing.



Google Docs editor integration
Users can now edit documents supported by the Google Docs editor directly from Zoho Sign when building sign workflows. This requires the Zoho Sign integration to be installed from the Google Workspace Marketplace and the desired documents to be opened with or imported into Zoho Sign from Google Drive. Once edited, users can sync the updated files with the associated sign workflow to send them out for signatures.



Revamped blockchain timestamping via Bitcoin network using OpenTimestamps
In this new iteration, users subscribed to the Enterprise plan can enable blockchain timestamping to capture document signing events in the public Bitcoin blockchain. This creates an immutable public record for verification of document integrity. Zoho Sign offers this through an integration with a third-party service called OpenTimestamps. Previously, blockchain-based timestamping was done on the Ethereum network but it has since been discontinued and replaced with this iteration. Learn more



Updated mobile apps for Apple devices
Zoho Sign for iOS 15 and iPadOS 15
Users can add Zoho Sign to their SmartStack widget, set up larger widgets and focus notifications to track time-sensitive paperwork, print documents from anywhere, drag and drop text from other apps to create text fields, and do a lot more with enhanced pointer actions and keyboard shortcuts on the Zoho Sign app for devices running iOS 15 and and iPadOS 15.

Zoho Sign for macOS Monterey
Monterey brings all the features of the Zoho Sign apps on iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 to macOS along with other popular features such as Siri Shortcuts for a reimagined experience of digitally signing documents.
Software development kits (SDKs) for mobile and web development - open BETA
Developers can now reach out to Zoho Sign to obtain licenses for our software development kits. These SDKs facilitate quick and easy integration with Zoho Sign's services that can be served via custom mobile and web applications. SDKs are available for iOS, Android, and PHP. Please write to support@zohosign.com for license requests.

Revamped certificate of completion
The certificate of completion now summarizes document signing activity in a fresh new design that neatly presents all the details such as document and recipient information, signing order, mode of signing, timestamps and the associated blockchain transaction, if enabled.



Sign templates in Zoho Writer
Users can now set up templates for sending documents out for signature within Zoho Writer using the Automation Template option. This allows users to compose and create a sign template from scratch, or upload a document to Zoho Writer and then convert it into a sign template, and collaborate with peers on field properties and placement. Zoho Writer's new AI is also capable of automatically scanning, detecting, and adding signer fields to the PDF documents that users upload.



Developer API collections on Postman and SwaggerHub
It is now easier to build and deploy integrations for Zoho Sign using our API collections on Postman and SwaggerHub. These platforms provide developers with the documentation and the tools required to quickly compose and test API queries in real-time.




We urge you to check out these features and get back to us with all your feedback. You can read about our updates from earlier this year here. Do follow this space for more release announcements soon because we have got quite a lot to unpack (as you can see below)!

What's coming in 2022?

  • More integrated services via regional providers
    • Aadhaar-based signer authentication for India
    • QES via more vendors for the EU
    • Signer authentication via Singpass for Singapore
    • eID-based signer authentication for the EU
  • Signing improvements in Zoho Sign
    • Signing via USB Token DSC for macOS and web browsers
    • Bulk sign of documents with identical signer fields and requirements
    • Embedded signing via API and SignForms (in closed BETA)
    • Knowledge-based authentication (KBA)
  • Administrative improvements in Zoho Sign
    • Support for more languages
    • Sending documents for signature via SMS
    • Enhancements to document forwarding
    • Multi-portal/organization support
    • Custom domain and whitelabeling (in closed BETA)
    • Revamped roles, user groups, and permissions
  • New integrations and enhanced solutions
    • Integration with Zoho Checkout
    • Integration with Salesforce
    • Integration with SAP
    • Integration with HubSpot CRM (in early access)
    • Integration with Pipedrive CRM
    • Integration with Microsoft Power Automate
    • Bot support in Microsoft Teams for Zoho Sign
    • Vertical solutions across various domains via SDKs
Many of these features are in an advanced development stage and will be available for public use soon. For any support, assistance, and access to features that are in closed BETA, please write to us support@zohosign.com.

Feel free to comment below if you have any other queries or need any other details on the updates presented above.

Happy Zoho Signing! Happy Holidays!

Cheers.
Sai


      Zoho Campaigns Resources


        • Desk Community Learning Series


        • Digest


        • Functions


        • Meetups


        • Kbase


        • Resources


        • Glossary


        • Desk Marketplace


        • MVP Corner


        • Word of the Day


        • Ask the Experts


          Zoho CRM Plus Resources

            Zoho Books Resources


              Zoho Subscriptions Resources

                Zoho Projects Resources


                  Zoho Sprints Resources


                    Zoho Orchestly Resources


                      Zoho Creator Resources


                        Zoho WorkDrive Resources



                          Zoho CRM Resources

                          • CRM Community Learning Series

                            CRM Community Learning Series


                          • Tips

                            Tips

                          • Functions

                            Functions

                          • Meetups

                            Meetups

                          • Kbase

                            Kbase

                          • Resources

                            Resources

                          • Digest

                            Digest

                          • CRM Marketplace

                            CRM Marketplace

                          • MVP Corner

                            MVP Corner




                            Zoho Writer Writer

                            Get Started. Write Away!

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

                              Zoho CRM コンテンツ






                                ご検討中の方

                                  • Recent Topics

                                  • Need Inactive accounts to be visible in Reports in Zoho Books

                                    I N=need Inactive accounts to be visible in Reports in Zoho Books to do recons of the accounts but when i see the same they are not visible in the Accountant - Account Transactions report
                                  • Edit item custom fields

                                    Getting this error : Transactions have been created with the custom field. Hence it cannot be deleted. Not trying to delete it, just trying to change which modules to show in or to not show at all in transactions !
                                  • Zoho Books - How to Invoke a Custom Function in Schedulers

                                    We have multiple schedulers that send emails to customers in batches. Currently, we are maintaining the same code across several schedulers. Is it possible to use a custom function inside a scheduler script? If yes, how can we invoke the custom function
                                  • Use Zoho Books to bill for work done in Zoho Desk??

                                    I'm trying to see if something is possible (and if yes, how). We use Zoho One to manage our business. We have a lot of clients that will put in a ticket (via portal) to have work done. Out techs will pick up the ticket, do the work, and then log the time
                                  • Zoho Finance Suite - Customer Custom Tabs - Dynamic Link

                                    Hi Finance Suite team, When creating a Custom Tab for a Client Portal, there is no option to add dynamic parameters. This would be very helpful for adding Zoho Analytics dashboards which can be dynamically filtered through the URL to only show information
                                  • Modular Permission Levels

                                    We need more modular Permissions per module in Books we have 2 use cases that are creating problems We need per module export permission we have a use case where users should be able to view the sales orders but not export it, but they can export other
                                  • Blueprint or Validation Rules for Invoices in Zoho Books

                                    Can I implement Blueprint or Validation Rules for Invoices in Zoho Books? Example, use case could be, Agent confirms from client that payment is done, but bank only syncs transactions tomorrow. in this case, Agent can update invoice status to done, and
                                  • Feature Enhancement Request – Text Formatting Options in Item Description (Zoho Books/Quotes Module)

                                    Dear Zoho Development Team, Greetings from Radiant360 Integrated Technical Services LLC. We would like to bring to your attention a functional limitation we've encountered within the Item Table / Quote Description section of Zoho Books (and Zoho CRM Quotes).
                                  • Add Option to Mass Dispatch by User

                                    Hello! We are using the dispatch console to dispatch service appointments to our service ressources. Right now, the process is our dispatcher verifies each ressource's route for the day and dispatches it after validation. Sadly, there doesn't seem to
                                  • Bank Receipt Catagorization

                                    Hi, how can I match a bank deposit to multiple customer's invoices ? For e.g. A single person paid to us on behalf of different five customers. I need to keep the separated invoices for each customer
                                  • Per Level Approval for admins

                                    We need Process admins like Zoho CRM in Zoho Books for per stage approval Currently in books, admins only have the option for Final Approval But for example, in cases like when an employee is on leave, we can't just approval one level we only have option
                                  • Payment on a past due balance

                                    Scenario: Customer is past due on their account for 4 months. We suspend their billing in Zoho books. Customer finally logs into the portal and enters a new credit card. We associate that cardwith their subscription, which will permit the card to be used
                                  • How to export all line-item descriptions for a specific item in Zoho Books?

                                    I am trying to audit a specific item (“Item X”) that has been invoiced multiple times with different line-level descriptions. Here’s the situation: I am using Zoho Books (Professional). Each invoice may contain the same item but with different descriptions
                                  • List of hidden features

                                    Hi Friends, I had another support chat today and low and behold the feature that I wanted just simply needed to be "enabled". I thought I'd share, and maybe see if others had some similar experiences. 1. This one is from 5 ish years ago. I asked if there
                                  • How to change a BAS that has been filed

                                    I have discovered that a group of expense transactions were accidentally placed in a asset account rather than an expense account. As a result I need to adjust the transaction and consequently most of my BAS to correct the error. Because the BAS have
                                  • How to Export PDF with a custom Template

                                    I need to export Sales Order with a Custom Template I have created How can I do it? I see an API to export the PDF but how can I choose which template to choose to generate the PDF
                                  • Create custom rollup summary fields in Zoho CRM

                                    Hello everyone, In Zoho CRM, rollup summary fields have been essential tools for summarizing data across related records and enabling users to gain quick insights without having to jump across modules. Previously, only predefined summary functions were
                                  • Associate email with a potential or project.

                                    I have a pivotal requirement to associate emails from various suppliers (contacts) with different potentials or projects, on an email by email basis as they come in. This question appears to have been raised before but I cannot find a definitive yes "it can be done". Could anyone please tell me, yes or no.  If the later I can stop wasting time and look at alternative crm systems. I would love not to have to do this. Thanks in advance.
                                  • MTA - BAD IP reputation by outlook/hotmail

                                    Messages to Microsoft email servers are bouncing back due to poor reputation. Message: 4.7.650 The mail server [136.143.188.206] has been temporarily rate limited due to IP reputation. For e-mail delivery information see https://postmaster.live.com (S775)
                                  • Function with Search Records was working until a few weeks ago, around when "Connected Records" was released

                                    I have a custom function that has been running for nearly a year now, which suddenly stopped working around the time Zoho released the "Connected Records" update. The function is no longer finding the record using the searchRecords function. I've changed
                                  • Is CRM On Premise available

                                    Hi Zoho team, Can you please let me know that CRM Zoho is available for On Premise as well? Thanks, Devashish
                                  • How to sync from Zoho Projects into an existing Sprint in Zoho Sprints?

                                    Hi I have managed to integrate Zoho Projects with Zoho Sprints and I can see that the integration works as a project was created in Zoho Sprints. But, what I would like to do is to sync into an existing Zoho Sprints project. Is there a way to make that
                                  • Online Assessment or any aptitude test

                                    This video is really helpful! I have one question — if I share an assessment form link (through email or with the application form on my career page), how does Zoho Recruit evaluate it? Can a candidate use Google or external help while taking the test,
                                  • Editing the Ticket Properties column

                                    This is going to sound like a dumb question, but I cannot figure out how to configure/edit the sections (and their fields) in this column: For example, we have a custom "Resolution" field, which parked itself in the "Ticket Information" section of this
                                  • Need a way to secure Prefill URLs in Zoho Forms (hide or encrypt prefilled values)

                                    Hi everyone, I often use Zoho Forms with prefilled URLs to simplify the user experience — for example: https://forms.zohopublic.com/.../form?Name=David&Amount=300 However, the problem is that all prefilled values are visible and editable in the link.
                                  • Incoming Threads Report

                                    From data to decisions: A deep dive into ticketing system reports Customers raise questions and issues through multiple channels, such as email, chat, or tickets. To monitor the number of queries received on a specific day from each channel, leads can
                                  • Conditional layouts - support for multi-select picklists

                                    Hi, The documentation for conditional layouts says the following: "Layout Rules cannot be used on the following field types: Auto Number Lookup Multi Select Lookup User Lookup Formula File Upload Multi Line" I have a custom module with a multi-pick list
                                  • Samsung Keyboard Issues with Notebook

                                    Dear Users, We're sorry to inform you that some of our users are experiencing certain issues like scrolling, delay/lag, cursor placement especially within the text notes. This occurs mainly due to Samsung Keyboard compatibility with Android 13 and some
                                  • How to apply customized Zoho Crm Home Page to all users?

                                    I have tried to study manuals and play with Zoho CRM but haven't found a way how to apply customized Zoho CRM Home Page as a (default) home page for other CRM users.. How that can be done, if possible? - kipi Moderation Update: Currently, each user has
                                  • Cloudflare Turnstile is now available in Zoho Forms!

                                    Hello form builders! We have added a new layer of protection to help you keep your forms free from bots. Instead of forcing users to prove they are human, Cloudflare Turnstile quietly checks browser signals in the background. Your real users glide through,
                                  • Power of Automation :: Unique Task & Issue Prefix Format and Sequencing Rule

                                    Hello Everyone, A custom function is a software code that can be used to automate a process and this allows you to automate a notification, call a webhook, or perform logic immediately after a workflow rule is triggered. This feature helps to automate
                                  • 【Zoho CRM】キャンバス機能のアップデート

                                    ユーザーの皆さま、こんにちは。コミュニティチームの藤澤です。 今回は「Zoho CRM アップデート情報」の中から、キャンバス機能のアップデートをご紹介します。 目次 グリッドについて フォーム表示のタブについて 1. グリッドについて ビジュアルデザインは細部の調整に手間がかかりますが、キャンバスのグリッドを使えば要素を整理し、バランスよく配置できます。 画像やデータなどの要素をグループ化せずに簡単に配置できます。 余白を調整することで、要素間の視覚的なバランスを保つのに役立ちます。 「表示切り替え基準の幅」を設定すると、デザインをレスポンシブに調整できます。
                                  • Deleting unwanted ticket replies

                                    Hello, In a Zoho Desk Ticket thread, sometimes one of the recipients has auto-reply activated. This creates a new message in the Ticket thread that not only pollutes the thread, but most importantly cannot be replied properly because usually auto-reply e-mails don't do "reply all", so the other recipients are not included. I want to delete such a message in the Ticket thread. I searched the help of Zoho Desk, but only found a way to mark as Spam (https://help.zoho.com/portal/kb/articles/marking-support-tickets-as-spam)
                                  • Issue: Ticket Export Does Not Include Ticket Threads

                                    Dear Zoho Desk Support Team, I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to bring to your attention that the current ticket export feature in Zoho Desk does not seem to include the ticket threads or conversation history. When exporting tickets, only the summary
                                  • Ability to Set Client Name During Portal Invitation

                                    Hi Zoho Team, We would like to suggest an important enhancement to the Zoho Creator Client Portal functionality. Zoho Creator recently introduced the option to set a client’s display name in the Client Portal settings, which is very helpful for creating
                                  • スマホでキャンペンメールを見ると正しく表示されない

                                    キャンペーンのメール(HTML)を作成しましたが、スマホ表示に切り替えると正しく表示されません(添付参照)過去に作成したキャンペーンでは特に意識してませんでしたが、問題なく表示されていたようです。うまく表示される場合とされない場合の違いは何でしょうか?
                                  • 136.143.188.51 blocked by spamcop

                                    Zoho mailserver seems to be blocked by spamcop. Cant send mail to my customer. Not sure what to do.
                                  • Zoho Calendar Integrated Into CRM?

                                    I've searched around the forums but couldn't find anything addressing this . . .  Is there a plan to integrate Zoho's stand alone calendar solution into Zoho CRM?  The CRM calendar does an OK job but is very basic and the Zoho calendar is great, but I've only figured out to subscribe to my CRM calendar within ZCalendar - there is no 2-way sync. My preferred solution would be for ZCal to become the default calendar/event solution within Z CRM. Is this on the roadmap? Thanks
                                  • Can I Create Different Page Layouts Based on a Specified Module Pick List Field

                                    I am trying to work out how to create different page layouts based on a specified module pick list field value, like the Salesforce feature where you can define multiple record types and then create custom page layouts for each record type. This is a super important feature as for almost all the modules we are using (Leads, Potentials, Accounts) we need to be able only show fields relevant to the record type. E.g. We need a very different page layout for a consumer lead Vs a commercial lead, same
                                  • Scheduling Tasks in Relation to Project End Date

                                    I use Zoho project  to help manage tasks that relate to a number of specific business events that take place.  I would like to be able to have my project end date be the date of the event and then work "back" from that date to say...   Add a task 2 weeks before the project end date to remind me to XYZ.  Does anyone know if there is a way to base task timings back from a project due date rather than a project start date?
                                  • Next Page