Enhance Reports with Electronic Signatures [Webinar Notes]

This blog provides show notes for our April 24 webinar, Enhancing Reports with Electronic Signatures in Bold Reports®. The session was presented and hosted by Ravi Kumar Gurunathan, Product Manager at Bold Reports.

Overview

In our latest webinar, we introduced the electronic signature report item in Bold Reports, enabling users to sign reports directly within the Report Designer and Viewer. This feature enhances secure report workflows and simplifies internal acknowledgment processes.

Key topics covered

• Customizing signature elements: Learn how to align electronic signatures with your company branding for a polished, professional appearance.
• Exporting signed reports: Discover how electronically signed reports can be seamlessly exported and distributed.
• Drawing and editing signatures: Watch a live demonstration on creating, resizing, and cropping signatures in the Report Designer.
• Best practices for integration: Explore practical ways to incorporate electronic signatures into your current reporting workflows.
• Ensuring secure report access: Understand how to maintain report data integrity when embedding or sharing reports that include visual electronic signatures, which do not offer cryptographic protection.

Best practices

To make the most of the new electronic signature report item in Bold Reports, consider the following best practices for secure and efficient implementation:

• Secure your signature assets: Store all signature templates, images, and keys on the server side with strict access controls and encryption to prevent unauthorized access.
• Use HTTPS for all communication: Ensure that embedding and exporting reports occur over secure HTTPS channels to protect data integrity and privacy.
• Control signature access with permissions: Use role-based access in Bold Reports to restrict who can add, modify, or view electronic signatures.
• Track signature usage for compliance: Monitor analytics to see how often electronic signatures are used, who is using them, and which reports they’re applied to.
• Embed signed reports securely: Use secure authentication methods for embedded views and ensure that sensitive data is not exposed.

Q&A

Q1: Do I just export signed reports once they are completed?
A1: Once you’ve signed a report, you can just export it in multiple formats, such as PDF or Excel, for sharing. The reports containing visual electronic signatures are securely stored, though the signatures themselves are not cryptographically protected or legally verifiable.

Q2: How do I ensure the security of signed reports while placing them within my application?
A2: Bold Reports offers security through encryption and robust access controls. You can insert signed reports with secure links and restrict access by role-based permissions so that only approved users can view or edit the report. While reports may include visual electronic signatures, these are not digitally signed or legally binding. In addition, all communications need to be over HTTPS to further secure sensitive data.

Q3: Can I integrate the Electronic Signature feature with other systems or tools I already use?
A3: The Electronic Signature report item can be easily incorporated within your existing reporting and document handling practices. You can create the feature within your entire workflow, where data is exchanged easily among Bold Reports and your other business applications.

If you missed the webinar or want to watch it again, you can find the recording on our YouTube channel or watch it below.

Summary

During this webinar, we introduced the new Electronic Signature Report Item in Bold Reports®, showcasing customizable and exportable visual electronic signatures within securely integrated reports, intended for informal internal use. We hope you found the session insightful! Stay tuned for more upcoming Bold Reports webinars.