Google Docs eSignature system now in beta for Workspace Individual

Previewed last year, Google is now offering an e-signature feature in Docs and Drive for Workspace Individual customers, while it’s coming soon to select tiers.

This e-signature feature lets you “sign an official contract right from Google Drive without having to switch apps or tabs.” At the same time, there’s the ability to request signatures by dragging-and-dropping fields (up to 200) into a document. This also includes name, initials, and date signed.

Google will then generate a locked PDF file and send it to specified recipients. You will have the ability to monitor the status of e-signature requests.

Once complete, a signed PDF is “added separately to the signer’s Drive and sent out as email attachments to both the requester and the signer.”

At the moment, eSignature for Docs is available in open beta (no additional sign-up required) for Google Workspace Individual users. It’s aimed at “solopreneurs and small businesses” that need an easy way to track “contracts, customer agreements, and other binding documents.”

The following Workspace tiers can join a beta over the coming weeks: Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Starter, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Essentials Plus, Education Plus, and Nonprofits customers.

eSignature will be launching there alongside custom email layouts in Gmail in an expansion of email campaign features.

Looking ahead, Google is working on adding these features to eSignatures:

• “Multi-signer: the ability to request a signature from more than one user”
• “Non-Gmail users: the ability to request an eSignature from non-Gmail users”
• “Initiating eSignature on PDF: the ability to initiate an eSignature on PDF files stored in Drive”
• “Audit trail: all completed contracts will automatically contain an audit trail report”