electronic signature

[Paramount Embroidery]

Hi

Is there such a thing as an online way of capturing an electronic signature?

We have created a pice of software and want a simple way of making customers agree to our T&C's before we install it. Our customer base is worldwide so I'm thinking along the lines of a tick box where they agree to abide by our rules and it captures some kind of personal details that will stand up in court if they break our rules.

Help!

[David Maiden]

There are a few ways you could go about this however the method you use should be appropriate to how you are distributing and the licensing of your software.

For instance, are your customers paying for this software? If so, you may need to get them to agree to the licensing agreement before paying for the product online and then allow them to download it. If they are pre-paying then this would be of little relevance. Interestingly, you use the phrase "before WE install it". Are you able to clarify your proposed licensing and distribution method?

[Paramount Embroidery]

Hi David, thanks for the reply.

We sell the software and then install it for the client on their server. They pay for it upfront but before we sign the product off and hand it over we need them to agree to our T&C's.

[P4D | Parcels4Delivery]

I can't remember the name, but I think BT used to offer some sort of online signature technology. I haven't heard anything about it for a couple of years so I don't know whether it still exists.

[David Maiden]

Since you are selling and then installing the software, I would use a paper-based contract or end-user licence that the customer signs. I think it would would offer more protection legally than any thing online.

Just a thought, if your software is installed on your customers server, do you have or were you thinking of creating a web service for capturing the online registration of the software product?