FAQ

Installing and Managing

1. Why do I need to set up a ContractPal account?

ContractPal is an on-demand, cloud-computing platform developed specifically for completing, signing and processing documents online. eSignExpress is an application built on the ContractPal cloud and is one of many applications available for the cloud. For more information, visit www.contractpal.com.

eSignExpress is built exclusively on ContractPal. Your ContractPal account will provide security and complete ESIGN compliance for all of your agreements and transactions.

2. What operating systems and browsers can I use with eSignExpress?

We have developed eSignExpress to be compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux and with Internet Explorer 7+, Firefox 2+, Chrome 1+ and Safari 3+. eSignExpress is NOT compatible with previous versions of Internet Explorer, including Internet Explorer 6.

3. What's the difference between a participant and an enterprise user?

Participants are people you invite to participate in a transaction. Participants participate in transactions through FREE ContractPal accounts. Enterprise users are users that you invite to your ContractPal enterprise. Enterprise users have the ability to create new eSignExpress transactions.

4. How do I delete a contract?

Use the ContractPal transactions monitor. Click on "My Transactions," find the transaction and delete it. Use the groups and filter menus to improve your searches.

5. How do I add an enterprise user?

Click "Enterprise Manager" from the ContractPal menu and then select "Users." From there, it should be relative easy. If you need help, click the "Help" button in the upper right hand menu. Once you add a user, you will also need to give the user rights to the group(s) associated with eSignExpress. To do so, select Enterprise Manager | Enterprise Profile | Groups.

Billing and Accounting

1. Do you offer a free trial?

Yes. We provide a trial offset (credit) of $34.95, which covers the normal charges for the first month. You won't see a charge on your credit card until the 2nd month.

2. Is payment information required to set up an Account?

Yes. However, billing will not take place until the end of the month as transactions accrue.

3. At what point in the contract process does a transaction count against my 50 contracts?

A transaction is counted each time a new contract or template is created. Note that a contract can include more than one document. Transactions will be counted even if they are deleted later.

4. What are the charges after the 50 contracts per month?

The charge for each contract or transaction after the 50 contracts per month is $1.95 per transaction. The storage fees are the same, $0.10 per transaction per month.

5. When will I be charged?

When you sign up for eSignExpress you will be asked which day of the month you would like to be billed on. If your credit card expires or is canceled, you will be prompted to enter current payment information upon logging into ContractPal. You will be billed only for the month that has passed. When you first sign up, you will receive a credit of $34.95 to cover the first month subscription.

6. What happens to my contracts after the 90 day free storage period ends?

Your contracts are safe and can be accessed at any time. After the 90 days free storage period, monthly storage fees of $0.10 will automatically accrue for each contract until you delete it.

7. Can I cancel my subscription, and if so how?

Of course! To cancel your subscription, log into ContractPal, click on App Settings under My Applications, select eSignExpress and click Uninstall. eSignExpress will be uinstalled. You will be billed through the end of the current month. After that, you will not incur additional charges for eSignExpress. Note that you will continue to be charged for contracts you leave on the system.

8. This pricing seems confusing. Is there a better solution?

In a nutshell, 3 users can create up to 50 contracts for $34.95 a month. After 90 days, we start charging you $0.10 per contract for storage. If you are creating more than 50 contracts in a month then eSignExpress is probably not the best solution for you and you should contact ContractPal about building a custom solution tailored to your exact needs. You will most likely get better pricing, your customers will have a better user experience, and your employees will have better functionality. eSignExpress is a sample of what can be done on ContractPal.

Other Questions

1. Does eSignExpress support PDF Signing?

Yes. You can use eSignExpress to sign a PDF. Simply upload the PDF and place signature markers on it. You can also use PDFs as the basis for eSignExpress templates.

2. How do eSignExpress Signatures Work?

eSignExpress uses electronic signatures. Under applicable law, an electronic signature is basically a sound, symbol or process associated with a document with the intent to be bound. By using eSignExpress, you can sign in software. You don't have to use a digital signature. A digital signature is a signature generated from a special encryption key pair.

Electronic signatures are as valid as handwritten signatures. In fact, we think they are better and not only because we offer an electronic signature service. Handwritten signatures can be forged. Depending on how they are done, electronic signatures cannot be forged. The ContractPal platform employs very sophisticated techniques to assure that your documents are signed safely, securely and enforceably. ContractPal uses signature capture control. Among other things, ContractPal signature capture control prohibits signatures from being applied to documents without the documents being viewed first. In addition, ContractPal uses special signature verification software that prevents document or signature tampering. And ContractPal uses digital signatures to incorporate electronic signatures into documents. All this means that ContractPal electronic signatures are better than handwritten signatures.

3. Do I need any special hardware or software to use eSignExpress?

No. You don't need signature pads, digital signatures, signature capture devices, or signature capture software. All you need is a modern operating system, browser and access to the web. With ContractPal you can simply sign documents online, including contracts, forms or spreadsheets.

4. Are eSignExpress signatures legally binding?

Yes. Under applicable legislation provided the documents and contracts you sign using eSignExpress are signed with the intent to be bound, the electronic signatures will be valid. Of course, that doesn't mean that your document or contract will be enforceable. Why? Enforcability depends on the contract or document. So, you'll want to start with good forms or have your attorney draft the appropriate documents for you.

5. Should I trust everyone that uses eSignExpress?

The sad truth is no. Although everyone that creates contracts using eSignExpress are required to sign an agreement with us that binds them to comply with all applicable laws, they may not. If we are notified of a breach of our enterprise agreement we will enforce it. But, unfortunately, you'll need to use the same measures you use for any relationship when using eSignExpress. If it's sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

6. Why did you build eSignExpress on ContractPal?

Developing on ContractPal dramatically reduces the amount of time it takes to develop cloud applications ... no hardware to buy, no software to install or configure, no databases to set up. Just get in, build your application, test it and deploy.

7. What other kinds of things can be developed on ContractPal?

ContractPal can be used to develop all kinds of applications. Some customers use it for merchant services agreements. Others use it for complex sales agreements and processes. Still others use it to track return material authorizations. Basically, if you can dream it, it can be built on ContractPal.