General / Application FAQ
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This page provides information about Electronic Signatures in general and how Topaz products
are applied to take advantage of them.
A1. What is Electronic Digital Signature Capture and why do I care? A2. What is the importance of using an Active-X control for signature capture ? A3. Why does Topaz have so many different tablets - which should I use ? A4. What is the importance of the Simultaneous Inking Pen ? A5. What kind of systems are best for use over the internet ? A6. What is the difference between SigLite and the other Topaz tablets ? A7. How can I get application and technical support ? A8. What is the difference between SigPlus and GemTools software? A1. What is Electronic Digital Signature Capture and why do I care ? Back to Top Electronic digital signature capture is a technology for signing electronic document files with a handwritten signature. The use of this technology allows for the complete elimination of the mailing, storage, filing, copying, and retrieval of paper documents. This will save your business time and money. In companies and organizations which process a lot of signed paper contracts and forms, digital signature capture will save literally millions of dollars per year in overhead costs. The savings in an Insurance company with 1000 field agents can be on the order of $25 million dollars per year compared with the cost of using paper documents. The return on investment in your Topaz tablets is in the thousands of percent return. Payback on the investment is measured in days. Insurance and Worksite
Marketing for automation of contracts, forms, and enrollment. Either on a
one-on-one basis, or as part of a Worksite
enrollment. Besides insurance, other organizations which are using electronic digital signature capture include: Government agencies, such
as motor vehicles, for automating ID cards, badges,
etc. Loan escrow and leasing
services, such as the simultaneous completion of paper contracts (paper taken by
the customer) and their electronic counterpart for instant paperless storage,
transmittal, retrieval, and
browsing. Banks and credit union
signature cards. Capture an original signature in the new accounts
department, and verify it at the teller window instantly. Visual or
automatic verification. Capture of signatures at the teller window for
cash-back receipt
storage. Medical facilities, for
automating check-in, consent, and
charting. Pharmacies, which can now
automate the prescription process end-to-end including fraud detection, customer
pick-up and consultation acceptance or
denial. Application Service
Providers, to provide e-access to standard signature-ready contracts and
forms. Pharmaceutical companies,
to speed-up and streamline the process of application for drug approval to the
FDA. Human resource
applications, kiosks for capturing paperless employment
applications: In addition to savings in overhead costs, digital signature technology speeds business processes and improves productivity. When used with the internet or an intranet, all of the documents and contracts that an organization uses, including customer and vendor contracts, service contracts, and human resource documents can be made available anywhere, anytime, electronically. Today's business world revolves around instant access to information. Electronic digital signature capture allows that same instant access to legal, robust signed documents, contracts, and receipts. A2. What is the importance of using an Active-X control for signature capture? Back to Top An Active-X control allows for great versatility. The same building block control works just as well on a desktop, notebook or over the internet. Older development tools used software call DLLs, which are not so versatile in where they can be applied. Active-X is where it's at in today's world of mixed internet and PC-based applications. A3. Why does Topaz have so many different tablets - which should I use? Back to Top Each Topaz tablet was developed with a specific set of customer requirements in mind. In other words, you asked for them. Remember "Pen-based computers?" One of the reasons that they weren't that successful was because when it comes to automating signatures, different applications have different needs in terms of size, cost, paper trail or LCD ink, etc. In working closely with our customers over the past 10 years, we have developed basically two types of tablets - those which connect to a PC for use, and those which are stand-alone for field use in delivery. The delivery tablets are the TracGem and PaperGem units. They have their own controller, battery and memory, and allow you to capture hundreds of signatures in the field and then download them later. The PC-connected tablets include the SignatureGem, 4X5, SignatureGemLCD, ClipGem, ClipGemLGL, SigLite, and StingRay tablets. These are used real time in conjunction with a PC application or the Internet to capture signatures and bind them to documents, data, files, and transactions. The availability of such a wide range of tablet products from a single vendor, all utilizing a common set of software tools is a powerful combination for the automation of a wide range of needs within your organization. SignatureGem1X5: The industry standard for signature capture. Used in highly portable signature applications like insurance or delivery. Pen uses plastic or Ink tip interchangeably. Useful as a counter-top device where space is at a premium. Standard product comes authorized for with Topaz SigPlus e-Signature software. RS-232 or USB interface SignatureGemLCD1X5: Shows "electronic ink" on an LCD display under the tip of the pen when signing. Used in highly portable signature applications like insurance or delivery. Useful as a counter-top device where space is at a premium. Can display interactive text and graphics. Standard product comes authorized for with Topaz SigPlus Tools ActiveX and Java software. SignatureGemLCD4X3: Shows "electronic ink" on an LCD display under the tip of the pen when signing. Large 4.25 x 2.5 inch signing area. Can load and display graphics using SigPlus software. Useful in countertop applications requiring text to be displayed to the customer, or interactive pen-touch programming. Standard product comes authorized for with Topaz SigPlus Tools ActiveX and Java software. SignatureGem4x5: Useful in desktop or counter-top applications where a large writing area is desired, or where vertical or horizontal pen storage is needed. Pen uses plastic or Ink tip interchangeably. Standard product comes authorized for with Topaz SigPlus Tools ActiveX and Java software. RS-232, USB, or wireless IR interface. ClipGem: Useful in desktop or counter-top, applications where a full sheet of paper form is to be marked up or signed. Pen uses Ink tip for simultaneous electronic copy. Standard product comes authorized for with Topaz SigPlus Tools ActiveX and Java software. ClipGemLGL: Legal-paper size version of the ClipGem. Useful in desktop or counter-top, applications where a full sheet of paper form is to be marked up or signed. Pen uses Ink tip for simultaneous electronic copy. Standard product comes authorized for with Topaz SigPlus Tools ActiveX and Java software. RS-232 or USB interface. SigLite1X5: Used where cost is the most important issue and a touchpad-type pad is acceptable for the application. A touchpad is not recommended for high-volume or ink-on paper use. Standard product comes authorized for with Topaz SigPlus Tools ActiveX and Java software. Supplied with replaceable signing surface. SigLiteLCD1X5: Used where cost is the most important issue and LCD ink and interactive features are needed, this touchpad-type pad may be suitable for the application. A touchpad is not recommended for high-volume signature use. Can display interactive text and graphics. Standard product comes authorized for with Topaz SigPlus Tools ActiveX and Java software. Supplied with replaceable signing surface. StingRay: A mouse / Wintab™ tablet with 4 x 5 inch active area and mousing pen with side-button for right mouse functions. A4. What is the importance of the Simultaneous Inking Pen? Back to Top The simultaneous inking pen allows regular ink to appear on paper at the exact same instant that the signature is captured electronically. There are two primary reasons to use ink: 1. Your customer
wants a paper receipt - so the customer gets the paper, and you don't have to
file, staple, copy, and mail it. A5. What kinds of systems are best for use over the Internet? Back to Top Any Topaz System that uses the SigPlus Active-X control is great for use over the internet. Some system configurations: 1. Escrow and lease contracts: Bring up the contract in an .html form and fill out the text boxes. Then print an 8.5 x 11, or legal sized paper contact. Place the contract (multiple sheets ok) on the ClipGem tablet, and direct the customer to sign and initial where indicated. The customer takes a paper copy and your e-original is available to be printed, browsed, or sent anywhere in the world. 2. e-Commerce: Bring up the transaction on the .html form. Have the customer fill in the text boxes, payment information, and sign. No paper is needed, and a copy of the e-transaction is sent to the customer's e-mail address. 3. Engineering document control: View the document via the internet for approval. Sign for approval and create a document receipt. Send the signature data and position on the drawing to e-document control. Overlay the image of the signature onto the document for viewing and keep the signature and document receipts in the approval history file for change control. A6. What is the difference between SigLite and the other Topaz tablets? Back to Top The SigLite tablet is based on low-cost touchpad technology, while all of the Gem-Series products are based on high-performance high-speed electromagnetic pen technology. The differences between rugged E/M technology and the more fragile touch-pad type technology will determine which one you can use. If the price were the same, the electromagnetic Gem-Series tablets would always be the tablet of choice. However, if your application requires tablets to be rolled out to every desktop in your company to collect signature on e-forms for human resources or for signing workflow documents, then the SigLite may be a product that can save a lot of money in a large rollout. This is because the number of signatures will be low over its lifetime, it will not be frequently packed and unpacked, and it will be used by a single user over its lifetime. If the SigLite touchpad were to be unpacked and packed frequently in the field, you will run the risk of accidentally scratching or cutting the thin touchpad surface. The Gem-series tablets are best used in commerce, contracts, documents, and transactions where the dollar value of the products or services being signed for is significant and important and you want to have a quality of signature that matches the value of your products and services.
A7. How can I get application and technical support? Back to Top Contact our technical support department between 9 and 4 am Pacific Time: All software support, updates, and examples are provided at no charge to Topaz customers. Phone: 805 520-8286,
or -8287 A8. What is the difference between SigPlus and GemTools software? Back to Top SigPlus Tools are either bundled as driver tools with the tablet, or are licensed separately (not individually bundled with tablets) for applications developed and rolled out by third-party software providers, resellers, systems integrators, and end-users. These parties may download SigPlus and its associated tools and applications from the Topaz website and all updates and support are free of charge. SigPlus software includes licenses to US patents 5,120,908, 5,122,623, and 6,307,955 GemTools software includes the SigPlus software and SigPlus Tools and applications, bundled together with Topaz signature verification software (SigValid), and/or a license to US patents 5,120,908, 5,122,623, 5,544,255, 5,120,906, 5,227,590, 5,647,017, 5,818,955, 6,064,751, 6,307,955, 6,539,363 and others, and an authorized Topaz tablet. Authorization to use this GemTools software bundle is provided via a GemTools authorization sticker affixed to the back of the tablet unit or by authorization by the factory. All updates and support of GemTools software is also provided by Topaz at no cost. If you are a licensee of SigPlus software and need to add full GemTools authorization, please contact the factory. |