Reference · vocabulary
Electronic signature glossary
Each term is defined the way the eIDAS Regulation or e-signature practice uses it, not the way marketing does. They come from the pages where they appear in context, and you can jump to those pages from here.
Where these definitions come from
This glossary is not a separate list that someone maintains by hand: it collects the definitions that already live on each page of the site, in the vocabulary section. If a definition is corrected on its page, it changes here automatically.
- Terms collected
- 37From every page on the site
A
- Acceptance click
- Pressing a button such as "Accept" on an identified document. It is a valid form of simple electronic signature, whose strength depends on the record that accompanies it. Used in: Simple signature
- Acknowledgment of receipt
- Proof that a person has received and read a document. With a simple signature and logged evidence, it establishes the date and the version received. Used in: E-signature for HR
- Advanced electronic signature
- One that is uniquely linked to the signatory, is capable of identifying them, is created using means under their sole control and detects any subsequent change to the document (Art. 26 eIDAS). Used in: Signature types
- Audit log
- A tamper-proof history of the actions taken on each document: who, what and when. Used in: Security and GDPR
- Authorized representative
- A person empowered to sign on behalf of a company. For significant transactions they usually sign with a qualified representative certificate. Used in: Commercial contracts
- AutoFirma
- The Spanish Government's electronic signature application, used to sign documents with certificates installed on the computer or stored on a card. Used in: Qualified signature
B
- Blockchain anchoring
- Recording a document's fingerprint on a public blockchain. It lets anyone check that the document existed on that date and has not changed, without knowing its content. Used in: Evidence
- Bulk sending
- Sending the same document to many signers at once, with each signing their own copy independently and with their own evidence. Used in: E-signature for HR
- Burden of proof
- The obligation to prove a disputed fact. With electronic signatures, who has to prove the signature is genuine depends on the level and on the trust services used. Used in: Signature types
C
- Cryptographic fingerprint (hash)
- A fixed-length digest calculated from the document. Changing a single character produces a completely different fingerprint, which makes any alteration detectable. Used in: Advanced signature
D
- Data processor
- A party that processes personal data on behalf of the controller, following its documented instructions and under the agreement set out in Art. 28 GDPR. Used in: Security and GDPR
- Digital handwritten signature
- A stroke the signer draws with a finger or stylus on a touchscreen, captured and bound to the signed document as an additional piece of evidence. Used in: Advanced signature
- Double confirmation
- An additional check in which the signer confirms from their inbox, with a link or a code, that they own the email address the document was sent to. Used in: Simple signature
E
- eIDAS Regulation
- Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 on electronic identification and trust services. It is directly applicable in every Member State, with no need for transposition. Used in: Signature types
- Electronic time stamp
- Data in electronic form that binds other data to a particular moment in time and proves that they existed at that moment (Art. 3(33) eIDAS). Used in: Evidence
- Employee record
- A digital folder holding all the documentation a person has signed throughout their relationship with the company. Used in: E-signature for HR
- Encryption at rest
- Protection of data while it is stored, limiting the damage if someone gains access to the physical media or a copy. Used in: Security and GDPR
- Evidence file
- The set of technical data that accompanies a signed document and proves how, when, by whom and on which version it was signed. Also known as an audit trail. Used in: Evidence
I
- International transfer
- Sending personal data outside the European Economic Area. It requires Chapter V GDPR safeguards, such as an adequacy decision or standard contractual clauses. Used in: Security and GDPR
K
- Kimobox
- A low-code platform for designing and managing administrative processes, employee, customer and supplier portals, and quality management systems without programming. Used in: KimoSign in Kimobox
- Kimobox Connector
- The Kimobox platform connector that links KimoSign and Kimobox with ERPs such as Sage 200, Navision, SAP, A3 and Odoo. Used in: Integrations
L
- Low-code
- A way of building applications by configuring forms and flows visually, without writing code. Used in: KimoSign in Kimobox
N
- Non-disclosure agreement (NDA)
- A contract in which the parties undertake not to disclose the information they exchange. It is one of the documents most often signed remotely. Used in: Commercial contracts
- Non-repudiation
- The property that prevents a signer from credibly denying they signed. It is built on identification, sole control of the signing means and the evidence. Used in: Evidence
O
- One-time password (OTP)
- A numeric code sent to the signer's phone or email that expires within minutes and works for a single operation only. It shows that the person signing controls that channel. Used in: Advanced signature
Q
- Qualified certificate for electronic signatures
- An electronic certificate that links signature validation data to a person and is issued by a qualified provider meeting the requirements of Annex I of the eIDAS Regulation. Used in: Qualified signature
- Qualified electronic signature
- An advanced signature created by a qualified signature creation device and based on a qualified certificate. It has the same legal effect as a handwritten signature (Art. 25(2) eIDAS). Used in: Signature types
- Qualified electronic time stamp
- A time stamp issued by a qualified provider in accordance with Art. 42 eIDAS. It enjoys a presumption of the accuracy of the date and time and of the integrity of the data. Used in: Evidence
- Qualified signature creation device
- Hardware or a service that protects the holder's signature creation data and meets the requirements of Annex II of the Regulation: smart cards, tokens or certified cloud signing services. Used in: Qualified signature
- Qualified trust service provider (QTSP)
- A supervised entity that has been granted qualified status by the national supervisory body and appears on its State's trusted list. Only a QTSP can issue qualified certificates and qualified time stamps. Used in: Qualified signature
R
- REST API
- An interface that lets two systems exchange data over HTTP using well-defined operations. It is the usual way to build signing into a CRM or in-house software. Used in: Integrations
S
- Signing order
- The sequence in which signers receive the document. It can be sequential, with each waiting for the previous one, or simultaneous. Used in: Commercial contracts
- Simple electronic signature
- Data in electronic form that the signatory uses to sign: an acceptance click, a ticked checkbox, a name typed at the foot of the page. It cannot be denied legal effect, but its evidential weight depends on the evidence that accompanies it. Used in: Signature types
- Sole control
- A requirement of Art. 26 eIDAS: the electronic signature creation data must be under the signer's control with a high level of confidence, such as their phone or personal inbox. Used in: Advanced signature
- Staging database
- An exchange area between two systems that do not talk to each other directly. It is a reliable option when the ERP offers no API. Used in: Integrations
T
- Timestamp
- A record of the exact date and time at which an electronic act takes place. When it is issued by a qualified provider, it is a qualified electronic time stamp. Used in: Simple signature
- Trusted list
- The official list, published by each Member State, of qualified providers and the services they are authorized to provide. Used in: Qualified signature
No term matches your search.
Is there a term you cannot find?
We will show you how to sign a real document at the level you need, in half an hour.
Keep exploring
Related pages
Simple, advanced or qualified: which one you need
How simple, advanced and qualified electronic signatures differ under eIDAS, with a comparison and criteria…
The evidence file behind every signature
What KimoSign records with every signature: authentication, time stamp, SHA-256 fingerprint, IP and device…
Advanced electronic signatures for contracts that hold up
Advanced e-signature compliant with Art. 26 eIDAS: PIN by text message or email, handwritten signature on…
Qualified signature: the same effect as signing by hand
Qualified e-signature with a certificate from a trust service provider and a qualified time stamp: same…
Glossary of electronic signatures, eIDAS and evidence
This electronic signature glossary precisely defines the terms of the eIDAS Regulation and e-signature practice: simple, advanced and qualified signatures, qualified certificate, qualified trust service provider, time stamp, cryptographic fingerprint and evidence file, among others.
Each definition comes from the page where the concept is explained in context, so from here you can jump to the section that covers it in depth.