According to a McKinsey report, finance teams spend up to 40% of their time on manual documentation and compliance tasks. In an era where milliseconds can impact trades and strategic decisions, paperwork is still the silent productivity killer. Why are countless firms still printing, scanning, and mailing contracts—when every other process has gone digital? The problem isn’t technology. It’s inertia. And it’s costing businesses more than time—it’s costing them talent, accuracy, and competitive edge.
The paper paradox in modern finance
It’s 2025. Cloud computing dominates infrastructure, AI is reshaping analytics, and yet—some teams still rely on printers and binders to manage agreements and authorisations. Finance departments, often praised for innovation in forecasting and automation, remain surprisingly analog when it comes to contracts. Vendor onboarding forms. NDAs. Loan agreements. All still signed with ink, witnessed by email, and filed in a cabinet or scanned into PDF purgatory.
While many companies upgraded their core systems during the pandemic, workflows around documentation remained overlooked. The result? Delays, inconsistencies, and audit nightmares. Onboarding a new supplier can take days longer due to misplaced forms or incomplete signatures.
That’s why forward-thinking teams are embracing tools that allow them to sign documents online, instantly and securely. Platforms enable finance departments to streamline every signature-dependent process—whether it’s client agreements, compliance sign-offs or interdepartmental approvals.
Why contracts are the new bottleneck
At first glance, contracts seem like a minor operational detail. But in practice, they’re often where processes stall. A single unsigned document can delay product launches, revenue recognition, or critical hiring. In financial operations, where timing and compliance are non-negotiable, delays carry serious risk.
Legal and finance teams are especially vulnerable. They manage high volumes of sensitive, time-bound documents, often across multiple jurisdictions. Traditional signature workflows—print, sign, scan, email—are not only inefficient but prone to human error. Misplaced pages, unsigned fields, and conflicting versions are more common than most executives realise.
Moreover, in remote or hybrid work environments, physical signatures become logistical puzzles. Does the CFO have a printer at home? Can the legal team access the scanned version? Has the contract been tampered with in transit? These questions not only slow down execution—they increase liability.
Security, compliance, and peace of mind
One major hesitation among finance professionals when it comes to digital signatures is security. Are electronic signatures legally binding? Can they be trusted in a court of law? Are they compliant with international standards like eIDAS or ESIGN?
The answer is yes—if the right platforms are used. Services like Eversign offer full compliance with global digital signature regulations, combined with robust audit trails, encryption and access control. Every signature is timestamped, every document archived securely, and every action traceable. For finance teams that undergo frequent audits or must adhere to strict regulatory standards, this isn’t a convenience—it’s a safeguard.
Internal control processes also benefit. Document flows can be automated and embedded within wider approval structures. Sign-offs can be sequenced, conditional, and even delegated securely. That means fewer errors, clearer responsibility, and far less chasing.
The ROI of going paperless
For CFOs and controllers, switching to e-signature platforms is not just about digitalisation—it’s about return on investment. Time saved on admin tasks translates into more bandwidth for strategic work. It means fewer hours spent tracking documents and more spent on planning, analysis, and growth.
It also impacts employee morale. Younger finance professionals expect modern tools. Manual paperwork is not only outdated—it’s a sign of organisational rigidity. Implementing tools to sign documents online signals a commitment to efficiency, transparency and adaptability.
Then there’s the environmental and reputational bonus: going paperless reduces waste, aligns with ESG goals, and demonstrates operational maturity. For firms seeking funding or partnerships, that perception can make a difference.
