How to Easily Insert Electronic Signatures in Google Docs

Have you ever wondered how to add electronic signatures to your Google Docs? Well, wonder no more! Adding a signature in Google Docs is quick and easy, and there are multiple methods you can use. In this article, we will explore three simple ways to insert electronic signatures into your Google Docs. Let’s dive in!

Method 1: Insert a Drawing of Your Handwritten Signature

One way to add an electronic signature to your Google Docs is by using the drawing tool in Google Workspace. While this drawing tool may not be as robust as professional drawing applications, it gets the job done. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open the Google Docs document you want to sign.
2. Place your cursor where you want your signature to appear.
3. In the top toolbar, click on Insert > Drawing > New. The drawing tool will open in front of your Google Docs document.
4. In the drawing toolbar, click or tap on the Line tool (4th icon from the right).
5. Select Scribble from the dropdown menu.
6. Handwrite your signature using a mouse, trackpad, or touchscreen.
7. Click on Save and Close in the top right corner of the Google drawing window.

Once you click on Save and Close, the image of your handwritten signature will appear in your document. You can click or tap on the image to display its bounding box and use the handles to resize your signature image as needed. You can also modify how the image interacts with text by changing its alignment and text wrapping options.

Reusing Your Signature

Want to insert the signature you just created into other Google documents? No problem! To do this, select the Edit option for your image to go back to the drawing window. Select Actions > Download and choose the file type you prefer. You can then download the signature document in JPG, PNG, PDF, or SVG format and reuse it without having to redraw it.

Method 2: Drag and Drop an Image of Your Signature into Google Docs

Here’s another simple way to create a signature in Google Docs. While providing great functionality, the drawing tool actually just adds an image of your signature to your document. If you don’t want to bother with Google Drawing (especially if you’re using G Suite on your iPhone, iPad, or Android tablet), an online signature tool like CreateMySignature could be a better option. Let’s see how you can sign a document in Google Docs using the drag and drop method.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Go to CreateMySignature.
2. Handwrite or type your signature in the signature window on the homepage.
3. Click or tap on the Download Signature button.
4. In the Google Docs document you want to sign, go to Insert > Image and upload your signature file into the document. If you’re using a Mac or PC, you can simply drag and drop the image file into your document.
5. Adjust the image to your liking using the resizing and text wrapping adjustment tools.

Once you’ve added the signature to a Google Docs document, you’ll always have the signature image on your device. You can use it to sign multiple documents or create pre-signed document templates with an embedded signature. You can also upload it to Google Drive to use as an image, add it to a Microsoft Word document, or attach it to your Gmail signature.

It’s as simple as that!

Method 3: Use an Extension to Sign Your Google Docs Document

Sometimes, when you add a signature in Google Docs, you need something more secure, especially when signing legally binding documents. That’s where extensions can come in handy. A third-party tool like the PandaDoc extension for Google Docs can connect your electronic signature platform to your Google Workspace account, making the creation of certified digital signatures quick and easy.

Please note that you will need a PandaDoc account to sign using the PandaDoc extension for Google Docs. If you don’t have one already, you can sign up for free.

Here’s a quick tutorial on how it works:

1. In the document toolbar where you want to create your signature, go to Add-ons > Get add-ons. Alternatively, you can directly access the Google Workspace Marketplace page using this link.
2. Type “PandaDoc for Google Docs” in the search bar of the popup window.
3. Select and install the PandaDoc extension for Google Docs.
4. In Google Docs, select Add-ons in the menu bar. From the dropdown menu, select PandaDoc > Sign with PandaDoc.
5. Follow the instructions to log in to your PandaDoc account and connect it to your Google account.

A dialogue box presenting a three-step signing process will appear in the right sidebar of your Google Docs document.

7. To finalize the signing process, insert your own signature into the document by clicking on the signature window.

Please note that if you’re using privacy application, your signature image may be blocked. Remember to disable any add-ons that may interfere with your PandaDoc extension.

8. Once you’re finished signing, select Next: Add More People to Sign and enter the email address of the person who needs to sign next.

You can add multiple signers at this stage. If you’re the sole signer, select I want to just sign it myself to finalize the document.

9. Once all signers have completed the document, select Finalize to complete the document.

Then, click on Send a Signed Copy to send the signed document to the relevant recipients.

10. Download the Google Docs document as a PDF document for your own records.

You may notice that the signing process using an extension is slightly longer than using the drawing or image-based method. This is due to the authentication process.

This holds true for all signature apps and signature extensions. PandaDoc and other signature apps (HelloSign, DocuSign eSignature, etc.) issue a digital signature certificate when a document is signed.

You will need to sign in to these services using your account credentials to benefit from the added security.

Once these steps are completed, however, your document will have the necessary signatures and the required security to withstand legal scrutiny.

Conclusion

As you can see, inserting electronic signatures in Google Docs is both simple and secure. You have the flexibility to choose between different methods, depending on your needs and preferences. Whether you’re drawing your handwritten signature, dragging and dropping an image of your signature, or using an extension, you can easily add electronic signatures to your Google documents.

To learn more about best practices for document creation, electronic signatures, and much more, visit Crawlan.com. Feel free to explore our site to find other helpful tips for optimizing your experience with Google Sheets and other Google tools.