Adobe, creator of the PDF standard, has reportedly bought electronic signature company called EchoSign, which calls itself the “number one electronic signature service and signature automation.” EchoSign's solution is expected to become a key component of Adobe's document exchange services platform for reliably exchanging documents for universal access, review and approval.

EchoSign's service is estimated to be used by more than three million users across the world. The process automates the entire signature process from the request for signature to the distribution and execution of the form or agreement. The EchoSign solution offers a secure, subscription-based service to individuals, small to medium-sized businesses and enterprise customers, enabling real-time visibility into the signature process and automatically storing and managing all signed documents.

The solution will be integrated with other Adobe document services such as SendNow for managed file transfer, FormsCentral for form creation and CreatePDF for online PDF creation. The combination of these services with an electronic signature feature can helps save companies time and money by eliminating the need for physical transfer of documents by messengers or overnight carrier services, said the two companies in a press release (www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressroom/pressreleases).

“Adobe's document solutions help organizations turn inefficient, paper-based workflows into streamlined electronic ones, said Kevin M. Lynch, VP and general manager of Acrobat Solutions for Adobe. “By adding electronic signature capabilities to Adobe's document exchange services platform, we will be addressing the need to provide better customer experiences by significantly reducing the time, cost and complexity associated with having a document signed,” he added.