Comparison
E-signature vs approval record
An electronic signature answers who signed a file and when. An approval record answers how the decision was formed: who submitted, who reviewed, what was decided, and which document version was approved. The two can be used together, but neither replaces the other.
- Author
- Horulabs
- Published
- Updated
Two different questions
Electronic signatures and approval records get confused because both produce digital files that look official. In fact they answer different questions, and that difference decides when each is needed.
An electronic signature centres on the signer. The questions are: who is this person, is their identity verified, and do they intend to be bound by the contents? An approval record centres on the process. The questions are: who took part, in what order, with what decision, and on which version of the document.
A direct comparison
The table below compares them along the lines operations, legal, and audit teams ask about most often.
| Aspect | Electronic signature | Approval record |
|---|---|---|
| Main question | Who signed it? | How was the decision formed? |
| Focus of proof | Signer identity and intent | Step order, roles, and document version |
| Multiple parties | One or a few signers | Can be layered, sequential, and conditional |
| Document changes | The signature fails if the file changes | A new version needs a new approval |
| What gets checked | Certificate, identity, and signing time | File integrity, audit chain, and timestamp |
| Best for | Agreements that need signer identity | Internal review processes and approval evidence |
When an electronic signature fits better
An electronic signature fits when the core issue is one or more parties committing to the contents of an agreement. Examples include partnership agreements, powers of attorney, official statements, or contracts that genuinely need signatures from the parties.
- The document goes to an external party who needs to sign as a form of consent.
- The signer's identity must be verified by a particular method.
- The agreement is final and will not pass through several internal review stages.
- Industry practice or an obligation requires a signature on the document.
Note that certified electronic signatures in Indonesia involve certified providers. Segel is not such a provider and does not claim to replace one.
When an approval record fits better
An approval record fits when the core issue is the process: who checked, who approved, when, and on which version. That is the everyday situation in most operational work.
- An invoice that must pass finance review and manager approval before payment.
- A contract that needs legal review, director approval, and then signature.
- Purchase requests that need a line manager and a budget owner.
- Internal documents that must show a particular version was reviewed by the right authority.
In those cases, a signature on the last page does not answer the questions that actually come up later. What comes up is whether the document changed after review, who approved this version, and whether the approval was recorded in the right order.
Where they overlap
There is a region where the two meet. A contract can pass through an internal approval route first, then be signed electronically by the authorised party. In that pattern the approval record is the evidence of process, while the signature is the evidence of commitment.
When using both, make sure the signed version is the approved version. If the document changes after approval, the old record still covers the old version, and the new version must go through its own process.
| Stage | Tool | Evidence produced |
|---|---|---|
| Internal review | Approval record | Review order, decisions, document version |
| Final signing | Electronic signature | Signer identity and signing time |
| Storage | Both | The final file and the history that travels with it |
Common mistakes when choosing
The first mistake is using an electronic signature for work that really needs a history. The result is a signature, but no answer to who reviewed the document and when.
The second mistake is treating an approval record as a replacement for an official signature. Segel records the process and seals the evidence, but it does not turn a document into a certified signed agreement.
The third mistake is stacking both without linking versions. If a signature is applied to a different version than the one approved, both lose most of their value.
The evidence layers and their limits, without overclaiming.
Deciding for your organisation
Start from the questions that must be answered once the process is over. If the question is about the identity of a committed party, you need an electronic signature. If the question is about the process and the document version, you need an approval record.
- Write down the three questions that most often appear after a document is finished.
- Identify which of them the current process cannot answer.
- Choose the tool that answers those questions, not the one you hear about most.
- If you need both, link the document versions so no gap opens between them.
The definition and contents of a sealed record.
The technical evidence behind an approval record.
The free plan is enough to try one approval route.
Common questions
Does an approval record replace an electronic signature?
No. An approval record proves the process and the document version. An electronic signature proves the signer's identity and intent to be bound. If a document needs a signature, an approval record does not remove that need.
Does Segel provide certified electronic signatures?
No. Segel is an electronic approval record. It makes approvals tamper-evident and independently verifiable, but it is not a certified electronic signature and is not a certification provider.
Can both be used on the same document?
Yes. A common pattern is to finish internal review through an approval record, then sign the final version electronically. Make sure the signature applies to the same version that was approved.
Which matters more for an audit?
It depends on the audit question. A process audit usually needs the approval history and document version. An audit of commitments needs evidence of signer identity. Many audits need both.